Everyone has traits of every personality disorder. They are after all, traits and defenses that become disordered when they are in the extreme and affect daily living and relationships. For me- I got a diagnosis of PD-NOS, Complex PTSD and BP II. However, at one point I was given the diagnosis of BPD and BP II. I don't fulfill all the criteria of BPD and with tons of therapy and just plain old growing up I've lost much of those traits. I've also lost a lot of my narcissistic traits, which I had a LOT of back when I was younger. I tend to have a very utilitarian approach to life and though the emotions are raw and raging at times, I manage to keep it in. I've got a lot to work on, but giving back to the field has helped a lot.

Why look at it as a "disorder"? Brain plasticity leads to our brains developing a certain way over time to help us adapt to a certain environment. Someone growing up malnourished in the hood with gangbanger parents will likely develop a brain that mirrors that of someone with antisocial personality disorder. Someone growing up with constant invalidation and inconsistent parenting, maybe some abuse can grow up with a "borderline brain". And just as you develop these brains, you can develop new neural networks and "unlearn" many of these traits, or at least come to manage them over time. It's difficult as hell, but it's possible. Putting yourself in a "disorder" label leads to rationalization, even adopting traits that you didn't have before. It can kill the self-esteem and dehumanize the individual.

Narcissism was about to be taken out of the DSM-5. Passive-Aggressive Personality Disorder is a thing of the past, but was a real disorder not too long ago. Just goes to show you. It's far healthier to take things one symptom or one problematic trait at a time, and learn to manage those through therapy and practice. You see it as a "disorder" and you'll lock yourself into a type of mindset which makes change very difficult. That's just my two cents.

And don't ever, ever disclose having a PD to anyone IRL! LOL- they'll box you into the category and there goes your soul and humanity. You'll be seen as a construct, more or less.