Disinhibition in personality disorder or personality difficulty

The core feature of the Disinhibition trait domain is the tendency to act rashly based on immediate external or internal stimuli (i.e., sensations, emotions, thoughts), without consideration of potential negative consequences. Common manifestations of Disinhibition, not all of which may be present in a given individual at a given time, include the following:

• Impulsivity. Individuals high on Disinhibition tend to act rashly based on whatever is compelling at the moment, without consideration of negative consequences for oneself or others, including putting oneself or others at physical risk. They have difficulty delaying reward or satisfaction and tend to pursue immediately available short-term pleasures or potential benefits. In this way, the trait is strongly associated with such behaviours as substance use, gambling, and impulsive sexual activity.
• Distractibility. Individuals high on Disinhibition also have difficulty staying focused on important and necessary tasks that require sustained effort. They quickly become bored or frustrated with difficult, routine, or tedious tasks, and are easily distracted by extraneous stimuli, such as others’ conversations. Even in the absence of distractions, they have difficulty keeping their attention focused and persisting on tasks, and tend to scan the environment for more enjoyable options.
• Irresponsibility. Individuals high on Disinhibition are unreliable and lack a sense of accountability for their actions. As a result, they often do not complete work assignments or perform expected duties; they fail to meet deadlines, do not follow through on commitments and promises, and are late to or miss formal and informal appointments and meetings because they allow themselves to become engaged in something more compelling that has caught their attention.
• Recklessness. Individuals high on Disinhibition lack an appropriate sense of caution. They tend to overestimate their abilities and thus frequently do things that are beyond their skill level, without considering potential safety risks. Individuals high on Disinhibition may engage in reckless driving or dangerous sports, or perform other activities that put them or others in physical danger without sufficient preparation or training.
• Lack of planning. Individuals high on Disinhibition prefer spontaneous over planned activities, leaving their options open should a more attractive opportunity arise. They tend to focus on immediate feelings, sensations, and thoughts, with relatively little attention paid to longer term or even short-term goals. When they do make plans, they often fail to follow through on them, thus they seldom are able to reach long-term goals and often fail to achieve even short-term goals.