PERSONALITY DISORDER TREATMENT

History of Personality Disorder Diagnosis

In the past, personality disorders were placed on “Axis II” in a five-axis system used by psychiatrists when diagnosing someone. Axis I included conditions seen as treatable, such as anxiety and depression, while Axis II was reserved for personality disorders, which were thought to be permanent (read: unfixable). This system created stigma and suggested that people could not change.

 Today, the five-axis system has been removed. Personality disorders are listed alongside other mental health diagnoses, reflecting the truth that recovery is possible.

Clusters of Personality Disorders

There are three clusters of personality disorders:

Cluster A: Paranoid, Schizoid, and Schizotypal. These often involve eccentric thoughts, social withdrawal, or suspicion of others. Treatment may include therapy to improve social trust and reality testing.

Cluster B: Borderline, Narcissistic, Histrionic, and Antisocial. These involve intense emotions, difficulties with relationships, and impulse control challenges. Treatments like Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), schema therapy, and mentalization-based therapy are highly effective here.

Cluster C: Avoidant, Dependent, and Obsessive-Compulsive. These involve fear, anxiety, and high self-doubt. Treatment focuses on building confidence, independence, and reducing avoidance.

How to Identify a Personality Disorder

It is not always easy to recognize a personality disorder, because the patterns often feel like “just the way someone is.” But there are signs to look for. These may include long-term difficulties with relationships, frequent conflicts or breakups, and struggles to maintain stability in work, school, or self-care. Personality disorders can also appear as intense mood swings, rigid patterns of thinking, or behaviors that repeatedly create stress for the person and those around them.

 Someone experiencing a personality disorder may feel misunderstood, isolated, or unable to change behaviors even when they want to. Often, these difficulties have been present since adolescence or early adulthood. If patterns of thinking and relating are consistently causing distress or disruption, it may be a sign of a personality disorder—and an assessment with a mental health professional can help bring clarity.

Treatment for Personality Disorders

HighTide Mental Health specializes in personality disorder treatment, which is rare among treatment centers. Our programs are clinically certified to provide this care, and our founder has lived experience. Diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder in 2012, she went on to fully transform her life, earn a doctorate degree, and create HighTide to help others do the same. We treat co-occurring conditions, provide comprehensive personality disorder testing, and create individualized plans to meet each client’s needs.

Stigma and Assessment of Personality Disorders

For decades, personality disorders carried a stigma. They were seen as untreatable and were often dismissed, leaving many people without support. Accurate diagnosis and assessment take time and a skilled clinical team. At HighTide, we approach this process with compassion and care, making sure clients feel understood and supported from the very beginning.

Hope and Recovery

Recovery from a personality disorder is possible. With the right treatment, symptoms can improve, relationships can heal, and daily functioning can become stable again. Even if you are not ready to begin treatment, you can start learning. Our founder’s book, Your Unconscious Is Showing: Take Control of Your Life Using the 12 Steps of Consciousness, shares her personality disorder recovery story and offers practical tools to begin making changes.

Treatment takes commitment, but change is real, and hope is always possible. When you’re ready, we are here.