Question

phyllis cannot be alone. her moods and behaviors are reckless, including but not limited to excessive substance use, destroying public property and frivolous spending to the point of putting her family in debt. she often struggles to control her anger, lashing out on coworkers and family members. recently, phyllis wrote a suicide note and gave it to her husband because she felt like he wanted to leave her. she becomes paranoid sometimes thinking her husband is being unfaithful, that her coworkers are sabotaging her and that something bad is going to happen. which of the following diagnoses accounts for her pattern of being? a) antisocial personality disorder b) avoidant personality disorder c) borderline personality disorder d) schizotypal personality disorder

Explanation:

To determine the correct personality disorder, we analyze Phyllis's symptoms: fear of abandonment (cannot be alone), reckless behaviors (substance use, property destruction, spending), anger issues, relationship instability (lashing out, paranoid about husband), and suicidal behavior. Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is characterized by fear of abandonment, unstable relationships, impulsivity, emotional instability, and anger issues. Antisocial PD involves disregard for others' rights (not seen here). Avoidant PD involves social inhibition (not seen). Schizotypal PD involves odd beliefs/behavior (not seen). So Phyllis's symptoms match BPD.

Answer:

C. borderline personality disorder