Treatment of Personality Disorders

Diagnosis

Psychotherapy

Medications

Antisocial*

Cognitive-behavioral therapy

Contingency management

Antidepressants (SSRIs)

Mood stabilizers

Avoidant

Psychodynamic psychotherapy

Supportive psychotherapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy

Antidepressants (MAOIs, SSRIs)

Anxiolytics

Borderline

General psychiatric management and other structured clinical management approaches

Supportive psychotherapy

Dialectical behavioral therapy

Mentalization-based treatment

Transference-focused psychotherapy

Schema-focused therapy

Systems training for emotional predictability and problem solving

Mood stabilizers

Atypical (2nd-generation) antipsychotics for transient psychotic symptoms, mood regulation, and anger problems

Antidepressants (not harmful but limited efficacy)

Avoidance of benzodiazepines and stimulants

Dependent

Psychodynamic psychotherapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy

Antidepressants (MAOIs, SSRIs)

Histrionic

Psychodynamic psychotherapy

Narcissistic

Psychodynamic psychotherapy

Mentalization-based treatment

Transference-focused psychotherapy

Obsessive-compulsive

Psychodynamic psychotherapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy

Antidepressants (SSRIs)

Paranoid

Supportive psychotherapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy

Antidepressants

Atypical antipsychotics

Schizoid

Supportive psychotherapy

Social skills training

Schizotypal

Supportive psychotherapy

Social skills training

Cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety management

Atypical antipsychotics

* There is controversy about whether antisocial personality disorder is treatable.

MAOIs = monoamine oxidase inhibitors; SSRIs = selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.