How nations like the USA exhibit Personality Disorder

A person’s characteristic traits, coping styles and ways of interacting socially emerge during childhood and under normal circumstances will crystallize into established patterns by the end of adolescence or early adult hood. These traits and behaviors constitute an individual’s personality. For most adults, personality is attuned to the demands of the society they find themselves in. What this means is that most people act or behave according to their society’s norms or expectation.

If a person diverts from the norms expected by their society, that person is said to have a personality disorder. For there to be a diagnosis of a personality disorder, the pattern of behaviour must be pervasive and must be manifest in at least two of the following areas; cognition, interpersonal functioning, affect and impulse control. People find the behaviour of individuals with personality disorders confusing, exasperating, unpredictable and to varying degrees unacceptable.

This got me thinking about the general human population and how although we are similar our mannerisms are different depending on our societies. One society may have certain traits and mannerism that would be considered a disorder in another society while perfectly normal within that society. Considering that personality Disorders stem from gradual development of inflexible and distorted personality and behavioral patterns, I investigated a few countries that I am familiar with and came up with what maybe termed as Disorders to the rest of the world while perfectly normal within their own countries.

The Standard I use is to diagnose these nations is the American Diagnostic Statistc Manual (DSM –IV-TR) . I will try to explain the basis of my diagnosis and the reason why I think that people from these countries have developed what is perceived by others as personality Disorders.

1) The USA, Narcissistic Personality Disorder

According to the DSM, people with Narcissistic personality Disorder Have a “Pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy and behaviour) need for admiration, and lack of empathy as indicated by at least five of the following:

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