Personality disordered psychiatrists

[DrGachet]

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In your opinion, of all the different personality disorders, which are most/least likely to show up in a psychiatrist? Can any of them be considered an "advantage" given the kind of work psychiatrists do?

I've seen a lot of NPD (mere speculation) and one particularly brilliant and wealthy, I might add, addiction psychiatrist, who came pretty close to ASPD.

However, the rest are pretty normal...for psychiatrists. 😉

 

[Manicsleep]

In your opinion, of all the different personality disorders, which are most/least likely to show up in a psychiatrist? Can any of them be considered an "advantage" given the kind of work psychiatrists do?

I've seen a lot of NPD (mere speculation) and one particularly brilliant and wealthy, I might add, addiction psychiatrist, who came pretty close to ASPD.

However, the rest are pretty normal...for psychiatrists. 😉

You may want to get some further training in diagnosing. That post indicates your skills as a physician are lacking...of course if you aren't a physician it would explain it.

If you are a psychiatrist...someone help us! 😉

 

[nitemagi]

Personality traits exist throughout the population, but are not necessarily a disorder for the same reason someone with some sadness isn't MDD (severity, level of functional impairment from it). People with Narcissistic and Antisocial traits often find their ways into societal niches that encourage or accept their traits such as an investment banker. Medicine probably isn't devoid of it by any means, and I hear anecdotally about it fitting into specialties like surgeries. I'd want my surgeon to be pretty confident and not second guessing himself. I don't think anyone has ever formally studied it (though I'd be curious to see any data if they did).

 

[Encephalopathy]

I've seen a few I would consider narcissistic as well as some with antisocial traits. Not so much Cluster A or C. I'm not sure if I would say the prevalence is greater than MDs, or the population, in general.

I think that empathy is one of the most important qualities a psychiatrist can have, so I would say that a person with a Cluster B disorder would probably on average not be a better psychiatrist than a person without one. I am speaking about patient care here - it's possible that certain traits might be more helpful on the academic or business side of things.

 

[DrGachet]

I've seen a few I would consider narcissistic as well as some with antisocial traits. Not so much Cluster A or C. I'm not sure if I would say the prevalence is greater than MDs, or the population, in general.

I think that empathy is one of the most important qualities a psychiatrist can have, so I would say that a person with a Cluster B disorder would probably on average not be a better psychiatrist than a person without one. I am speaking about patient care here - it's possible that certain traits might be more helpful on the academic or business side of things.

Yes, mostly Cluster B though I have seen a few research psychiatrists with Cluster A. Again, these are just mere speculations...I do not have access to these people's medical records or anything like that. I have not seen any Cluster C, not even close. What worries me is a particularly bright psychiatrist who has quite a few antisocial traits. He is very charming, a successful MBA before got into psychiatry and addiction, has somehow been able to build himself a four million dollar home in Manhattan, and his motto is "rules are for suckers." He is too smart for me but I am tempted to say he is not a real psychiatrist but plays one in real life.

 

[whopper]

I haven't seen any hard data. From personal experienced, I've noticed certain fields of medicine tend to espouse certain personalities, but this is all anectdotal even though I've seen several people share my opinion.

I also am of the opinion that medicine in general, in fact any education above the norm espouses intellectual narcicism, although it also does other things. In any educational institution of high respect, I've seen two camps develop, of course with several in between the spectrum. One, a group of people who believe they are somehow superior in a narcissistic way, the other feeling their education above the norm is humbling.

Several traits that I believe may be defensive or possibly adaptive to a physician are not such for others. A doctor who works 80+ hours a week for years may start to feel entitled to the degree where he feels he's better than others.

In practice, doctors who copped such an attitude, I at least believe I tried to tolerate them if they could deliver the goods. Most, from my experience could not. They were merely bad doctors who felt entitlted despite their poor clinical work.