Personality Disorder Treatment
When you imagine someone with a personality disorder, what do you picture? Do you imagine someone who is cold, aloof, and doesn’t care about others? Do you think of someone who automatically stands out in a crowd? If you or your loved one are living with a personality disorder, you know that these conditions aren’t so simple or stereotypical. They’re also common, with more than 161,000 Americans diagnosed with a personality disorder in 2020.
At Ocean’s Healthcare, we believe that everyone with a mental health condition deserves competent, compassionate, patient-centered healthcare. That’s why we’ve made it our mission to provide people with personality disorder treatment that empowers them to take control of their symptoms.
The Oceans Experience
Oceans is committed to providing quality behavioral health in a safe environment. With our telehealth capabilities we can conduct therapy, education and diagnosis via phone or video. We accept Medicare, TRICARE and most private insurance.
What We Treat: Personality Disorders
A personality disorder is a chronic mental health condition that impacts the way an individual behaves, how they interact with others, and how they think about the world around them. These conditions cause the person living with them significant distress or hinder their ability to function within society.
A person’s personality helps define who they are and determinehow they express themselves. When someone has a personality disorder, they experience a distorted view of reality or exhibit unusual behaviors. Their condition causes issues for them at work or school. It also makes maintaining intimate relationships and a functioning social life difficult.
Many people living with a personality disorder don’t have the self-awareness to recognize that their behavior is unusual. This lack of self-awareness compounds the disruptions caused by their condition.
How We Treat: Connecting You with the Care You Need
At Ocean’s Healthcare, we believe it’s necessary to tailor your care to your needs. That’s why we have three different levels of care. Depending on how your personality disorder is impacting your life, your needs may change over time. We are here to provide you with the type of care you need when you need it.
Residential or Inpatient Treatment
Inpatient treatment is ideal for people who are experiencing a mental health crisis. At Ocean’s Healthcare, we create a safe, homey environment where you can focus on finding stable ground. You’ll participate in therapy sessions, psychoeducation, and coping skills development every day you’re here. Our doctors work with you to find the right medications to help manage your symptoms.
We also understand how important physical wellness is to your overall health. That’s why we prioritize a holistic approach that empowers you to make strides in your physical health as well as your mental health during your stay at one of our facilities.
Partial Hospitalization Program
Our partial hospitalization program (PHP) is a great fit for individuals who need consistent, daily treatment but feel more comfortable returning to their homes in the evenings. In PHP, you’ll have four to five hours of rigorous daily therapy and treatment.
You’ll still receive comprehensive, patient-focused care similar to our inpatient program. We will provide you with medication management and full access to our interdisciplinary care teams. At Oceans, every client has a team of clinicians brainstorming about how to provide you with the best care possible.
Intensive Outpatient Program Services
In our intensive outpatient program (IOP), you’ll receive more care than traditional outpatient therapy can provide while maintaining your usual daily schedule. As a part of IOP, you’ll have access to approximately 3 hours of treatment in the evening up to four days a week. In treatment, you’ll work with a therapist to identify healthy coping mechanisms and work through difficult emotions.
What Are the Causes of Personality Disorders?
We don’t know the exact causes of personality disorders. It’s also likely that different personality disorders have different causes. Let’s review 3 of the factors that scientists believe contribute to the development of personality disorders.
- Family History: People with a family history of personality disorders are more likely to have personality disorders themselves. Genetics likely play a role in this, although we haven’t identified a specific gene linked to most personality disorders.
- Childhood Trauma: There’s some data linking severe trauma during childhood to the development of personality disorders. This could include verbal, sexual, or physical abuse during childhood. It’s not entirely clear why trauma leads to personality disorders in some people and not in others.
Difference in Brain Development: Certain differences in the brain have been identified in people with personality disorders. For example, people with schizotypal personality disorder have a smaller frontal lobe than most people.
Different Types of Personality Disorders and Symptoms
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), there are 10 different kinds of personality disorders across 3 categories, also known as clusters.
Cluster A Personality Disorders
Cluster A personality disorders involve bizarre or unusual thinking or behavior patterns. These patterns make socializing extremely difficult.
The three cluster A personality disorders are:
- Schizoid Personality Disorder: People with this condition have a limited range of emotions when interacting with others. They present with a consistent pattern of disinterest in interpersonal relationships and a detachment from others. Someone with this condition usually prefers solitary activities and is indifferent to the opinions of others.
- Schizotypal Personality Disorder: An individual with this condition may be interested in interpersonal relationships but will feel deeply uncomfortable about them. People with a schizotypal personality typically have superstitious beliefs or a distorted view of reality, which makes social interaction more difficult.
Paranoid Personality Disorder: The primary feature of this condition is paranoia. Someone with this condition will be mistrustful and suspicious of others without adequate reasons. This makes social interactions difficult.
Cluster B Personality Disorders
People living with cluster B personality disorders display erratic and impulsive behaviors. These conditions are associated with intense emotions that can change rapidly.
Cluster B personality disorders include:
- Histrionic Personality Disorder: People with this condition are driven by an intense need for attention from others. They have a distorted sense of self, and their self-image depends entirely on approval from others. People living with this personality disorder will take part in dramatic or inappropriate actions to get the attention they crave from others.
- Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD): People with ASPD don’t feel constrained by social rules and often disrespect others. They don’t take responsibility for their actions and disregard the consequences that occur because of their behavior. It is common for people with ASPD to cause physical harm or break laws without showing remorse.
- Borderline Personality Disorder: This condition is marked by low self-esteem, impulsive behavior, intense mood swings, and difficulty regulating emotions. People living with this condition often have an intense fear of abandonment and trouble maintaining interpersonal relationships.
- Narcissistic Personality Disorder: An individual with this condition experiences an inflated sense of superiority over others. People living with narcissistic personality disorder desire a lot of praise from the people around them while also demonstrating a lack of empathy from those people. This behavior is fueled by self-esteem issues.
Cluster C Personality Disorders
Cluster C personality disorders involve severe anxiety and fear. The personality disorders in this cluster include:
- Avoidant Personality Disorder: This condition’s primary features include chronic feelings of inadequacy and sensitivity to being judged negatively by those around them. People with this condition may desire social interaction but avoid it due to an intense fear of rejection.
- Dependent Personality Disorder: People with this condition have a chronic, intense need to be cared for by another person. They will usually attach themselves to one or more other people and act submissive to get their needs met. Someone with dependent personality disorder will avoid making decisions on their own and desire a lot of reassurance.
- Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD): People with this condition desire chronic perfection and order. They will want constant control over their environment. This leads to difficulty completing tasks and maintaining relationships. OCPD is separate from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). While people with OCD are usually aware that their condition gets in the way of their daily lives, people with OCPD tend to lack self-awareness.
Personality Disorder Treatment and Management in the Southland
If you have a personality disorder, you know how isolating it can be. A personality disorder makes maintaining intimate relationships and holding down long-term employment more complicated. But it isn’t impossible.
Through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), you’ll learn to identify the relationships between your thoughts, feelings, and actions. You and your therapist will work together to develop healthier behavioral patterns, empowering you to take control of your actions.
You can learn to manage your personality disorder at Oceans Healthcare. We have roots in geriatric care, and we developed a foundation for managing complex, high-intensity conditions for people of all ages. Every one of our programs is overseen by a board-certified psychiatrist, ensuring the highest quality of care. Contact us now at 888-293-6899.
Oceans Healthcare: Your Path, Our Purpose.