Personality Disorders Overview

Personality disorders are a group of related illnesses that affect an individual’s personality and behavior. Although specific symptoms vary from disorder to disorder and person to person, personality disorders as a whole are usually characterized by the lack of a coherent identity/sense of self, a tendency to extreme reactions to perceived threats, an inability to adapt, and a difficulty sustaining relationships and accepting love.

Personality disorders can bring profound instability, insecurity, isolation, and pain into the lives of those living with these disorders. These disorders can be especially difficult for the family and friends, who see their loved one suffering, but are unsure of how to help. Some family and friends may even view behavior as unpredictable and explosive; they may not understand that these behaviors are attempts at coping with the struggles of the disorder. The strong stigma against people with personality disorders, as well as the historic difficulty in diagnosing and treating these disorders, can make the struggle for treatment and stability even more challenging.

Solara Health understands how overwhelming and difficult living with a personality disorder can be, particularly if family and friends are unsure of how to help. Here, we recognize that the symptoms of client’s personality disorder come from their illness, not from their true personality. As such, our program takes a nuanced, in-depth approach to treatment, grounded in a strong understanding of personality disorders, to help clients let go of shame and come to a stable, unified sense of self.

For clients struggling with borderline, dependent, or narcissistic personality disorder, Solara offers specialized therapies. These therapies are both integrative and modern, designed to create a treatment plan that is tailor-made and maximally effective for each client’s specific diagnosis and symptoms. Treatment plans are aided by Solara’s intensive program structure, which allows clients to progress towards healing in an environment that is focused and compassionate, free from the stressors and judgment so frequent in day-to-day life. Here, clients can feel safe and secure as they work with clinicians and peers to increase their ability to give and receive love and build a stronger sense of self.

Individual psychotherapy is Solara’s first line of defense when it comes to personality disorder treatment. Specifically, our clinicians use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which is regarded as one of the most successful treatments for anxiety disorders. CBT is effective because it focuses on thought patterns: clients are taught to interrupt their own negative thought patterns and turn that energy to healthy, positive methods for coping with the strong emotions and symptoms that stem from personality disorders.

At Solara, we also pair CBT with psychodynamic therapy. This type of therapy is crucial for clients with personality disorders, for it allows clients to more deeply examine their lives, helping them come to a deeper understanding of the roots, triggers, and effects of their illness. Through this understanding, clinicians and clients come to more effective methods for managing the effects of a personality disorder, and clients are better able to accept their illness and develop a strong, cohesive sense of self.

Solara Health provides group dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) to our clients. This therapy is recognized as one of the most effective treatments available for certain personality disorders. We have adapted the customary DBT structure to fit both our program and our clients’ specific needs, making DBT a vital part of the therapeutic process. Our group therapy spaces are supportive and non-judgmental, allowing clients to develop and practice their new skills in an environment that is understanding and safe.

Currently, there are no medications designed to specifically treat personality disorders. However, medications can still ease the suffering caused by symptoms of the personality disorder itself. As needed, our clinicians will prescribe medications, such as anti-anxiety drugs, mood stabilizers, antidepressants, and antipsychotics, to clients, offering some much-needed relief that will allow clients to better focus on other aspects of their treatment.

With personality disorders come unique and difficult challenges to a client’s interpersonal lives. In fact, some clients may even find that their symptoms are the most manifest, even the most damaging, through relationships with close family and friends. As such, Solara offers family therapy. This is a safe environment where clients and their loved ones can come together in honest discussion, learning how to resolve conflict, recognize each other’s struggles and how to help, and start the process of healing and forgiving.

While our clients make considerable and rapid improvements, personality disorders are often long-term conditions. Understanding this through years of experience, Solara Health provides the entire spectrum of care from in-residence to outpatient to transitional living to continuing, customized case management of long-term aftercare planning to ensure maximum, long-term success. Solara Health is committed and dedicated to freeing our clients from the clutches of personality disorders, and each of our programs is created to ensure this.

Contact us now to start the healing process.