It could be antisocial personality disorder. But it’s more likely alcohol or other-drug addiction.
“Bernstein…suspects that she suffers from a psychiatric illness. For someone with such symptoms, antisocial personality disorder is a likely diagnosis.”
So wrote an anonymous journalist writing for AOLHeath.com citing the comments of Dr. Neil I. Bernstein, commenting on a woman, Ashley Anne Kirilow, 23, who shaved her head, plucked her eyebrows and starved herself to look like a cancer patient—when she wasn’t. Her father was even scammed, admitting on the show “Good Morning America” that it sickened him when he ‘found out she was taking people’s money and it wasn’t going to the University of Alberta” for cancer treatments, as she claimed. She took in more than $20,000 from her victims while accumulating more than $30,000 in credit card debt and declaring bankruptcy. This is one of countless examples of the general myth cited in “Alcoholism Myths and Realities: Removing the Stigma of Society’s Most Destructive Disease” (myth # 64), which states that “Personality disorders are more common than alcoholism.” No they’re not. Those with such disorders comprise about 1-2% of the population, while alcohol and other-drug addicts comprise roughly 10%. Therefore, the odds of addiction at least five to one, including someone as nutty as this. The truly appalling thing about the article is the possibility of alcoholism isn’t even mentioned. The trouble is, Dr. Bernstein, alcoholism mimics virtually all of the psychiatric illnesses. So it’s probably not any of the other disorders you suggest either, including antisocial personality disorder or bipolar disorder. You even go so far as to say “Prisons are filled with people like this.” Have you ever once spoken with an ex-con? One in recovery will confirm that 80-90% of felons are addicts. Of course, if I were a clinical psychologist like you I too would have had to unlearn the nonsensical idea that personality disorders explain most human foibles. Dr. Bernstein: it’s time to start, even if Ms. Kirilow may be the exception to the rule.