These diagnosis are controversial due to at present there being no real agreement on what it is that is causing the problem or how to treat it. The range of known personality disorders is:

Anxious Personality Disorder

Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder

Histrionic Personality Disorder

Schizoid Personality Disorder

Schizotypal Personality Disorder

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Dependant Personality Disorder

Anti-Social Personality Disorder

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder

Paranoid Personality Disorder

To be diagnosed as having one of the above disorders you have to display at least three of their particular symptoms. The symptoms of the first two disorders can be seen below:

Anxious (Avoidant) Personality Disorder:

Pervasive and persistent emotions of insecurity, shyness, tension and apprehension mean that your freedom becomes somewhat restricted.

You believe you are undeserving, unlikable, inept socially, and not that important compared with other people. These feelings often mean the affected individual avoids relationships unless certain that they are liked by the other person.

Abnormally large concerns over being criticized or rejected whilst at work or in a social situation lead to you avoiding any activities where you have to inter-relate with other people.

Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder

There are two variations; 'impulsive type' and 'borderline type', both have the following characteristics:

Strong inability to think and plan ahead in combination with no real self control and the occasional sudden outburst of extreme anger. This anger can its self lead to other intense behaviors such as violence, particularly if these acts are challenged or stopped by people in the vicinity.

A pronounced leaning towards impulsive actions without the consideration of possible consequences, e.g. substance abuse or unprotected sex.

Impulsive type emotional instability manifests its self with a low level of being able to control impulses. Violence and threatening behavior are frequent, and more often than not are a direct response to other criticizing the person affected.

Borderline type emotional instability can be characterized by strong doubts of personal aims, image and sexual preferences, leading to upset and distress. Debilitating feelings of emptiness can promote suicide, or at the very least self harming. You get involved in emotionally taught, constrained relationships which frequently have crises, but which you try to remain in so as to avoid being abandoned.

As yet the diagnosis of this mental condition is controversial since its causes and treatments are not fully agreed upon. Certain sufferers benefit from being emotionally open enough to discuss past difficult and upsetting experiences. Through airing their problems they become able to better identify the risky situations and so learn how to then deal with them. Professional carers can be of considerable benefit during these reflective and problem solving times.