Personality Disorder

[ithinkjesusiscool]

Pax!
Dear Catholics,
can a person with a PD commit certain acts without needing to confess it?

[Ice_nine]

7pi/4

 

 

can you be more specific?

[arfink]

Um, you might want to be more specific. What are these "certain acts?" I am sure a person with a PD could commit an act of kindness without having to confess it. Or perhaps eating a pickle. Or something like that. I understand you very likely mean sinful acts, but I just want to be clear which ones do you mean?

 

The Church has always taught that for an action to be sinful, and thus something you would want to confess, you need to have the following criteria:

 

1- The act must be either wrong, or chosen because of a wrong reason. (As in the case of something which would be good or neutral, but you want to do it for a bad reason. For example, giving someone some milk would normally be just fine, but if you knew they were allergic and intended harm, giving them milk would fulfill this first requirement.)

2- The person committing the act must know that the act is wrong.

3- The act must be freely chosen and carried out freely.

 

People who have mental problems, addictions, or the like, very often do not fully meet the criteria for #3. This is because their problems can cause their actions to be out of their direct control. However, a person with such a problem may not be responsible for their actions, but that does not make their actions good. The action is still wrong, they just cannot be blamed for it.

 

However, there is an additional piece. Most of the time you would say that a person with this kind of problem is not responsible if they are in a situation that triggers it (being off their meds, for example) but they are responsible for their treatment. A person with an addiction may not be responsible for actions committed in a particular situation, but then the culpability lies in questions like "OK, I knew 'xyz' factors would trigger me, why didn't I avoid those things?"

Edited May 24, 2013 by arfink

[CatholicsAreKewl]

However, there is an additional piece. Most of the time you would say that a person with this kind of problem is not responsible if they are in a situation that triggers it (being off their meds, for example) but they are responsible for their treatment. A person with an addiction may not be responsible for actions committed in a particular situation, but then the culpability lies in questions like "OK, I knew 'xyz' factors would trigger me, why didn't I avoid those things?"

I agree. However, I believe some people are more predisposed to sin than others due to biological factors. There's so much we don't know about self-control and what influences it that it might be hard to come up with a clear-cut answer.

There's also this weird theory in social psychology that states that your self control can be exhausted. 4 example: I could be all like, "YO ARFINK, HERE'S A CAKE. DON'T EAT IT LULZ!". I make you stare at said cake for hours. Then I'm all like, "HEY ARFINK, HERES A BUNCH OF SIN. RESIST IT!". Studies have shown that your use of self control in the first task could greatly affect your self control in your second task. 

Edited May 24, 2013 by CatholicsAreKewl

[CatherineM]

My husband has schizophrenia. If he did something while psychotic, he would not have to confess it. He would though. I've never met a man who apologizes as much as he does.

[jazzytakara]

This is a rather vague question to me. There are a variety of different personality disorders that affect individuals in different ways. In general, without the proper context to the question, only mortal sins need to be confessed:  "Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent." (http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a8.htm)

 

 

So if a personality disorder invalidates one or more of the criteria for mortal sin, than it is not mortal sin and does not require confession (although it is often good to mention venial sin as a means of acquiring grace and to break any sinful habit that can be identified through full confessions to a priest). 

Ultimately the effects of personality disorders should be taken on an individual basis. This is ultimately decided by therapists/psychologists/psychiatrists, doctors, and priests/spiritual directors in regards to each situation. All of the above would contribute to whether or not an individual with a personality disorder should confess something in confession.  Ultimately though, only God can judge the merits of a soul and truly understand when a mortal sin was committed in special circumstances. 

Here's a situation to consider:

 

Although not a personality disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder can be used to explain the above. OCD can be described as such: "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by persistent intrusive ideas, thoughts, impulses or images (obsessions) which often result in performing compulsive rituals over and over again. Typical compulsions are washing, checking and arranging things, and counting. These actions give individuals with OCD only temporary relief from their anxiety. With early diagnosis and the right treatment, people can avoid the suffering that comes with OCD.” (http://www.cmha.ca/mental_health/obsessive-compulsive-disorder/#.UZ7uW7VQH8h) After reading the definition, some of the behaviour can seem from the outsider as idolatry, superstitious, etc. It can also cause intrusive thoughts (in some cases these thoughts may be sinful) that an individual may have trouble ridding from their mind. In context if a person not suffering from OCD may be committing something worthy of confession, but someone with OCD cannot help it, and as such is not giving full consent to the behaviour or thoughts, thus not guilty of mortal sin. Disclaimer: I suffer from OCD, so I understand what this is like for me; it may be different for others though.

 

Personality disorders should be viewed in a similar matter to mental illness/disorders in regards to confession. If the personality disorder in question invalidates even one of the criteria for mortal sin, it is not a mortal sin and need not be confessed.

 

In all special circumstances such as the above, if the behaviour is dangerous to oneself or others as a result of a disorder, proper care should be sought after by the individual or those close to the individual to prevent unnecessary harm.

 

My best advice is to speak to medical professionals specializing in personality disorders, do some research, speak to someone suffering from a personality disorder, and speak to a priest. It is always best to understand all of the facts before making any judgement. 

 

Edited May 24, 2013 by jazzytakara

[Ice_nine]

personality disorders is really a broad spectrum. You got your boderlines, your schizoids, obsessives, narcissists, anti-socials etc. I really think it depends.

[MarysLittleFlower]

which type of personality disorder?

 

what type of action? I assume you mean something of grave matter?

 

What I was taught is that if you consent, there's sin, if you don't, no sin. With the specifics, might be best to talk to a good priest :)

[MarysLittleFlower]

which type of personality disorder?

 

what type of action? I assume you mean something of grave matter?

 

What I was taught is that if you consent, there's sin, if you don't, no sin. With the specifics, might be best to talk to a good priest :)

[Kateri89]

Ice_nine makes a really good point. For instance, someone who has Borderline Personality Disorder will do harmful things to themselves for attention, most likely due to a traumatic childhood. While its understandable why they crave the attention they missed as children, it doesn't mean that they don't know right from wrong. Or if someone is a sociopath and will do harmful things without any guilty conscience, does that mean that they can sin without the need to confess? A sociopath also knows right from wrong. They just don't care if they hurt people to get what they want. And that's only two examples of personality disorders. Mood disorders or psychotic disorders are a whole different story.

[arfink]

Ice_nine makes a really good point. For instance, someone who has Borderline Personality Disorder will do harmful things to themselves for attention, most likely due to a traumatic childhood. While its understandable why they crave the attention they missed as children, it doesn't mean that they don't know right from wrong. Or if someone is a sociopath and will do harmful things without any guilty conscience, does that mean that they can sin without the need to confess? A sociopath also knows right from wrong. They just don't care if they hurt people to get what they want. And that's only two examples of personality disorders. Mood disorders or psychotic disorders are a whole different story.

 

Yeah, I didn't even consider this one. Obviously those situations do not reduce culpability by means of involuntary action. They *might* reduce it by means of lack of knowledge, but as you say, even most sociopaths will know right from wrong, they will just have to struggle with it more because they can't feel icky if they do bad things.

[EmilyAnn]

Ice_nine makes a really good point. For instance, someone who has Borderline Personality Disorder will do harmful things to themselves for attention, most likely due to a traumatic childhood. While its understandable why they crave the attention they missed as children, it doesn't mean that they don't know right from wrong. Or if someone is a sociopath and will do harmful things without any guilty conscience, does that mean that they can sin without the need to confess? A sociopath also knows right from wrong. They just don't care if they hurt people to get what they want. And that's only two examples of personality disorders. Mood disorders or psychotic disorders are a whole different story.

There is no disorder that classes someone as a "sociopath". It's not a diagnostic term. 

[Kateri89]

There is no disorder that classes someone as a "sociopath". It's not a diagnostic term. 

Yes but they would fall under the diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder.

[EmilyAnn]

Yes but they would fall under the diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder.

Not necessarily. The meaning is similar, not synonymous and using the term "sociopath" is neither constructive nor helpful. If you mean Antisocial Personality Disorder, say that. 

[Lilllabettt]

not this again.