Personality Disorders

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Basics

• Summary
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• Treatments and Therapies

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• Specifics

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Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

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• Patient Handouts

Summary

Personality disorders are a group of mental illnesses. They involve long-term patterns of thoughts and behaviors that are unhealthy and inflexible. The behaviors cause serious problems with relationships and work. People with personality disorders have trouble dealing with everyday stresses and problems. They often have stormy relationships with other people.

The cause of personality disorders is unknown. However, genes and childhood experiences may play a role.

The symptoms of each personality disorder are different. They can mild or severe. People with personality disorders may have trouble realizing that they have a problem. To them, their thoughts are normal, and they often blame others for their problems. They may try to get help because of their problems with relationships and work. Treatment usually includes talk therapy and sometimes medicine.

Start Here

• Personality Disorders (Mental Health America)

Treatments and Therapies

• Borderline Personality Disorder: Psychotherapy (Borderline Personality Disorder Resource Center)
• Mental Health Medications (National Institute of Mental Health)
• Psychotherapies (National Institute of Mental Health)

Specifics

• Borderline Personality Disorder (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Borderline Personality Disorder (National Institute of Mental Health)
• Narcissistic Personality Disorder (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Paranoia and Delusional Disorders (Mental Health America)
• Schizoid Personality Disorder (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Schizotypal Personality Disorder (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)

Statistics and Research

• Personality Disorders (National Institute of Mental Health)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Antisocial Personality Disorder (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Borderline Personality Disorder (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Personality Disorders (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Evaluation of international guidance for the community treatment of 'personality disorders':...
• Article: Sex in the dark: Sex differences on three measures of dark...
• Article: Disentangling the personality pathways to well-being.
• Personality Disorders -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• Find a Psychiatrist (American Psychiatric Association)
• FindTreatment.gov (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
• Help for Mental Illnesses (National Institute of Mental Health) Also in Spanish
• NAMI
• National Institute of Mental Health Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Antisocial personality disorder (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Avoidant personality disorder (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Borderline personality disorder (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Dependent personality disorder (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Histrionic personality disorder (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Narcissistic personality disorder (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Paranoid personality disorder (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Personality disorders (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Schizoid personality disorder (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Schizotypal personality disorder (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish