High-Functioning vs. Low-Functioning Personality Disordered Individuals

A high-functioning personality disordered individual can conceal their dysfunctional behavior in certain public settings and maintain a positive professional or public profile while behind closed doors their negative traits are shown to their family and friends. A low-functioning personality disordered individual cannot maintain a positive professional or public profile and is unable to conceal their dysfunctional behavior in public. It is not uncommon to cycle between periods of high-functioning and low-functioning behavior for some people. This is similar to bipolar disorder sufferers. In certain situations or environments the individuals behave in a high-functioning manner and in others a low-functioning manner. This common occurrence has the personality-disordered individual living with a kind of "split personality". Contrary to popular belief intelligence has little correlation to having a personality disorder. The spectrum of IQ can span from the lowest to the highest. Since some people with personality disorders are high-functioning, they may be leaders in their field of work, such as, CEO's, judges, politicians, church elders, teachers or police officers. Behind closed doors this may be a different scenario. The individual feels any conflict at home cannot be their fault because of their success in the public world. This gives them the opinion there is nothing wrong them. A high-functioning personality disordered individual thinks "Everybody thinks I'm so lucky but nobody knows what this is really like". There are many who do know what it is like, only not many people will talk about it openly in public. Examples of low-functioning personality disordered individuals are people who are reclusive, long term unemployed, chronically depressed, people with alcohol and drug addictions, people who are institutionalized in psychiatric facilities or people who are repeatedly in trouble with law enforcement. Someone may be considered "low-functioning" if they exhibit one of these traits and has been diagnosed with a personality disordered. None of those conditions is sufficient or necessary for the diagnosis of a personality disorder. When living with a low-functioning personality disordered individual the family may feel they are being taken advantage of. This is frustrating because loved ones may feel they are doing all the hard work. The person with the disorder may complain and put demands on the spouse while doing nothing to improve their own situation. This could lead the spouse to have depression. Out of fear, obligation and guilt, the spouse feels stuck and cannot afford to make the changes necessary to end the relationship. OUT OF THE FOG