Personality disorders are long-term inner experiences and behavior patterns that affect your thinking, behavior, and functioning. A personality disorder is a type of mental condition characterized by unhealthy habits, which cause significant limitations and problems in relationships, work, school, and social activities. Sometimes it can be hard even to recognize your personality disorder. You may feel that your behaviors seem natural and blame others for your challenges.
Personality disorders can begin as early as teenage years and early adulthood years. Personality disorders can make you deviate from expectations and cause distress that may last for a while. In many cases, personality disorders go undiagnosed due to a person’s hesitance and failure to seek treatment. In some cases, a health provider might misdiagnose a personality disorder. To place you in a better position to deal with the condition, here are steps to take when you suspect that you might be diagnosed with a personality disorder.
1. Listen to What Others Have to Say
As mentioned earlier, most people have personality disorders without knowledge. For this reason, please listen to what others say about your actions and reactions to things. Listening to what others say might be an honest sign and indication that you have a personality disorder. Behaviors that point toward personality disorders include suspicion and distrust, strange or erratic behavior, taking risks, extreme mood swings, and the need for instant gratification.
2. Compare Symptoms to Condition Guidelines
Like any health condition, personality disorders have expert guidelines on what it is, the causes, symptoms, and treatment. Comparing your symptoms against these guidelines is a significant step as it can help you deal with the condition as soon as possible. Consider doing more research on the condition to gather more insight into it and how you can move past it. Research can help you understand how best to conduct yourself as you seek professional help and improve the quality of your life.
3. Ask Family
Family plays an important role in supporting you in case of a mental illness. Family support is a network of practical and emotional help, and these networks are made of parents, siblings, children, spouses, extended family, or close friends. Your family can help you know when something is wrong so you can get help early, help with medications and appointments, and support you in adopting a healthy lifestyle.
It’s also essential to ask your family if someone else has had personality disorders, as the condition is also linked to genetic influences in the family. According to research, there are genetic factors that cause personality disorders. Researchers identified malfunctioning genes that cause obsessive-compulsive disorder, while other researchers are exploring possible genetic links to anxiety, aggression, and fear.
4. Look Back in Time
Look back in time, especially your childhood and how you were brought up. Studies on personality disorders indicate that childhood traumas can also significantly cause personality disorders. Borderline personality disorders can be a result of high rates of childhood sexual trauma. Hence, going back into history can confirm your suspicion and eventually lead you to get permanent help.
5. Accept Yourself
Self-acceptance is a significant step towards recovery. It can be challenging at first, but it is crucial for good emotional and mental health. Accepting yourself can also help you manage depression and anxiety when suffering from personality disorders, and help you heal and move on.
Another way to accept yourself and make progress is by seeking bipolar residential and inpatient treatment. Deciding when to seek inpatient treatment for a personality disorder is difficult, but the rewards are worthwhile. The profound reality about this mental condition is that there will be episodes when mood swings can put you and the people around you at risk. These severe highs and lows (depression) require treatment; hence it pays to seek inpatient care from a health facility.
Personality Disorder Treatment
The best treatment for you depends on the type of personality disorder you are suffering from, how severe the condition is, and your life situation. You may need support from friends or family to help you pick on a treatment that will ensure all your psychiatric, social, and medical needs are met.
Personality disorders take time. Therefore, your treatment may require several months or even years. Your personality disorder treatment may require more than your primary doctor’s attention. It also requires a psychiatrist, a psychologist or a therapist, a pharmacist, a social worker, and a psychiatric nurse. If you only experience mild symptoms that can be controlled, then you may only need a primary doctor and a psychiatrist. Find the right treatment for you and live your life fully.
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