Self-Defeating and Sadistic Personality Disorders: Needed Additions to the Diagnostic Nomenclature

Abstract

I strongly support the inclusion of self-defeating personality disorder and sadistic personality disorder in our diagnostic nomenclature because I believe that these are valid clinical entities that need to be diagnosed before appropriate treatment can be undertaken. Failure to diagnose these conditions will lead to inadequate and imprecise treatment at best, or at worst, no treatment at all.