Therapy For Clients With Personality Disorders
ANSWERS
A subset of mental illnesses known as personality disorders is characterized by persistent, rigid thought and behavior patterns that are inflexible in various contexts. Even though personality disorder treatment program alternatives are available for those with these illnesses, most patients delay seeking care.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you or someone you know is exhibiting behaviors that significantly impair their ability to conduct themselves properly in their personal or professional relationships or at work. We can provide information on how to support yourself or a loved one.
There are numerous varieties of personality disorders, and each type has a very diverse set of symptoms. Personality disorders that are frequently identified include:
Obsessive-compulsive disorder of the personality
Disorder of the borderline personality
APD, avoidant personality
Disorder of the schizoid personality
Disorder of the antisocial personality
The US adult population experiences personality disorders in roughly 9.1 percent of cases within 12 months, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). A co-occurring significant mental disorder, such as depression, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, or another, affects the majority of these persons often.
Why do personality disorders occur?
The exact causation of personality disorders is unknown, although researchers think genetics and environmental factors play a major influence in the development of the problem. A study ties anxiety, fear, and aggression to heredity, while other studies suggest that certain personality disorders may be caused by genes that do not work properly. Other elements under investigation as potential contributors to personality disorders include:
Traumatized childhood. Many people with borderline or schizotypal personality disorders report having been sexually assaulted or bullied as children.
Verbal slander Children who experienced verbal abuse and insensitive parenting as children are three times more likely to develop a narcissistic personality disorder.
High responsiveness A very young child’s sensitivity to light, texture, loudness, and other stimuli could contribute to the developing of nervous personalities in teens and adults. However, only 10% of infants with high reactivity levels develop a specific phobia.
Peers. Strong ties to family, friends, or relatives may contribute to dependent personality disorder.
In order to create a therapy that can assist treat a person’s illness, many psychologists focus on the likely cause of the disorder. When you or someone you care about has an evaluation and diagnosis, it is critical to be open and honest with the medical professional so that you or the patient can receive the best possible care.
QUESTION
Therapy For Clients With Personality Disorders
Individuals with personality disorders often find it difficult to overcome the enduring patterns of thought and behavior that they have thus far experienced and functioned with in daily life. Even when patients are aware that personality-related issues are causing significant distress and functional impairment and are open to counseling, treatment can be challenging for both the patient and the therapist. For this Assignment, you examine specific personality disorders and consider therapeutic approaches you might use with clients.
To prepare:
- Review this week’s Learning Resources and reflect on the insights they provide about treating clients with personality disorders.
- Select one of the personality disorders from the DSM-5-TR (e.g., paranoid, antisocial, narcissistic). Then, select a therapy modality (individual, family, or group) that you might use to treat a client with the disorder you selected.