On line resources for people diagnosed with personality disorder

In my experience, people can have very mixed feelings about being given a diagnosis of personality disorder. The term itself conveys that the self is flawed or defective. For some people it is actually a great relief to discover that there is a diagnosis that helps them to make sense of themselves and their difficulties. For some there is anger and frustration about missed opportunities, and questions about why they were no diagnosed earlier. There can often be a reluctance to label a young person with this disorder, so when people present in their late teens they may be labelled as having ‘traits’.

Personality disorder (or PD as it’s often shortened to) can be a ‘sticky label’. In other words, once its in your medical record it can tend to stay there, however we know from cohort studies that follow up people with a diagnosis of personality disorder that around 50% of cases no longer meet criteria after 5 years: so its always worth looking into if you were given the diagnosis some time ago and feel it no longer serves you.

It’s very normal to have mixed feelings about any diagnosis: after all who wants to be put in a box! We are more than just a diagnosis, however the way I explain it to people is that however they feel about it, the diagnosis can be a ‘passport’ that can help them access appropriate treatment. The great news is that there are effective evidence based treatments for people with personality disorder. Generally these are talking therapies. There is very little evidence for medication, though sadly people often end up being over-medicated with antidepressants, antipsychotics and mood stabilisers, which can have deleterious long term effects. Of course people with personality disorder can get depressed from time to time, and antidepressants may be required, but they do not have an impact on the core features of the disorder. My approach to antipsychotics is to adhere to the NICE guidelines and use them sparingly and for short periods to help people manage crises. Simple over the counter medication such as promethazine (an antihistamine) are recommended to help sleep and manage periods of agitation or restlessness.

A great website for further information and support is below:

PD and Me

https://sites.google.com/view/pdandme/home

This is a website for those who have been newly diagnosed with a Personality Disorder to help them understand their diagnosis, have a place where there is a pool of resources and information around PD, discover where to find help, learn how to manage crisis, develop new coping skills, learn about treatment options and to hear from those with lived experience who you can relate to​.