Whats the difference between personality disorder and mentall illness?!


Question: Whats the difference between personality disorder and mentall illness!?
My daughter left home to go and live with her father when she was twelve and has recently returned to live with me now aged seventeen!.
She has had a mild eating disorder bulimia since she was 6 years old on and off and received treatment for that!.
I found out that she started smoking since the age of twelve when she went to live with her dad and is on at least ten a day and she suffers from asthma!.She is a very bright girl but always seems sad and hard done by!.
Not only is she addicted to smoking but she has a cell phone /mmobile permanently stuck to her ear and watches the sitcom Friends for hours on end!.The cell phone compulsion really worries me!.She also dresses like a tart day or night and has no style sense!.
She is a little short for her age and has three boyfriends on the go at the moment!.I have not seen a lot of her since she was twelve and now I am faced with all these issues!.I have other children and they are well balanced and trouble free!.One of her teachers recently called me and he said that my daughter was emotionally disturbed !
My ex husband is /was a compulsive liar and a fantasist and I am wondering is this part genetic or is it treatable any advice appreciated!.Www@Answer-Health@Com


Answers:
A personality disorder is a type of mental illness!. There are a range of mental illnesses e!.g!. depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, anorexia nervosa!. They can be either inherited or learnt!. You could ask her to go to the Doctor's with you to see if she has a disorder!. If she does, he could prescribe her drugs (e!.g!. antidepressants) or refer her to see a counsellor!. You should perhaps encourage your daughter to go to college or join some groups e!.g!. the gym!. Tell her the consequences of lazing around all day e!.g!. she'll end up with a job she doesn't like!. Tell the consequences of having unprotected sex (whether she is or isn't) e!.g!. that she could get STIs and STDs!. But since your daughter is 16, there's not a lot you can do, except for threatening to kick her out of your house if she doesn't pull her socks up!. But I wouldn't suggest this, because she could go back to her father or move in with a boyfriend!. Then she would be even further from you, and you wouldn't be able to keep an eye on her at all!. Good luck! :)Www@Answer-Health@Com

I went off the rails myself!.!.!.!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

Mental illness is where you have no or little control over your actions!.
Personality disorder is where your just weirdWww@Answer-Health@Com

'jj' nailed it!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

You are going to have a long row to hoe!. It has taken 5 years for her father to screw her up it will probably take her 5 years to fix her!. I think we are so busy trying to label issues that we don't have time to fix them!. If she is 17, who is buying her cigarettes!? If it is you, then stop!. Who is paying the cell bill!? You then stop!. Talk to your daughter and voice your concerns, ask if there are things that are going on that you should know about, or that she needs help with!. Set clear guidelines for her to live by, with just as clear consequences!. Then it is a matter of rewarding the good, disciplining the bad behavior!. Obviously spanking is out so you are going to have to play the psych game with her!. About the guys, if she is sleeping around then you definitely need to talk about the possible negative consequences to that as well!. And explain where you stand on taking care of grand children!. I would ask why you would let her father have her for so long if you knew he had issues, but that is water under the bridge now, you just need to concentrate on turning her into a young lady that you can be proud of!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

mom of 3Www@Answer-Health@Com

It seems that the time you have spent away from your daughter has made you and her completely non-communicative!.!.!.and this is the problem here!.There seems to be no communication between you and her!. From what you have described she seems to be quite normal for a 17 year old!.!.!.!.!.gees at 20 years old!.!.!.I used to have 3 or 4 girlfriends going with me at one time without them knowing it!.!.!.!.!.and I am sure I was not emotionally disturbed!. So here is what you should do!. Sit down with your daughter and just break the ice!.!.!.and ask her straight out!.!.!.!."Is there anything at all bothering her!.!.!.!. and if so!.!.!.emphasise that you are there for her at any time she can count on your support!. You must open those lines of communication with her!. Good luckWww@Answer-Health@Com

Maybe the fact that your dumped her on your ex who is in your words " compulsive liar and a fantasist" when she was TWELVE the age when most young girls need thier mother, had a great emotional effect upon her!. calling her a " tart" and worrying about her cell phone is really not helpful!.

She may have developed boderline personality disorder which is caused by being abandent by parents,

I hope the man you dumped your own child for was worth it!.Www@Answer-Health@Com





The consumer health information on answer-health.com is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions.
The answer content post by the user, if contains the copyright content please contact us, we will immediately remove it.
Copyright © 2007-2011 answer-health.com -   Terms of Use -   Contact us

Health Categories