Houston Personality Disorder Therapy

Personality disorders may be described as fixed ways of thinking and behaving that deviate from expected cultural norms and cause significant distress and impairment. These personality patterns are deeply rooted, consistent across situations, and often associated with poor relationships, life functioning, and life satisfaction.

The National Institute of Mental Health reports that 9% of US adults experience a personality disorder in a 1-year period, and up to 30% of people who obtain mental health treatment have a personality disorder. Indications of a personality disorder usually emerge by late adolescence or early adulthood, and it’s believed the below factors contribute to the development of these disorders.

• Genetics

• Biological Processes

• Learning Development

• Attachment Relationships

• Trauma

There are ten personality disorders, listed below, that fall into three categories, Cluster A, Cluster B, and Cluster C Personality Disorders, but there is much overlap between the different disorders.

Cluster A Personality Disorders involve odd or eccentric patterns of thinking, such as extreme social detachment, distrust, or unusual beliefs.

• Paranoid Personality Disorder

• Schizoid Personality Disorder

• Schizotypal Personality Disorder

Cluster B Personality Disorders are characterized by erratic emotional states and behavior that may involve manipulation or aggression toward others.

• Antisocial Personality Disorder

• Borderline Personality Disorder

• Histrionic Personality Disorder

• Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Cluster C Personality Disorders feature anxious or fearful patterns of thinking and relating to others.

• Avoidant Personality Disorder

• Dependent Personality Disorder

• Obsessive-compulsive Personality Disorder

Psychotherapy is the primary treatment for Personality disorders with the most common approaches being Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Therapy. DBT emphasizes the improvement of emotional regulation, and Cognitive Therapy focuses on changing the dysfunctional core beliefs those with personality disorders have about the self, others, and the world.

There are skilled therapists at The Resilience Center of Houston that specialize in the treatment of personality disorders. Don’t suffer alone; reach out for help today.