Book Review: 5 Types of People Who Can Ruin Your Life

High conflict people are everywhere among us. Because we are often caught off guard by them, Bill Eddy, author of 5 Types of People Who Can Ruin Your Life says we are also often unprepared for how to deal with them. “There are five types of people who can ruin your life. They can ruin your reputation, your self-esteem, or your career. They can destroy your finances, your physical health, or your sanity. Some of them will kill you, if you give them the opportunity,” writes Eddy. Kara is one example. While she initially drew the attention of Tom with her unique ability to pull him out of his shell and capture the attention of everyone at social events, their passionate courtship and marriage ended quickly with a restraining order based on false allegations, and seven years of court battles over their daughter. People like Kara are extreme versions of what Eddy calls high conflict personalities. “Unlike most of us, who normally try to resolve or diffuse conflicts, people with high conflict personalities (HCPs) respond to conflicts by compulsively increasing them,” writes Eddy. Through choosing their targets of blame – usually someone close such as a coworker, friend, relative, or an authority figure – HCPs systematically turn minor conflicts into merciless wars. And while Eddy describes five types of HCPs, they all share the following set of traits: interpersonal dysfunction; lack of social awareness; and lack of change. However, it is when personality disorders ove...
Source: Psych Central - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Book Reviews Borderline Personality Narcissism Relationships & Love Self-Help HCP high conflict personalities personality types Social awareness Source Type: news