He anankastic personality disorder, also known as obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, can affect those who suffer from it socially and at work. That is why at Psychology-Online we want to explain to you what it consists of and what the recommended treatment is.
Ananchastic personality according to DSM and CIE
The diagnostic criteria for him anankastic personality disorder (ICD) either obessive-compulsive personality disorder (DSM) They are different but in general they define the same disorder. Next we will look at the criteria as they appear in the DSM:
- Concern for detailsrules, lists, order, organization or schedules, to the point of losing sight of the main object of the activity.
- Perfectionism that interferes with the completion of tasks (e.g., you are unable to finish a project because you do not meet your own demands, which are too strict). Discover .
- Excessive dedication to work and productivity to the exclusion of leisure activities and friendships (not attributable to obvious economic needs).
- Excessive stubbornnessconscientiousness and inflexibility in matters of morals, ethics or values (not attributable to identification with culture or religion).
- Inability to throw away worn or useless objectseven when they have no sentimental value
- Reluctant to delegate tasks or work on others, unless they submit exactly to their way of doing things
- Adopt a stingy spending style for him and for others; Money is seen as something to be accumulated against future catastrophes.
- Sample rigidity and obstinacy.
Ananchastic Personality Traits
The ananchastic personality is characterized by the following traits:
- Perfectionists
- Self-demanding
- Responsible and organized
- Drivers
- Rigid
- Fair in terms of values, ethics and standards
- Nonconformists
- Negatives
- Low tolerance for frustration and failure
- Extremist
- They find it difficult to enjoy life
When there are no established standards or protocols regarding a task, decision making becomes complicated. Even figuring out which tasks are most important and the best order to do them can mean they never get started.
They get angry when they are not in control of the situation. But they do not express anger openly but with indignation and rumination.
They control the expression of affection and may feel uncomfortable around people who express it with intensity.
Situations that require tolerance or flexibility may be difficult for them, so the work area is affected.
Ananchastic Personality Characteristics
People with an ananchastic personality present the following characteristics in their way of behaving:
- People with ananchastic personality they try to maintain control of the tasks, paying excessive attention to the details, the rules, the protocols… influencing this in the completion of the task itself, unnecessarily lengthening the completion time or even not finishing it. They repeat, check over and over again for possible errors and distance themselves from the real objective of the task.
- Are perfectionists and self-demanding so it is difficult for them to finish something due to the possibility that it will not be perfect. Check with this one.
- They are excessively dedicated to work and their productivity and neglect friendships and their leisure time. They can bring work into their free time to feel productive. They tend to prefer organized activities and focus more on doing them correctly than on enjoying them.
- They are something inflexible in matters of morals and values. They are also strict with the rules, which are not broken even in special circumstances. They also require others to act like them.
- They accumulate old objects and unhelpful claiming that they don’t know when they might need it. And they get very upset if someone tries to part with something of theirs. This causes problems with the people who share the home with them.
- They rarely delegate tasks because they think that their way of doing things is the correct one and if they let someone else do it, they give detailed instructions for how to do it. They get irritated and surprised if someone does things differently than they do.
- They are also meticulous in the economy. They plan their expenses very well, do not spend more than necessary and save their money for future needs that may arise. In general they live below their means.
- Are reluctant to consider other alternatives and if they see that one may be advantageous, they still maintain their option “on principle.” Friends and family end up feeling frustrated due to this rigidity that characterizes them.
Relationship between ananchastic personality and major depression
Treatment of ananchastic personality
Ananchastic personality disorder usually peaks between the ages of 40 and 50 and occurs more frequently in men than women. If it does not significantly alter the life of the sufferer, treatment is not necessary.
However, if some areas of your life are affected, the treatment that has been shown to be most effective is the combination of psychotropic drugs with the .
The treatment of this disorder usually extends over time since it is not a specific problem but a way of being or behaving, so change and maintenance become more difficult.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to Ananchastic personality: traits, characteristics and treatmentwe recommend that you enter our category.
Bibliography
- American Psychiatric Association (1995). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV. Barcelona: MASSON