PsychBabel

The ICD-10 mentions the “haltlose” personality type in its discussion on personality disorders. It was not a term with which I had been familiar. It seems to be related to the German phrase “die haltlosen.”

The haltlose personality has been used to refer to someone with an aimless and irresponsible lifestyle. This type of person seems to “lack a hold” on life. Slater & Roth described the haltlose personality as “the unstable psychopath.” Schneider used the phrase “Willenlose Psychopathen.” These people seem to display a lack of will or purpose, with no interest in the future and little grounding in the past. Some with chronic substance dependence have been said to have haltlose personality disorder.