Cluster C Personality Disorders

 

Cluster C personality disorders are generally associated with anxious or fearful patterns of thinking and behavior.

Cluster C includes:

• Avoidant Personality Disorder

• Dependent Personality Disorder

• Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)

Avoidant Personality Disorder

A person with Avoidant Personality Disorder may:

• Avoid social situations because of fear of criticism, rejection, or embarrassment.

• Be very sensitive to negative evaluation.

• Feel inadequate or inferior.

• Avoid relationships or activities because they fear being rejected or judged.

• Want relationships but be afraid of being criticized or rejected.

Dependent Personality Disorder

A person with Dependent Personality Disorder may:

• Have a strong need to be cared for by other people.

• Rely heavily on others to make important decisions.

• Have difficulty being independent.

• Fear being left alone.

• Have difficulty disagreeing with people because they are afraid of losing their support.

• Seek reassurance and support from others.

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) involves a persistent pattern of:

• Preoccupation with rules and order.

• Perfectionism.

• Need for control.

• Excessive attention to details.

• Difficulty being flexible.

• Putting work or productivity above relaxation or relationships.

OCPD Is Not the Same as OCD

Although the names sound similar, OCD and OCPD are different disorders.

• OCD: Involves obsessions and/or compulsions.

• OCPD: Involves a long-standing personality pattern involving perfectionism, order, control, and rigidity.

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An Important Point About Symptoms

Many symptoms and behaviors associated with personality disorders can also occur in other psychological disorders.

For example, being:

• Anxious

• Sensitive to criticism

• Perfectionistic

• Dependent on others

• Socially withdrawn

• Suspicious

• Emotional

• Impulsive

does not automatically mean that a person has a personality disorder.

In fact, many people who do not have any mental health disorder can experience some of these behaviors or personality traits from time to time.

Why Diagnosis Can Be Difficult

It can sometimes be difficult to distinguish between a normal personality trait and a psychological disorder.

Professionals therefore look at the whole picture, including:

• How long the pattern has existed.

• How consistent the behavior is across different situations.

• How severe the pattern is.

• Whether it causes significant distress.

• Whether it interferes with relationships, work, education, or everyday functioning.

• Whether another mental health condition better explains the symptoms.

• The person's cultural and social context.

Key Point

A symptom or personality trait by itself does not equal a diagnosis.

A person might be shy without having Avoidant Personality Disorder, need help without having Dependent Personality Disorder, or like things organized without having OCPD.

Diagnosis requires a persistent pattern that meets specific diagnostic criteria and causes clinically significant problems or impairment.

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Quick Revision

Cluster A

Odd or eccentric

• Paranoid

• Schizoid

• Schizotypal

Cluster B

Dramatic, emotional, or unpredictable

• Antisocial

• Borderline

• Histrionic

• Narcissistic

Cluster C

Anxious or fearful

• Avoidant

• Dependent

• Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder

Remember

Traits are not the same as disorders.

Many people will recognize themselves in descriptions of psychological symptoms. That does not mean they have a diagnosis. Mental health professionals look at the pattern, duration, severity, context, and effect on a person's life before making a diagnosis.