Personality disorders involve long-term patterns in thought, mood, or behavior that cause distress or strain relationships. These patterns may affect work, family life, or self-image across many years. Structured therapy can help people manage these patterns with practical skills. Each therapy method has a different focus, so the right match depends on the individual’s needs.
Access to mental health treatment starts with an accurate assessment from a licensed clinician. The assessment identifies the specific pattern along with any related conditions. The sections below outline the main therapy options for adults.
Personality Disorders Follow Lasting Patterns
A personality disorder is a lasting pattern of inner experience or behavior that differs markedly from cultural expectations. The pattern tends to stay consistent across situations, which can lead to distress or impairment. Recognized types include borderline personality disorder along with avoidant or narcissistic types.
These patterns are common in adults. NIMH survey data from 2001 to 2003 put past-year prevalence among U.S. adults at 9.1%. The same survey found that about two in three adults with a personality disorder had at least one other mental health condition. This overlap is one reason a full assessment matters before a plan is set.
Main Therapy Options for Adults
Several talk therapy approaches target different parts of a personality disorder.
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) teaches skills for intense emotions, distress, or conflict with others
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps clients spot unhelpful thought patterns tied to daily actions
- Schema therapy works on deep beliefs formed in early life
- Mentalization-based therapy (MBT) helps clients understand the thoughts behind their own actions as well as the actions of others
A clinician selects an approach based on the specific pattern as well as personal goals.
DBT Builds Skills for Emotion Regulation
NIMH describes borderline personality disorder as a condition that severely affects emotion regulation. Emotion regulation refers to the ability to manage the strength of a feeling. DBT addresses this area through individual therapy combined with skills training groups. Group sessions cover skills such as distress tolerance, which aims to help a person get through a crisis moment safely.
NIMH lists DBT among the established treatments that its research continues to evaluate. Clients practice each skill between sessions so the lessons carry into work or home life. Scottsdale Providence builds its IOP schedule around evidence-based therapies such as CBT alongside DBT.
Long-Term Approaches Target Core Beliefs or Relationships
Some clients hold deep beliefs such as a sense of being unlovable. Schema therapy traces such beliefs back to early experiences. The therapist works with the client to build new ways to respond when those beliefs arise.
MBT focuses on moments when a person may misjudge the intent behind another person’s actions. Sessions train clients to pause to consider the thoughts behind a reaction. These approaches can run for a year or more, so the expected length is worth discussing at the start.
Medication May Support Treatment of Related Symptoms
Anxiety or low mood can make it hard to engage in therapy. A psychiatrist may prescribe medication for those related symptoms. Medication generally serves as a support to therapy for these symptoms. Any choice of medication rests with the psychiatrist, who can review the options over time.
Group sessions give clients a chance to hear from peers with similar experiences. Some clients find that this shared setting eases a sense of isolation. A treatment plan may combine individual therapy with group sessions based on clinical need.
Steps toward a Suitable Therapy Match
A full assessment with a licensed clinician is the first step toward a plan. Clients can ask which therapies the clinician uses for similar concerns. Clear goals such as stable relationships give the plan a direction. Regular progress reviews with the clinician can show whether the approach still fits.
Thoughts of self-harm or a sharp rise in risky behavior call for contact with the care team right away. Anyone with thoughts of suicide can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. A life-threatening emergency calls for 911.
An Assessment Shapes the Right Plan
Structured therapy can help people manage the lasting patterns of a personality disorder. Each approach targets a different part of those patterns. A full assessment gives the clinician the details needed to match a person with a suitable method. Scottsdale Providence offers outpatient mental health treatment for adults with licensed therapists. A first consultation can clarify which therapy fits each person’s needs.
