What is personality disorder

A personality disorder is a form of mental illness in which the individual has difficulty recognizing and interacting appropriately to situations and with people – including self-interaction. Generally, a personality disorder is characterized by an unyielding and unhealthy pattern of behavior and thought processes, regardless of the situation, which leads to problems in work, social, and interpersonal relationships.

  • The biggest obstacle to identifying a personality disorder is that, for the person needing help, the behavior seems normal and problems lie outside of them. Signs that a personality disorder may exist include:
  • Alcohol or substance abuse
  • Angry outbursts
  • Difficulty making friends
  • Frequent mood swings
  • Need for instant gratification
  • Poor impulse control
  • Social isolation
  • Stormy relationships
  • Suspicion and mistrust of others

However, healthy individuals may experience each of these at any given time. If they are persistent, though, or are beginning to appear in combination or are contributing to increasingly destructive behavior, then it is necessary to seek help and diagnosis.

Specific Types Of Personality Disorders

Personality disorders are grouped into three clusters based on symptoms and similarities.

Cluster ‘A’ Personality Disorders

Characterized by odd, eccentric thinking or behavior and include:

  • Paranoid personality disorder
  • Schizoid personality disorder
  • Schizotypal personality disorder
Cluster ‘C’ Personality Disorders

Characterized by anxious, fearful thinking or behavior and include:

  • Avoidant personality disorder
  • Dependent personality disorder
  • Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder

Additionally, many people who are diagnosed with one personality disorder also have signs and symptoms of at least one additional personality disorder.

Dual diagnosis of personality disorders & dependence

Because any mental health disorder can reduce a client’s chances for successful recovery from drugs and alcohol, Burning Tree evaluates every client for possible mental health issues. A dual diagnosis of a personality disorder and dependence could explain why the client’s previous attempts at sobriety were unsuccessful. Once the dual diagnosis has been established, a suitable integrated treatment plan for both the personality disorder and the drug or alcohol dependence can be created.

Clinical treatment for personality disorders

Clients who require this type of treatment participate in clinical treatment for a personality disorder as part of the overall program at Burning Tree. The treatment may consist of individual, group sessions and even family treatment integration. Helping clients with personality disorders understand the effects of unconscious thoughts and develop strategies for changing behavior patterns proves highly effective due to the ability for clients to put these newly acquired skills into practice continuously before returning to independent living.