Personality Disorders
Long-standing, inflexible patterns of thinking and behavior that cause suffering and complicate relationships.
What are Personality disorders?
Personality disorders refer to long-standing and inflexible ways of thinking, feeling, and acting that clearly deviate from cultural expectations and cause suffering or impairment. The best known is borderline personality disorder, but there are many types.
When to seek help?
- Relationships are repeatedly difficult
- Emotions fluctuate intensely and uncontrollably
- You experience recurring feelings of emptiness
- Your behavior is self-destructive
- Your sense of identity is uncertain
How are Personality disorders treated?
Effective therapies have been developed for personality disorders: - Schema therapy — identifies and changes deeply rooted patterns - Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) — especially for borderline personality - Mentalization-based therapy (MBT) — understanding your own and others' thoughts - Long-term psychotherapy
A diagnosis does not define you, and only a professional can assess whether it is a personality disorder. Through therapy, you can learn new ways of relating to yourself and others.
If you are in immediate danger or have thoughts of suicide, call 112. For crisis support, call the MIELI Crisis Helpline on 09 2525 0111 (in Finnish, 24/7). More help: crisis help.