These days we have all kinds of ways to explain people’s dysfunction. And while there are indeed times when a perfectly healthy person’s biochemistry suddenly and for no apparent reason goes kaflooey, and cases where unpredictable tragedy so traumatizes that it temporarily impairs even the most well-adjusted person, more often, a person’s character not only predisposes the problems they experience in life but also exacerbates those problems when they occur.
Knowing where someone truly lies on the character disturbance spectrum is not only important for professionals engaged in assessment and treatment but also for individuals trying to make sound judgments about a potential relationship partner. Without a good sense of what to look for and how to evaluate what you find, you run the risk of learning far too late and after much unnecessary heartache how character impaired a partner might be.
Folks who already have significant character issues carry their deficient regard for the greater good and their feelings of grandiosity and entitlement into their forays with substance use. And it’s perfectly predictable that they soon develop patterns of use that are high risk and that their substance use both exacerbates their existing problematic behaviors and creates disturbing new ones.
There are many not so easy to justify reasons for the prevailing attitudes toward mental heath issues, and as a result, genuine brain dysfunctions – despite their devastating impact on patients, families, employers, and friends – aren’t regarded in the same manner as diseases of the liver, pancreas or lungs.