Difficult Personalities: A Practical Guide to Managing the Hurtful Behavior of Others (and Maybe Your Own)
Helen McGrath, Hazel Edwards
Language: English
Pages: 304
ISBN: 1615190139
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
We all have people in our lives who frustrate, annoy, or hurt us: workplace bullies, those who always claim to be right, or those with anxious or obsessive personalities. And most of us hurt others occasionally, too. Now, authors Dr. Helen McGrath, a clinical psychologist and professor, and Hazel Edwards, a professional writer, offer this highly readable, extremely practical guide to dealing with the difficult personalities we encounter every day—in others, and in ourselves.
Taking the American Psychiatric Association's widely used Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) as its starting point, Difficult Personalities helpfully outlines over a dozen different personality traits and types, detailing their common characteristics and underlying motivations. It also equips readers with numerous strategies for dealing with difficult behavior, including:
- Anger and conflict management
- Optimism and assertion training
- Rational and empathic thinking
- Reexamining your own personality
Readers will also benefit from sections on making difficult decisions and maintaining romantic relationships. Perfect for anyone who has ever wished that other people came with a handbook, Difficult Personalities illuminates the personality differences that so often serve as barriers to cooperation in the workplace and harmony at home.
Introducing Freud: A Graphic Guide
The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic at Work and at Home
Where Three Roads Meet: The Myth of Oedipus
Strings Attached: Untangling the Ethics of Incentives
The Dissociative Mind in Psychoanalysis: Understanding and Working with Trauma
than you because I have made the right choices and behaved in the right ways. My way is the only way.” Smug people are sure that they know more about what is right and what is important than others do. They feel superior and slightly sorry for you. They are glad they are not you and their need to “hint” at this, or rub it in, is overwhelming. Reminding you of their correct choices and behavior makes them feel even more superior. It never occurs to them that they might be wrong, limited, or
For example, “We need to get the new posters up,” rather than, “I want you to put up the new posters.” This is a more trusting and delegating message. Offer Some Leeway with Time Recognize that the timing of the person who undertakes a task you have requested might not be entirely to your liking. It can help to add a time line, for example, “We need this done within the week,” rather than, “This needs to be done now.” Use Courtesy Are you working on the assumption that although
sociopaths are involved with serial killing. 3. False. Sociopaths are not mentally ill. They can see the world realistically and they can clearly differentiate right from wrong. They have a personality disorder and choose to behave in an antisocial manner that is condemned by society. 4. False. Sociopathic behavior is usually complex and difficult to identify. It takes a long time to work out the pattern in many cases. 5. False. Not all sociopaths are violent. A lot are, but there are also
attention. Possibly these constitute another 5 percent of the population. Estimating is hard when so many go undetected and few present for treatment because they see themselves as “winners” rather than antisocial or disturbed. These are the features of an antisocial personality disorder, based on the diagnostic criteria from the DSM-IV-TR. The individual has to show only three of these characteristics for a diagnosis to be made. Overall, their pattern is one of contempt for and violation of the
influence, and sheer force of wit. Many do get caught eventually, and some decide that suicide is the only way to handle their exposure. Typical Characteristics and Behaviors of Chameleons They Are Completely Egocentric Most chameleons are remorseless egocentrics who want, want, want, and see people as objects to be manipulated. They regard life as an exciting game in which other people are pieces to be controlled and used. Their key characteristics are interpersonal ruthlessness,
