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.
There are numerous personality disorders, and each type has a 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 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 don’t 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.
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.
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’s critical to be open and honest with the medical professional so that you or the patient can receive the best possible care.
Because people with personality disorders frequently exhibit deviant actions and thoughts that impede them from thinking and performing as they should, personality disorders are challenging to treat. Most people struggle with denial and refuse to acknowledge that they have a disorder, yet many conditions don’t go away without effective therapy.
The employment of procedures to enhance a person’s mental or physical health is generally referred to as therapy. Psychotherapy is the primary method for managing and treating mental illnesses, including personality disorders. The treatment method, sometimes known as “talk therapy,” involves the therapist encouraging the patient to discuss their condition, feelings, ideas, mood, and behavior. The following are a few methods of psychotherapy for mental illnesses:
- Behavioral and cognitive therapy (CBT)
- cognitive behavioral therapy (DBT)
- interpersonal counseling (IPT)
- Family-centered counseling
QUESTION
Therapy For Clients With Personality Disorders
- Briefly describe the personality disorder you selected, including the DSM-5-TR diagnostic criteria.
- Explain a therapeutic approach and a modality you might use to treat a client presenting with this disorder. Explain why you selected the approach and modality, justifying their appropriateness.
- Next, briefly explain what a therapeutic relationship is in psychiatry. Explain how you would share your diagnosis of this disorder with the client in order to avoid damaging the therapeutic relationship. Compare the differences in how you would share your diagnosis with an individual, a family, and in a group session.