Understanding Personality Disorders: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment Options
Everyone has personality traits — the patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that make us who we are. But when those traits become inflexible, disruptive, and cause distress in daily life, they may meet the criteria for a personality disorder.
Personality disorders often affect relationships, work performance, and self-image. They can lead to cycles of conflict, instability, and emotional pain that feel difficult to break. Because these conditions are often misunderstood, individuals may feel judged, isolated, or hopeless about change.
At Groundbreaker Therapy, we believe people with personality disorders deserve compassion, evidence-based treatment, and practical tools for building healthier lives. Using Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) alongside integrative approaches, we help clients reduce symptoms, improve relationships, and create lasting change.
What Are Personality Disorders?
Personality disorders are a group of mental health conditions characterized by enduring patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that differ significantly from cultural expectations. These patterns are pervasive, inflexible, and lead to distress or impairment.
The DSM-5 categorizes personality disorders into three clusters:
Cluster A (Odd or Eccentric):
- Paranoid Personality Disorder
- Schizoid Personality Disorder
- Schizotypal Personality Disorder
Cluster B (Dramatic, Emotional, or Erratic):
- Antisocial Personality Disorder
- Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
- Histrionic Personality Disorder
- Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Cluster C (Anxious or Fearful):
- Avoidant Personality Disorder
- Dependent Personality Disorder
- Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)
Each disorder presents differently, but all involve patterns that make relationships, work, or self-image difficult to maintain.
Common Symptoms of Personality Disorders
Because personality disorders vary widely, symptoms depend on the specific type. However, common patterns include:
Emotional Symptoms:
- Intense or unstable emotions
- Difficulty regulating anger or sadness
- Chronic feelings of emptiness or loneliness
Cognitive Symptoms:
- Distorted self-image or unstable identity
- Suspicion or mistrust of others
- Rigid or perfectionistic thinking
Behavioral Symptoms:
- Impulsivity or risk-taking
- Difficulty maintaining stable relationships
- Avoidance of social situations or dependency on others
Interpersonal Symptoms:
- Conflict with family, friends, or colleagues
- Fear of abandonment or rejection
- Struggles with empathy or trust
These symptoms often appear in adolescence or early adulthood and continue throughout life without treatment.
What Causes Personality Disorders?
Personality disorders develop from a combination of genetic, biological, and environmental influences.
Contributing causes and risk factors include:
- Genetics: Family history of personality disorders or other mental health conditions.
- Early environment: Childhood trauma, neglect, or unstable caregiving.
- Temperament: High sensitivity, impulsivity, or difficulty with emotional regulation.
- Brain differences: Structural or functional differences in regions responsible for emotion and impulse control.
- Cultural or social influences: Stress from identity, societal expectations, or chronic invalidation.
While the causes are complex, therapy helps clients identify patterns, develop coping skills, and build healthier ways of relating.
Personality Disorders Diagnosis
Diagnosis requires a comprehensive clinical evaluation by a licensed mental health professional. The process may involve:
- Reviewing long-term patterns of behavior, thoughts, and relationships.
- Using structured interviews or diagnostic tools (e.g., DSM-5 criteria).
- Exploring family and trauma history.
- Identifying co-occurring conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, or substance use.
- Distinguishing between personality disorders and temporary stress reactions.
Accurate diagnosis allows for a treatment plan tailored to the specific type of personality disorder and the client’s goals.
Personality Disorders Treatment Options
What Is Best for Personality Disorders?
The most effective treatments for personality disorders are psychotherapies that focus on emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and restructuring unhelpful patterns.
For many clients, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is considered the gold standard, particularly for borderline personality disorder (BPD). DBT helps clients build skills in mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness — tools that directly address the struggles of personality disorders.
Other therapies, such as Schema Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Trauma-Focused approaches, also play a critical role. Medication may be used for co-occurring conditions but is not typically a primary treatment.
Groundbreaker’s Approach to Personality Disorders
Our specialties include:
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Practical skills for managing emotions, improving relationships, and building stability.
- Counseling for Professionals: Helping individuals in high-pressure careers (law, healthcare, business, the arts) manage personality disorder symptoms while excelling professionally.
- Anxiety & Depression Treatment: Addressing co-occurring conditions that often overlap with personality disorders.
- Young Professionals’ Mental Health: Supporting adults in their 20s and 30s with identity, career, and relational challenges.
- College Mental Health: Guiding students navigating independence, academic pressure, and self-image struggles.
Other therapies we may integrate:
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Gold standard for borderline personality disorder (BPD) and widely adapted for other personality disorders. Builds emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.
- Schema Therapy: Highly effective for a range of personality disorders. Targets deep maladaptive schemas and attachment wounds that drive persistent patterns.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Strong evidence base for specific personality disorders (e.g., avoidant, obsessive-compulsive). Helps restructure rigid thought patterns and behaviors.
- Integrative Therapy: Allows tailoring treatment by combining DBT, CBT, schema, and relational approaches for complex presentations.
- Relational Therapy: Particularly helpful when personality disorders stem from attachment trauma, as it addresses interpersonal patterns directly.
Every treatment plan is personalized — combining DBT’s structure with integrative approaches that address identity, trauma, and relationships.
Living With Personality Disorders
Personality disorders can feel overwhelming, but with therapy, many people build healthier, more stable lives. Clients often learn to:
- Recognize and change harmful relational patterns.
- Develop emotional regulation skills.
- Improve self-image and sense of identity.
- Build healthier, more balanced relationships.
- Reduce impulsivity and self-destructive behavior.
- Create meaning and stability in work and personal life.
Recovery does not mean erasing personality traits — it means learning to manage them in ways that reduce distress and support growth.
How Groundbreaker Therapy Can Help
At Groundbreaker Therapy, we provide compassionate, evidence-based care for personality disorders. Our approach includes:
- Specialized DBT expertise for borderline and other Cluster B disorders.
- Integrative therapies for anxiety, depression, trauma, and relational difficulties.
- Specialized counseling for professionals, young adults, and students.
- Safe and validating environment where clients can explore without judgment.
- Flexible scheduling with in-person and virtual options.
You are not defined by your diagnosis. With the right tools, people with personality disorders can thrive in relationships, careers, and personal growth. Schedule a consultation with Groundbreaker Therapy today and take the first step toward healing, stability, and resilience.