Despite growing conversations around mental health, many people still struggle to understand how personality disorders differ from acute mental health illnesses.
When people hear the words “personality disorder”, they often think of someone manipulative, dramatic, dangerous or impossible to deal with.
Mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety, on the other hand, are generally met with more empathy and understanding.
But according to clinical psychologist Sinqobile Elevia Aderinoye, the reality is far more complex, and the public misunderstanding surrounding personality disorders continues to fuel harmful stigma.
Conditions such as borderline personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder are among the most widely recognised personality disorders.
