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Personality That Displays a Two-sided Pattern
I have a very serious but complex question about a personality that displays a two-sided pattern. On one side, and there about 98% of the time, is a very concerned, honorable, "do the right thing" person. At other times, there is a
personality that clearly negates all the good... this can take the form of verbal abuse that jumps all middle ground and goes to areas that burn bridges that would never be rebuilt. Also, across both faces of this personality, is the pervasiveness of lies. It is this area of lies that has been the most difficult to understand-- this comes in different forms, I will try to categorize some:
* Complex lies that become so entangled that it is exhausting to debate
* Simple and clear contradictions within the same breath-- then no acknowledgement of such contradictions.
* Subtle suggestions/mis-direction/equivocations that look clearly self-serving but are very hard to pin down.
* When clearly cornered/caught-outright in a lie, the defense is, "I get confused" or "My brain get's confused" .
Any help or insight (hope) into this situation would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You
What you are describing sounds like a borderline style personality. The features of this personality might include the following...
Definition
Borderline Personality Disorder is characterized by a lack of ones own identity, with rapid changes in mood, intense unstable interpersonal relationships, marked impulsively, instability in affect, and instability in self image.
ONSET: Early adulthood and with a variety of contexts.
Diagnostic Criteria
1. Rapid changes in mood, intense unstable interpersonal relationships, marked impulsively, instability in affect, and instability in self image. As indicated by at least five of the following:
A. Going to about any lengths to avoid real or imagined abandonment.
B. Intense unstable interpersonal relationships characterized by changing between idealization and devaluation the relationship.
C. Lack of ones own identity. A Marked instability of self image or the sense of self.
D. Impulsively in two or more areas that are self damaging. These may included abuse, sex, spending, eating, driving reckless, or etc.
E. Recurrent gestures, self mutilation, suicidal behavior, or threats.
F. Instability in affect.
G. Marked feelings of emptiness.
H. Frequent displays of anger due to a difficulty in control.
I. Dissociative or paranoid.
Remember, this is not a diagnosis on my part...it's only a suggestion for clarification.