i’ve been reading about personality disorders and I feel like a lot of the symptoms fit autism as well. both have a rigid and “unhealthy” patterns of thinking, functioning and behaving, troubles perceiving and relating to situations and people, the early age of onset, both are pernament
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Good question. ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorder, meaning that there are differences in how the brain works. Neurodevelopmental disorders are fixed in stone, they were there at birth (but may not be diagnosed until later on). A personality disorder is less about the brain being wired differently (though some studies show differences, for example borderline PD and the amygdala), and more about an engrained pattern of learning how to see and relate to the world.
ASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders are generally quite heritable. But whilst there is some genetic heritability for personality disorders, it is mostly the environment which shapes them.
Insofar as treatment is concerned, because neurodevelopmental disorders are entirely differences in the brain, not character, you cannot treat the condition itself – only it’s symptoms. Personality disorders on the other hand, whilst difficult to treat (given their challenging personality characteristics and behaviours may undermine the therapy), are ultimately changeable.
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