Passive Aggressive Behavior

Passive-aggressive behavior can be defined as indirectly expressing anger or hostility, according to Dr. Daniel K. Hall-Flavin on the website MayoClinic.com. People who act in a passive-aggressive manner may seem as though they view something positively and then behave in an opposite manner. Dr. Hall-Flavin suggests that passive-aggressive behavior can be evident in other psychological disorders, and can lead to difficulty in everyday life.

A Personality Disorder

• New York University's Langone Medical Center reports that extreme passive-aggressive behavior can be a lifelong condition and can therefore be defined as a personality disorder. Individuals with personality disorders typically have strict and unwavering ways of behaving that tend to get in the way of socializing and day-to-day activities.

Symptoms of Passive-Aggressive Personality Disorder

• Passive-aggressive behavior can become a serious personality disorder, but Dr. Hall-Flavin suggests that it has yet to be classified as an individual mental disorder. Both Dr. Hall-Flavin and the Langone Medical Center state that the symptoms of passive-aggressive behavior can be connected to other psychological conditions. However, some symptoms of passive-aggressive behavior include intentional avoidance of responsibility, procrastination, inconsistent behavior (saying one thing and doing another), stubbornness, being argumentative and easily offended, resentfulness and placing blame on others.

Help with Passive-Aggressive Behavior

• The Langone Medical Center suggests that if someone exhibits these symptoms and they are interfering with activities of daily living, the individual should notify his doctor. The U.S. National Library of Medicine indicates that personality disorders are diagnosed through psychological testing and reviewing symptoms and can be treated with counseling.