There are a number of distinctly different personality disorders in several different categories. The main feature of a personality disorder is that it is a relatively stable pattern of behavior that is established by young adulthood that results in behaviors that are somehow problematic to the individual or to others.
At Down To Earth, we find personality disorders interesting, but we provide little treatment for them. Why not? Because the personality disorder often does not bother the person that has it. It may very well bother EVERYONE around him, but he is often quite comfortable with himself, his behavior, and his personality. In that case, there really is no sense trying to treat something that isn’t bothering someone.
However, personality disorders cause a great deal of distress for parents, spouses, friends, and children of the people who have them. If you like, we can work with you to better understand someone with a personality disorder, or help you cope with the difficulties they may create, or help you try to shape the behavior of someone in your life whose personality disorder is driving you up a wall. Just don’t ask us to try to change them. If they really are interested in changing, they can ask us themselves.
