Introduction
The psychiatric debates are centered on the issue concerning the diagnosis problem. The ongoing polemics is believed to have a positive influence on the structure, definitions, functioning, measuring the health perspectives level, and finding new approaches while treating the personality disorders. The purpose of the paper is to provide information concerning the connection between culture and gender peculiarities on the diagnoses of the clients with the personality disorder and to highlight controversy associated with the diagnosis of women with borderline personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder in men.
Cultural Aspect
Culture is believed to be a system that comprises the behavioral strategies, certain norms, values, and beliefs that the community shares (Alarcon, 2009, p. 131). Culture provides identity and unique variables, namely language, traditions, and religion. Culture affects the way an individual a percept the world and that is should be taken into account while diagnosing personality disorders. Cultural psychiatry determines and examines how cultural factors affect the psychiatric environment of the client. The cultural background and experience of the person who suffers from the personality disorder should be carefully examined, and the gained knowledge should be implemented in the process of treatment. Various cultural aspects can cause pathogenic effects and severe symptoms (Alarcon, 2009, p. 133). Although the great majority of physicians understand the significance of the role that culture plays while diagnosing, it should be stated that the psychiatric practice undervalues the impact of the social factors and usually does not take them into account. Mental disorders have different symptoms across cultures (Paris & Lis, 2012, p. 140).
According to recent researches, the fact that the countries of the Western world are likely to nurture individualists, who do everything to achieve personal goals, affects the world perception and consequently the borderline personality disorders development (Ryder, Sunohara, & Kirmayer, 2015, p. 41). People in other countries value collaboration. The differences in character create different levels and evaluations of stress. Progress and immigration contribute to the increasing level of personal disorder rate. Personality disorders usually reflect the connection between the controversial nature of cultural and social factors. Emotions impact the development of borderline personality disorders, and that is, the gender differences take place (Snowden, Craig, & Gray, 2013, p. 158). Men and women have different emotional involvement, and it affects the process of treatment and evaluation of the disease. Men tend to be more aggressive, whereas women experience anxiety and negative mood.
Gender aspect
Personality disorders are diagnosed in females more often. However, the statistics cannot be relevant as men tend not to consult physicians even though they have symptoms. Women suffering the borderline personality disorder face difficulty in controlling emotions and not stable mood. The inability to treat the disease can turn into self-harming attempts or suicide. The diagnosis of the disorder is rather problematic and involves the examination of genetic, environmental, and brain functioning factors. The physician cannot diagnose borderline personality disorder from one symptom and usually should interview the client as no test can help while the diagnosing.
Men usually suffer from an antisocial personality disorder that can be diagnosed by a psychologist or a psychiatrist. The major issue is that the person usually does not look for help or treatment until the symptoms transform into a severe form (Glenn, Johnson, & Raine, 2013, p. 426).
Conclusion
In conclusion, it should be stated that personality disorders are affected by cultural peculiarities in a significant way, and that is, should be taken into account while the diagnosing practice and treatment process. However, cultural aspect is not the only one that influences the development of personality disorders. Gender differences are essential for the diagnosis and should not be eliminated.
References
Alarcon, R. (2009). Culture, cultural factors and psychiatric diagnosis: Review and projections. World Psychiatry, 8(3), 131-139.
Glenn, A., Johnson, A., & Raine, A. (2013). Antisocial Personality Disorder: A Current Review. Current Psychiatry Reports, 15(12), 427-436.
Paris, J., & Lis, E. (2012). Can sociocultural and historical mechanisms influence the development of borderline personality disorder? Transcultural Psychiatry, 50(1), 140-151.
Ryder, A., Sunohara, M., & Kirmayer, L. (2015). Culture and personality disorder. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 28(1), 40-45.
Snowden, R., Craig, R., & Gray, N. (2013). Detection and recognition of emotional expressions: Effects of traits of personality disorder and gender. Personality and Individual Differences, 54(2), 158-163.