Personality Disorder Treatment in Dayton, Cincinnati, and Columbus, OH
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Personality Disorder Doctors in Ohio
KAV Mental Health & Psychiatry is one of Ohio’s top mental health service providers dedicated to treating patients from Dayton, Cincinnati, Columbus, and beyond. We diagnose and manage mental health disorders with a wide array of clinical, psychiatric, and medical services, in order to give our patients the tools and foundation the need to live freely, without being controlled by their mental health issues.
We treat the entire spectrum of personality disorders here at KAV Mental Health & Psychiatry. Patients come to us with a diverse range of symptoms that make it difficult to maintain healthy relationships or accomplish daily tasks, and we help them overcome those symptoms. Read below about personality disorders, what life is like with one, and how KAV Mental Health & Psychiatry can help.
What Is a Personality Disorder?
A personality disorder is a rigid, unhealthy, and often unsustainable pattern of thoughts, feelings, or behaviors. There are several types of personality disorders, but all affect your ability to interact with others and the world around you.
Personality disorders prevent you from living your life the way that you want, whether they redirect your thoughts, push you toward isolation, or make you have a hard time understanding yourself in relation to others. When left untreated, these issues compound as your personality disorder becomes an increasingly dominant force in your life.
Types of Personality Disorders
There are 10 different types of personality disorders, but they’re broken up into three “clusters,” based on how they “present,” or appear to outsiders. Because many can be similar to each other, it’s important to seek a diagnosis from a professional to ensure that you get the help you need.
Cluster A — Eccentric Presentation
In Cluster A, someone might interpret events differently from you, or fully experience them differently from how you do. It can be hard to follow their train of thought as a result.
- Paranoid Personality Disorder: this may make it impossible for someone to trust other people or unfamiliar situations, making it difficult to adapt to changes or maintain relationships.
- Schizoid Personality Disorder: unlike schizophrenia, this doesn’t include psychotic symptoms, but will still cause someone to actively pursue isolation and show little interest in socializing.
- Schizotypal Personality Disorder: people whose perception of reality is significantly distorted. They’ll exhibit odd behaviors, turns of phrase, or find it difficult to relate to others.
Cluster B — Emotional or Dramatic Presentation
Everyone feels intense emotions sometimes, these emotionally charged personality disorders lead to constant, extreme, and erratic emotions, making it difficult to maintain positive relationships.
- Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD): once called “sociopaths,” these people may act without consideration for other people, bore easily, and possibly hurt others in the process.
- Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD): characterized by strong mood swings, angry outbursts, abandonment issues, and difficulty maintaining healthy relationships over time.
- Histrionic Personality Disorder: a diagnosis for people who constantly seek validation and attention from others, even if it means putting others before themselves.
- Narcissistic Personality Disorder: someone believes, often with no basis in reality, that they are special, elite, or inherently better than everybody else.
Cluster C — Fearful & Anxious Presentation
These are disorders where people feel anxious when things aren’t going as they expect, and their attempts to manipulate people or situations accordingly become problematic.
- Avoidant Personality Disorder: this may lead someone to actively hide from people or things that they can’t control or make them feel anxious, even when it impacts their ability to function.
- Dependent Personality Disorder: these people may be unable to cope or do simple tasks without the assistance of someone else, leading to clingy or enfeebled behavior.
- Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder: similar to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), this is a condition where control and perfectionism dramatically change behaviors.
Causes & Risk Factors of Personality Disorders
There isn’t a concrete answer as to what causes personality disorders, but in many cases, they seem to be related to genetics: if there’s a personality disorder in your family, that puts you at a higher risk for developing one. Studies performed with twins and families suggest there’s a hereditary component of personality disorders, particularly in Cluster C.
There’s also a strong case that environmental factors play a role in developing personality disorders. Experiencing a traumatic event, cycles of physical or emotional abuse, or other instability — especially during early development — seems to play a role in the onset of a personality disorder.
Long-Term Effects of Personality Disorders
It’s important to be able to interact positively with others and focus on your day-to-day tasks. When you’re interrupted by the wide-ranging effects of a personality disorder, from added vulnerability to various mental blocks, it becomes harder to be your best self.
The symptoms of personality disorders can affect virtually every part of your life: how you interact with and treat people, how productive you are, or how you make important decisions. In fact, milestone events in your life, and the direction your life takes as a whole, can be shaped by your condition.
When you’re better able to see how your disorder is affecting your thinking, and adjust how you interact with others as a result, it helps you make decisions uncolored by your personality disorder.
Personality Disorder Counseling & Treatment with KAV Mental Health & Psychiatry
KAV Mental Health & Psychiatry is home to expert, compassionate doctors and counselors who treat all manner of personality disorders and give you the individualized care you need to manage your specific case. We offer a personalized plan involving both prescription medication and dedicated counseling.
Personality disorders are often very deeply entrenched, and require a treatment plan that will give you tools that you can use for the rest of your life. Medications such as antidepressants, anti-anxiety prescriptions, mood stabilizers, and antipsychotics can all help in unique ways. Personality disorder counseling, meanwhile, helps you understand your disorder and manage your day-to-day life with healthy coping mechanisms. Group therapy sessions can then put you in touch with others facing similar challenges.
Our virtual appointments are available six days a week through a confidential and HIPAA-compliant video platform. You can schedule same-day appointments for the most convenient possible access. Telehealth is a fantastic and innovative way to get the individual attention you need from the comfort of your own home.