Personality Disorders Versus Neuroses
Over the last 30 years, numerous empirical studies have suggested it is possible to arrange defensive mechanisms into a hierarchy of relative psychopathology beginning in severity with “psychotic defenses”, and ranging through “immature defenses”, “intermediate defenses”, and finally, “mature defenses”. An individual with a personality disorder is defined as having “immature defenses” (i.e. acting out, splitting, projection) which, in terms of their effect on others, can be compared to a cigarette smoker in an elevator. Such behaviour seems innocent to the user and deliberately irritating and provocative to the observer. A defining quality of such defenses is they allow the person to externalize responsibility for their behaviour thereby providing justification for refusing help or accepting blame. Accordingly, such individuals tend to define other people or external events as the source of their problems. In some instances this perception can lead to self-righteous “acting out” of anger and frustration towards perceived offenders, and hence, one reason for their reputation of being difficult to get along with.
In contrast, a neurotic is said to utilize “intermediate defenses” such as intellectualization, socialization, and
repression. These defenses are like a stone in the shoe; they create problems for no one but their owner. Neurotics have been characterized as defining themselves as the source of their problems which they struggle with endlessly in their own mind.
Unfortunately for both groups, a central characteristic of defense mechanisms is that such strategies are ultimately
self-defeating and self-perpetuating; in spite of all the effort, nothing really changes. The personality disordered tries to stand up by pushing down those who he leans on. The neurotic tries to stand up by knocking himself down. Either way, neither seem to get very far, yet both seem to determined to continue in the same manner.
When considered strictly from an intra-psychic viewpoint, the immature defenses of the personality disordered initially seem to provide better buffering than the defenses of the neurotic. Blaming someone else for our suffering identifies an external source for our problems upon which we can displace and thus discharge our anger, and frustration. In contrast, when we identify ourselves as the source of our problem the blame is internalized. It is this reflection back into ourselves that transforms anger and frustration into painful experiences such as guilt and shame.
The immature defenses also seem to offer better protection against the negative influences of others. Whereas many neurotics are hypersensitive to the slights and criticisms of others, some personality disordered individuals seem impervious to and unaffected by such things. While the neurotic can become endlessly concerned with everyone else’s opinion, the personality disordered often seems oblivious to social censure.
Unfortunately for the personality disordered individual, these deflective defenses are much like the suits of armour worn by the knights of old. While affording better protection in certain regards, they also make the wearer sluggish and unresponsive to changing conditions. Additionally, while little can get in that is harmful, so too can little get in that is helpful. The net result of such defenses is that such individuals are severely restricted in their capacity to learn from others because they do not trust them. This long-standing failure in the capacity to develop
appropriate social connectedness ultimately results in restricted personal development. Not only are the defenses of such individuals “immature”, so too is their entire personality.
Erich Fromm has offered the following comment on human nature; “Man is the only animal who finds his own existence a problem which he has to solve and from which he cannot escape”. One way or another, we are all struggling with our existence. To the degree that defenses minimize the appearance of fears and anxieties, then most “normal people” seem well protected. While I hope that the general distinctions between the personality disorders and the neurotic are helpful, we should not forget we all have our own disorders and neuroses. What may save us from being overtly identified in either category is our intelligence; our resourcefulness in creating and maintaining conditions that
minimize the appearance of our fears and anxieties. Indeed, the mark of higher intelligence may be the degree to which we can channel our energies into productive and socially rewarding activities that more effectively shield us from our disturbances.
Finally, as I get older I increasingly wonder if the “healthy person” is a mythical creation or a category that applies only to a very select few. If caring, compassion, and the ability to love unconditionally are marks of the psychologically mature, then where are these people? Where are our wise men and women?