Personality Disorders - Cluster B

As mentioned in my opening post about personality disorders, personality disorders are split into three clusters -A, B, and C. This post will discuss cluster B. People with these disorders tend to be dramatic, emotional, and erratic. 

The Biology of Desire, by Marc Lewis

The Biology of Desire, by Marc Lewis, narrated by Don Hagen

Neuroscientist and former addict Marc Lewis writes an engaging study of the biological changes that occur in an addicted brain, complete with personal stories about himself and several addicts that he interviewed. Lewis points out that there are two major models for addiction - the disease model and the choice model - and argues why he believes the disease model has outlived its use and is now harming rather than helping addicts. 

Nonfiction Book Pairings

This week's Nonfiction November prompt given at Regular Ruminations is book pairings. 

Gilgamesh Translations

When I chose to read Epic of Gilgamesh, I had a difficult time choosing which translation to use. Did I want a prose translation which flowed freely instead of showing me all the sections that were questionable and fragmented? Did I want a translation which showed me how the tablets were separated and where the fragments were? Luckily, I had access to both types of translation, and read both of them. In addition, I also listened to an adaptation of the various translations. There were pros and cons of each approach. 

Personality Disorders - Cluster A

As mentioned in my opening post about personality disorders, personality disorders are split into three clusters: A, B, and C. This post will discuss the cluster A personality disorders. Cluster A disorders are characterized by distrust, suspiciousness, and social detachment. Often, people with cluster A personality disorders are considered eccentric or odd.

Dark Eden, by Chris Beckett

Dark Eden, by Chris Beckett; narrated by Matthew Frow, Jayne Entwistle, Ione Butler, Robert Hook, Heather Wilds, Nicholas Guy Smith, Hannah Curtis, Bruce Mann

When a group of four people have to land on an unknown planet to regroup and repair their ship, they decide to split into two groups - a man and woman who do not want to risk the flight back remain on "Eden" alone, and the two others set back off for Earth with promises to send a rescue ship as soon as possible. Generations later, the people of Eden are still waiting. Still hanging out in exactly the same crash-landing spot. Still following the matriarchal rules structured by the mother of all. But their small area is becoming too crowded. They have to forage farther and farther for food. 

Personality Disorders - Clusters and Dimensions

Personality disorders are a difficult topic for me. For one thing, they are highly stigmatized. And I think the term "personality disorder" encourages that stigma by suggesting that there is something terribly wrong with a person's identity, rather than implying that people with these disorders respond to the world in a highly ineffective manner that creates problems for themselves and others. In fact, Butcher describes "personality disorder" in his textbook Abnormal Psychology as: characterized by "chronic interpersonal difficulties and problems with one's identity or sense of self." This description is good as long as we accept that the "problem with one's identity" is that one's self-esteem and view of one's relationships with others is unstable.