There are a variety of types of personality disorders and their symptoms present themselves along a wide spectrum. Not everyone who has a personality disorder is aware of the fact until it affects their personal or professional lives in a significant way because the thought patterns seem normal to the person experiencing them. Personality disorders often cause issues with interpersonal relationships, processing intense emotions, and dealing with stressful situations.
Personality Disorders
Researchers currently do not know what precisely causes personality disorders. However, certain people are more inclined to develop them. A few of the known factors associated with personality disorders include:
Genetic predisposition
Family history of personality disorders
Personal or family history of other mental health disorders or substance use disorders (SUDs)
Childhood abuse or neglect
Personal history of childhood conduct disorder and other childhood behavioral issues
Personality Disorders and Substance Abuse
Several personality disorders (PDs) significantly increase the risk of developing a SUD. Two, in particular, have a high rate of dual diagnosis with substance misuse–borderline personality disorder (BPD) and antisocial personality disorder (APD). One review of the research reported that “the overall prevalence of PD ranges from 10% to 14.8% in the normal population and from 34.8% to 73.0% in patients treated for addictions.” Drug use disorders are more common than alcohol use disorder (AUD) in most individuals seeking treatment for personality disorders and SUD. The exception is borderline personality disorder.
A 2018 review of the research revealed that among participants in clinical studies, “approximately half of those with BPD also have at least one current SUD, most commonly AUD.” In addition, around 25% of everyone with a substance use disorder met the minimum criteria for borderline personality disorder.
Different Types of Personality Disorders
Personality disorders can manifest in various ways, including fear, paranoia, extreme emotional responses, eccentricity, and unusual or erratic behaviors. The primary types of personality disorders include:
Paranoid Personality Disorder
Schizotypal and Schizoid Personality Disorder
Antisocial Personality Disorder
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
Avoidant Personality Disorder
Histrionic Personality Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Dependent Personality Disorder
Our intake specialists will determine if you meet the criteria for any undiagnosed personality disorder and work with the clinical team to create a treatment plan. The expert staff at kathy ireland® Recovery Centers will ensure you get prescription medication and therapy as needed.
Co-Occurring Conditions and Your Recovery
Further treatment is often necessary when you have additional conditions during detox, withdrawal, or continuing care. Treating SUD and co-occurring disorders at the same time decreases the risk of relapse. The programs offered by kathy ireland® Recovery Centers can provide psychotherapy and medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for both your SUD and any co-occurring conditions.
You can learn more about co-occurring disorders by checking out our page on Mental Health Conditions.
Common Symptoms of Personality Disorders
Symptoms vary widely between personality disorders. The three primary types of personality disorders display the following thought patterns and behaviors:
#1. Strange, eccentric, odd, paranoia, and unusual actions
#2. Being dramatic, overly-emotional, antisocial, impulsive, and histrionics
#3. Being fearful, anxious, sensitive, compulsive, and avoiding others
Your case manager will ensure that any unusual or severe symptoms get addressed. We have flexibility built into our treatments, which allows us to accommodate certain symptoms. Our team at kathy ireland® Recovery Centers will show you how to recognize unhealthy side effects and overcome them.
How Your Mental Health Impacts Treatment
Personality disorders cause unhealthy thought and behavioral patterns. To protect your long-term recovery, we teach you essential skills like building new routines, challenging unhelpful thought patterns, and finding healthier alternatives to old habits. Treating your mental health disorder makes it easier to transition from rehabilitation to continuing care. Our clinical team will help you build self-efficacy and regain control of your life.
Mental health is not all about emotions. Substance use physically changes the brain and, for individuals with preexisting personality disorders, the physiological changes can interfere with recovery in several important ways, including:
Emotion regulation
Behavioral regulation
Self-control
Therapy and Medications for Personality Disorders
Medication and psychotherapy are the primary forms of treatment for individuals with personality disorders. Our team will take into account any medication-assisted treatment (MAT) used for your SUD.
Psychotherapy is known to be incredibly helpful for treating the majority of personality disorders. We use therapy to help you learn emotion regulation and increase self-awareness and self-efficacy. Group sessions and one-on-one talk therapy used to treat personality disorders include:
Systems Training for Emotional Predictability and Problem-solving (STEPPS)
Personality Disorders and Continuing Care
Aftercare or continuing care takes place once you complete your rehabilitation program. For individuals with personality disorders, this period can be incredibly challenging due to a decreased ability to regulate emotions and control behavior. Your clinical team at kathy ireland® Recovery Centers will prepare you to navigate everyday situations that might trigger past negative behaviors, habits, or thoughts. We make sure you have the tools you need to retain control of your mental health disorder, SUD, and continuing recovery.
Personality disorders often require long-term therapy or mental health support. Your case manager will help you find community resources like one-on-one therapy and local support groups where you can continue to learn skills and techniques.
Personality disorders have a high rate of comorbidity with substance use disorders. At kathy ireland® Recovery Centers, we can treat both conditions simultaneously to enhance your treatment results.
If you are ready to change your life and are looking for intensive outpatient treatment in Laconia, NH then call kathy ireland® Recovery Centers – Laconia now: (866) 861-9772.
Contact us today to learn more.
Our network of facilities created by kathy ireland® Recovery Centers by Ascension Recovery Services provide a path to successful recovery from substance use disorders.
