(TFT) How to really spice up NPCs..........personality disorders (OK, I'll leave off psychiatry after this - I promise)

["Cas and Lisa \(also Silvia, Max & Viveka\) Liber" <casliber@ozemail.com.au>]

Now......(sorry about all the psychiatry folks, but this could be fun for a
GM...),
the most frustrating patients to deal with are not the very mad ones, but
the ones who suffered from trauma and emotional abuse in childhood and ended
up with a personality disorder. Can be extremely difficult to treat. This is
suffered primairly by females, with some psychiatrists believing the male
flipside to this to be antisocial personality disorder (see following)

To make NPCs fun, why not make the odd one have one of these disorders
(primarily a deficiency in relating to other people)

Borderline Personality Disorder Diagnostic Criteria
-------------------------------------------------------------
A pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships,
self-image, and affects, and marked impulsivity beginning by early adulthood
and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the
following:

1- Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment. Note: Do not
include suicidal or self-mutilating behavior covered in Criterion 5

2- A pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships
characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and
devaluation (i.e. everyone is either 'good' or 'bad'.........could be fun in
adventuring parties........

3- Identity disturbance: markedly and persistently unstable self-image or
sense of self

4- Impulsivity in at least two areas that are potentially self- damaging
(e.g., spending, sex, substance abuse, reckless driving, binge eating).
Note: Do not include suicidal or self- mutilating behavior covered in
Criterion 5

5- Recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures, or threats, or self- mutilating
behavior

6- Affective instability due to a marked reactivity of mood (e.g., intense
episodic dysphoria, irritability, or anxiety usually lasting a few hours and
only rarely more than a few days).

7- Chronic feelings of emptiness.

8- Inappropriate, intense anger or difficulty controlling anger (e.g.,
frequent displays of temper, constant anger, recurrent physical fights)

9- Transient, stress-related paranoid ideation or severe dissociative
symptoms


DSM IV criteria for antisocial personality disorder
-------------------------------------------------------------
A. There is a pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights
of others occurring since age 15 years, as indicated by three (or more) of
the following:
(1) failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors as
indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest.

(2) deceitfulness, as indicated by repeated lying, use of aliases, or
conning others for personal profit or pleasure

(3) impulsivity or failure to plan ahead

(4) irritability and aggressiveness, an indicated by repeated physical
fights or assaults

(5) reckless disregard for safety of self or others

(6) consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain
consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations

(7) lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing
having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another

B. The individual is at least age 18 years.

C. There is evidence of Conduct Disorder with onset before age 15 years.

D. The occurrence of antisocial behavior is not exclusively during the
course of Schizophrenia or a Manic Episode.
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