Personality Disorders – Mnemonic

If you are having a hard time remembering the clusters and which disorder falls into which cluster, this mnemonic will be helpful.

Three clusters: A, B and C; remember as WWW – Weird, Wild and Worried, respectively.

Cluster A – Weird (Genetic association with Schizophrenia)

1. Accusatory: Paranoid (Suspicious)
2. Aloof: Schizoid (Voluntary social withdrawal)
3. Awkward: Schizotypal (Schizoid + Magical thinking)

Cluster B – Wild (Genetic association with mood disorders and substance abuse)

1. Bad: Antisocial (>/=18 years with a history of Conduct Disorder, Sociopath and Manipulative)
2. Borderline: Borderline (Unstable and afraid of abandonment)
3. flamBoyant: Histrionic (Attention-seeking and excessive emotionality)
4. Best: Narcisstic (Grandiosity, reacts to criticism)

Cluster C – Worried (Genetic association with Anxiety disorders)

1. Cowardly: Avoidant (Seeks social relationship but avoids social situation; hypersensitive to rejection)
2. Compulsive: Obsessive-compulsive (Inflexible but inefficient)
   • Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder: Ego-syntonic (happy with how they are)
   • Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Ego-dystoni (wishes they could stop)
3. Clingy: Dependent (Submissive)