Question

Personality disorders are often not apparent to others, and many people with these problems seem to live basically normal lives without being a threat to others. If these people can function well in society, why should they be considered psychologically disordered?

Answer 1

An indiviual is considered as suffering from psychological disorder if he/she has enduring pattern of behavior and inner experience that deviates markedly form the expectations of a person's culture in at cognitive, affectivity, interpersonal functioning and impulse control. These indiviuals may look normal in their first impression but are inflexible and pervasive across broad range of personal and social situations, which leads to clinically significant distress/impairment. When someone has a psychological disorder, they live suboptimal lives. They are suffering from an illness, not experiencing wellness.