Treating Personality Disorder at Alpha Behavioral Health

Those living with personality disorders often do so in silence. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), although it’s estimated that nine percent of adults in the U.S. have some type of personality disorder, only 39% have sought treatment. This condition is often vilified in media, spreading misinformation that those with this condition are inherently violent or even evil. Real personality disorder is not like that, and people with this condition can live normal and successful lives. However, to achieve success, those with this condition must seek treatment.

Treatment for personality disorders at Alpha Behavioral Health is extensive, comprehensive, and compassionate. Those seeking treatment for personality disorders and co-occurring conditions do so with confidence in our quality treatments and respectful staff.

It’s difficult, however, for those with a personality disorder to seek help due to societal stigma and isolation. Educating yourself about personality disorders is one way to spread awareness and compassion for this prevalent mental health condition.

What Is a Personality Disorder?

Personality disorders are a group of mental health conditions that affect how a person understands and relates to the world around them. This can cause problems connecting with others on an empathetic level. It also affects how the individual sees themselves as well as how they adapt to changing situations. They may have a difficult time understanding emotions, act impulsively, or have low distress tolerance. This makes it difficult for those with a personality disorder to relate to others, which can impact their ability to form healthy and meaningful relationships. These difficulties and the inability to tolerate distress can make it difficult to participate in normal work, school, and social activities.

It’s unknown exactly what causes someone to develop a personality disorder, but it’s believed to be a combination of genetics, early life experiences, and environmental factors. Trauma and other adverse childhood experiences may also be an underlying cause of personality disorder.

Personality disorders are grouped or clustered together depending on shared traits. These groups are

A: Cluster A personality disorders have consistent dysfunctional behavior and thinking patterns that make them suspicious and less interested in other people. Examples include paranoid personality disorder and schizoid personality disorder.
B: Cluster B personality disorders have consistent dysfunctional patterns of unpredictable and dramatic behaviors with overly emotional thinking. Examples include borderline personality disorder (BPD) and narcissistic personality disorder.
C: Cluster C personality disorders are marked by consistent dysfunctional patterns of anxious thinking and behaviors. Examples include avoidant personality disorder and dependent personality disorder.

Signs of a Personality Disorder

The exact symptoms related to specific types of personality disorder are numerous. However, there are general signs that can indicate the presence of a personality disorder. These signs are:

Low self-awareness of how behavior is negatively impacting yourself or others
Strange and unpredictable behavior
Extreme mood swings or emotional outbursts
Low tolerance for stress or difficulties
Difficulties maintaining relationships
Troubles with self-esteem
Has trouble empathizing with others
Problems at work or school
Engages in risky behavior
Intense need for instant gratification
Views others with suspicion and distrust

Noticing any of these signs in yourself or a loved one can indicate a serious problem. Personality disorders are a lifelong condition, but they can be managed with the right personality disorder rehab. So, it’s always important to seek the help of a mental health care professional if you are struggling with the signs of a personality disorder.

Do Personality Disorders Contribute to Mental Health and Substance Use Issues?

Yes, substance abuse and addiction co-occur commonly with personality disorders. The high stigmatization of these disorders often prevents people from seeking personality disorder rehab. Instead, they may turn to drug use as a form of self-medication. Drugs such as alcohol are often used to numb or mask symptoms. The impulsivity to engage in risky behavior or seek the adoration of others may also influence the likelihood of an individual engaging in substance use and abuse.

Over time, this substance use becomes a dependency, which then becomes an addiction.

When to Get Help for a Personality Disorder

If your personality disorder is causing problems in your life, it’s time to seek personality disorder treatment. This can be anything from struggling at school to being unable to hold a job or even losing important relationships. Untreated personality disorder can lead to severe consequences such as substance abuse, homelessness, and crime. It is essential to seek immediate treatment once you or a loved one are struggling. For teens and young adults struggling with personality disorders, they can find treatment at Alpha Behavioral Health.

Treating a Personality Disorder at Alpha Behavioral Health

Here at Alpha Behavioral Health, we offer help for teens and young adults who are struggling with addiction and other mental health disorders. With a commitment to providing a supportive, safe, and healing environment, clients can expect to spend equal time outdoors as they do inside. Utilizing a combination of clinical applications and holistic modalities offers the well-rounded outpatient care needed to address personality disorders and their co-occurring disorders.

Refined and Ongoing Assessment Process to Develop Personalized Treatment Plans

To properly treat a personality disorder, the client must meet critical goals. They need to:

Reduce feelings of distress, anxiety, and depression
Understand that their problems are internal and not the result of another person or situation
Decrease unhealthy and socially unacceptable behavior
Identify and modify personality traits that are causing difficulties

To accomplish these goals, the client must have a personalized treatment plan. Remember that there are many types of personality disorders, all of which require specific and customized treatment. Each treatment plan will be different depending on the client and their personality disorder. Clients undergo an assessment process where mental health care professionals identify areas of need. This is a collaborative process, with clients and their families able to give input into their treatment plan.

Throughout treatment, clients are routinely assessed to determine if they are meeting their goals and progressing correctly. It’s during these times when clients can speak with their providers about what is and isn’t working. Having this type of assessment process allows providers to refine the treatment plan with each goal accomplished. This way, each client receives the best care possible, no matter what leg on the treatment journey they are on.

Evidence-Based Therapy Options to Help Treat Personality Disorders

Personality disorders are mainly treated through psychotherapy. This “talk” therapy is essential in helping clients identify their harmful thoughts and behavior patterns and make healthy changes. The most common psychotherapies used for treating personality disorders are cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). DBT is especially useful for emotional regulation in conditions like borderline personality disorder. Group therapy may also be used to help clients understand that they aren’t alone in their struggles.

There are no medications used exclusively for the treatment of personality disorders. However, some medications are used to treat symptoms such as anxiety and depression that occur with a personality disorder. Medication management helps clients stay safe as they take prescription medications and helps them find the right medications for them.

A Holistic Approach to Care

Holistic care means helping the whole person get healthy, not just their mind. Equal attention is given to the mind, body, and spirit at Alpha Behavioral Health, such as:

Nutrition counseling
Mindfulness techniques
Art and experiential modalities
Fitness coaching
Therapeutic recreation and wilderness adventures

These holistic applications help those with personality disorders reduce physical and spiritual discomfort, learn to work with others, and discover a means of expressing themselves. Clients leave Alpha Behavioral Health as healthier and more confident individuals.

Individual Counseling

Not everyone does well in a group or may prefer more private settings. Individual counseling gives clients the one-on-one therapeutic care needed to not just get treatment, but to be validated and seen. This program offers a private and secure environment to open oneself up for healing.

Family Therapy Options

It’s essential to heal the family alongside the client. For personality disorder treatment, family therapy and family counseling are useful to help clients better understand their families and heal lingering pains and problems.

Alpha Launch Program

The Alpha Launch Program is an aftercare program that offers robust case management and academic services to teens and young adults post-treatment. This provides services such as academic assessments and goal planning, resume writing workshops, and financial literacy classes. All of this and more is used to give clients the best head start to adult life while also preserving their sobriety and recovery.

Support Systems That Empower Young Adults

It’s important for those living with a serious mental health condition, such as personality disorder, to know that they are not alone. Having a healthy support network through avenues such as group therapy or peer support allows clients to address challenges that they will face as adults. For young men needing continued care and community support, there is the Alpha transitional living program. This program provides adventure, companionship, and essential skills training for young men in Austin, TX. However, once a client complete treatment at Alpha Behavioral Health, they automatically become part of our wide-reaching community. Here, they will always find the support they need, no matter what difficulties they may have.

Find Treatment With Alpha Behavioral Health Today

Anyone with a personality disorder can live a normal life. However, it requires reaching out to a professional and accepting help. You can always contact the staff at Alpha Behavioral Health to ask questions about mental health and addiction treatment. The first step in a journey is the hardest but most important. So begin your recovery journey today at Alpha Behavioral Health.

It’s possible for anyone struggling with a personality disorder to get the treatment they need. To learn more about personality disorder treatment at Alpha Behavioral Health in Austin, TX, call (833) 257-4218.