How Can Personality Disorders Be Treated?

Personality Disorders have the potential to have a debilitating effect on an individual. They will normally cause a person to live their life in a way that deviates from their wishes.

While there is a wide array of personality disorders, the good news is that each one is treatable. There are various avenues for treatment.

Recovery is possible, however given the complexities involved with ingrained personality traits, sometimes the focus is instead on providing an individual with ways of making smaller positive changes in their life.

What is a Personality Disorder?

Personality Disorder: A Personality Disorder is a condition which involves an individual thinking, behaving, feeling or relating in a very different way from the average person. There are ten different personality disorders, split into three clusters. The clusters are “odd and eccentric”, “dramatic, emotional and erratic’” and “anxious and fearful”. The different disorders vary considerably, and thus the symptoms of each differ too. Those with a personality disorder may find their symptoms cause them distress, and results in them not living their life how they want to.

Personality Disorders Treatment

The exact treatment plan involved depends on which personality disorder is present.

For instance, treatment for Narcissistic Personality Disorder differs significantly from that of Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder.

Treatment will be tailored to the symptoms being presented. In general, treatment will involve a form of talking therapy, and sometimes, medication.

Talking Therapy

There are a wide range of talking therapies that can be used to treat personality disorders. Certain therapies are effective in certain disorders.

Therapy can help treat the possible causes, challenges, traumatic events, unhelpful thoughts, unhelpful feelings, and behaviours that may have contributed to the onset of the disorder.

These therapies help an individual understand their symptoms more, and may lead them to changing unhelpful traits – in theory leading to an improvement in quality life.

Sometimes, dependent on the circumstances of the individual, more of a focus may be given on short-term results. Yet it is also possible for therapy to last for years – especially if ingrained personality traits attempt to be completely changed.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): CBT is a type of therapy that is used to treat a range of mental health conditions. CBT involves an individual talking face-to-face with a therapist, although sometimes CBT can be conducted in a group setting. CBT attempts to improve an individual’s wellbeing and mood. The therapy focuses on the link between thoughts, feelings and actions. This can be useful for those with low self-esteem, anxiety, unhelpful personality traits or intrusive thoughts. CBT can help an individual understand their feelings more, and in the long run should lead to an improvement in quality of life.

Psychoanalytical Psychotherapy: Psychoanalytical Psychotherapy is a talking therapy that aims to help uncover and resolve unconscious beliefs that cause psychiatric conditions. Traumatic experiences that may or may not be buried in the unconscious mind can be highlighted and processed. Psychoanalytical psychotherapy involves talking to a trained therapist. The therapist can show the individual how early memories and past traumas have affected their thinking, behaviour and attitude in the modern day. Psychoanalytical psychotherapy is especially useful for any condition that involves past trauma. Renowned neurologist Sigmund Freud developed this therapy, which is typically completed over a long-term basis.

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT): DBT is a type of therapy that is tailor-made for Borderline Personality Disorder, though can also be useful for many other conditions. The therapy runs on the basis that an individual is emotionally vulnerable, and that the individual grew up in an environment where emotions were dismissed and not treated. These factors cause an individual to feel guilty or ashamed for having upsetting emotions, which leads to more upset. DBT aims to change this system, using a range of techniques to help, with a focus on acceptance and problem-solving.

Additionally, there are a range of other types of talking therapy available, as well as the above.

Medication

There aren’t any medicines licensed to specifically treat any of the personality disorders. However, medication can be prescribed to help with some symptoms of the symptoms.

For example, these include anxiety, low mood, paranoia, delusions or anything else that is causing distress. The exact medication will depend on which personality disorder is present.

Antidepressants can help with low mood, impulsive behaviour, energy, and anxiety problems.

Antipsychotics are believed to work best with Cluster A (odd and eccentric) personality disorders. This is especially the case when suspiciousness and paranoia are traits.

Mood Stabilisers are rarely prescribed, though can provide support for someone with Borderline Personality Disorder or other disorder who has an unstable mood.

In rare cases, such as if an individual is in a state of severe anxiety, in the midst of a severe psychotic episode, or severe depressive episode, a short-term course of a benzodiazepine can be used.

Antidepressants: Antidepressants can help to improve and regulate mood. They should improve motivation and restore energy. SSRI Antidepressants are the most commonly prescribed. They act on the brain chemical serotonin – which is thought to help in regulating mood and emotion. They may include side-effects such as a dry mouth, sexual problems and nausea, though these should hopefully be short-term. Other classes of antidepressants are available in the event of an inadequate reaction.

Antipsychotics: Antipsychotics (also known as neuroleptics) block the effect of dopamine – a chemical in the brain that is heavily linked to psychotic symptoms like hallucinations. They can also be useful for stabilising mood, and treating anxiety. They are not suitable for everyone however, and are often associated with many side effects like weight gain, dizziness and dry mouth.

Mood Stabilisers: Mood stabilisers can help level out moods, meaning fewer lows, and fewer euphoric highs are felt. Lithium Carbonate is the best-known mood stabiliser. Others include Lamotrigine and Sodium Valproate, which are anticonvulsant medicines that have mood stabilising properties. These medicines are generally taken on a long-term basis.

Benzodiazepines: Benzodiazepines are fast-acting sedatives, which can relax an individual and improve their mood. Any anxiety should fade rapidly upon consumption. The individual should therefore have an improved level of functioning. Benzodiazepines cannot be taken for more than a few weeks, due to acute risk of both physical and psychological dependence.

As a reminder, each personality disorder features different treatment plans. So while a particular form of therapy may be used for one disorder, it may not be beneficial to those with a different disorder.

Other

Treatment will normally be controlled by Community Mental Health Teams. Hospitalisation is very rare for personality disorders.

However, those with impulsive behaviour as a symptom – like Borderline Personality Disorder – may find their tendency to self-harm results in hospitalisation. On the majority of occasions however, these should only be short-term stays.

Summary

Personality Disorders are very hard conditions to deal with. They not only impact the individual with the disorder, but also those around them too.

But, due to the many treatment options that are available, hopefully symptoms will improve in time, and a better quality of life will be attained.

See Also

1. Everything You Need to Know About Personality Disorders
2. What Are The Different Types of Personality Disorders?
3. What Are The Symptoms of Personality Disorders?
4. What Are The Causes of Personality Disorders?
5. How are Personality Disorders Diagnosed?
6. How Can Personality Disorders Be Treated?
7. What is the Prognosis For Personality Disorders?
8. 10 Tips on Living With a Personality Disorder