Debate on Personality Disorders Treatment

Treatment of Personality Disorders Debate

One of the most challenging and mysterious problems in the mental health sector is personality disorders, especially with regards to developing a suitable treatment approach. The challenge or difficulty associated is evident in the fact that those suffering from antisocial personality disorders are usually misdiagnosed. The situation is the same for patients who suffer from obsessive compulsive personality disorder. Personality disorders continue to be a significant challenge in the field of mental health and the overall health sector because of its severe effects on patients and families (Conan, 2012).

While there have been several attempts to develop a suitable treatment measure for this condition, treatment of personality disorders have been increasingly controversial. The controversy and debates is attributed to the fact that the major areas of personality disorders are not specifically satisfactory though they are hallowed by long use (Tyrer & Simonsen, 2003, p.42). Moreover, there is a considerable overlap between the various personality disorders given that it is rare have a personality disorder without the co-occurrence of others. These factors have contributed to the difficulty in finding appropriate treatment approach or measure for the condition. The recent efforts toward treatment of personality disorders have been centered on dimensional classification of personality disorder, which has in turn generated huge arguments and debates in various parts of psychiatry. These debates have also been evident in the trait-based classification of personality disorders to substitute the existing Axis II classifications.

Even though the treatment of personality disorders is not easy, the process usually entails psychological therapy that lasts for at least six months (Gluck, 2014). However, the duration of treatment varies depending on the kind of personality disorder, its severity, and whether the individual has other co-existing disorders. There are several treatment approaches for personality disorders including drug treatment of the disorder using medication. While there are no drugs that have been specifically designed and approved for treatment of personality disorders, some antidepressants, particularly the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and monoamine oxidase inhibitors, have been effective in managing certain types of personality disorders (Tyrer & Bateman, 2004, p.389). Treatment of personality disorder through medication is usually regarded as adjunctive instead of primary treatment for the condition. Drug treatment has been used in the management of personality disorders because they are easy to administer in comparison to psychological treatment. However, this treatment approach has attracted several arguments and counter-arguments that are mainly based on its effectiveness in the management the condition.

One of the arguments in support of this treatment approach is the difficulty associated with disentangling mental state from personality elements like suicidal behavior, depression, abnormal thinking, and mood disturbance. Therefore, psychiatric medications like antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, mood stabilizers, and antipsychotic medications help in treating various symptoms of personality disorders ("Treatments and Drugs," 2014). Secondly, the use of drug treatment is fueled by the fact that personality disorders are reflections of underlying biologically determined temperaments that are closely linked to neurobiological inclinations and vulnerabilities.