16 PERSONALITYDISORDERS 401
that the client is overly dependent. Ongoing commu-
nication is necessary to remain firm and consistent
about expectations for clients.
Points to Consider When Working
With Clients With Personality
Disorders
- Talking to colleagues about feelings of
frustration will help you to deal with your
emotional responses so you can be more
effective with clients. - Clear, frequent communication with other
health care providers can help to diminish
the client’s manipulation. - Do not take undue flattery or harsh criticism
personally; it is a result of the client’s
personality disorder. - Set realistic goals and remember that
behavior changes in clients with personality
disorders take a long time. Progress can be
very slow.
➤ KEY POINTS
- People with personality disorders have traits
that are inflexible and maladaptive and
cause either significant functional impair-
ment or subjective distress. - Personality disorders are relatively common
and diagnosed in early adulthood, although
some behaviors are evident in childhood or
adolescence.- Rapid or substantial changes in personality
are unlikely. This can be a primary source of
frustration for family members, friends, and
health care professionals. - Schizotypal personality disorder is charac-
terized by social and interpersonal deficits,
cognitive and perceptual distortions, and
eccentric behavior. - People with paranoid personality disorders
are suspicious, mistrustful, and threatened
by others. - People with depressive personality disorder
are sad, gloomy, and negative; experience no
pleasure; and tend to brood or ruminate
about their lives. - Schizoid personality disorder includes
marked detachment from others, restricted
emotions, indifference, and fantasy. - People with antisocial personality disorder
often appear glib and charming, but they are
suspicious, insensitive, and uncaring and
often exploit others for their own gain. - People with borderline personality disorder
have markedly unstable mood, affect, self-
image, interpersonal relationships, and
impulsivity; they often engage in self-harm
behavior. - People with obsessive-compulsive personal-
ity disorder are preoccupied with orderliness,
perfection, and interpersonal control at the
expense of flexibility, openness, and efficiency. - Histrionic personality disorder is character-
ized by excessive emotionality and dramatic,
- Rapid or substantial changes in personality
I NTERNET R ESOURCES
Resource Internet Address
◗Personality disorders http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/center_index.php?id-8
◗Borderline personality disorder http://www.mental-health-matters.com/borderline.html
http://www.bpdcentral.com
◗Schizoid personality disorder http://www.mental-health-matters.com/disorders/
dis_details.php?dis/D-83
◗Avoidant personality disorder http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/3764
◗Schizotypal personality disorder http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis/p20-pe03.html
◗Histrionic personality disorder http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis/p20-pe06.html
◗Dialectical behavior therapy http://www.palace.net/wllama.psych/d6t.html