Boston Neurobehavioral Associates BNBA
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Personality Disorders

We are located in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Maryland, Illinois, New York and Florida.

Personality Disorder Treatment BNBA

A Personality Disorder is a mental health condition where a person has long-lasting patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that are very different from what society expects. People with personality disorders may struggle to control emotions, trust others, or understand social situations.

Getting specialized treatment from Boston Neurobehavioral Associates is essential because these patterns rarely "go away" on their own. Without professional help, individuals often experience chronic loneliness, substance abuse, or self-harm. Therapy helps "rewire" these responses, teaching healthier coping mechanisms and improving emotional regulation.

Locations: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Maryland, Illinois, New York, and Florida

What Are Personality Disorders?

A personality disorder is a type of mental health condition characterized by deeply ingrained, inflexible patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that deviate significantly from cultural expectations. These patterns cause persistent distress and impair functioning in relationships, work, and daily life. Without professional personality disorder therapy, they rarely resolve on their own.

Contrary to common misconceptions, personality disorders are treatable. With the right personality disorder treatment program, individuals experience profound and measurable improvement in relationship quality and overall well-being.

Common Symptoms of Personality Disorders You Should Know

Symptoms vary widely across disorder types, but many people seeking personality disorder treatment report recognizing several of the following patterns in themselves or a loved one.

Extreme emotional swings, difficulty returning to baseline, and disproportionate reactions to everyday events.
A persistent pattern of unstable, intense relationships.
Chronic feelings of emptiness, an unstable or unclear sense of identity, and pervasive self-doubt.
Impulsivity in areas such as spending, substance use, sexual behavior, or self-harm.
Extreme sensitivity to rejection and intense fear of abandonment.

Why Do Personality Disorders Develop?

Personality disorders usually develop from a complex intersection of nature (biology) and nurture (environment) during a person's formative years.

  1. 1
    Genetic Reasons: A family history of personality disorders or other mental health conditions can increase your susceptibility significantly.
  2. 2
    Invalidating Environments: If a child's emotional needs are consistently ignored, mocked, or punished, they may develop extreme coping mechanisms.
  3. 3
    Trauma and Abuse: Physical, emotional, or sexual abuse is a high-risk factor. To survive the trauma, the mind may adopt rigid or "maladaptive" personality traits.
  4. 4
    Peer Relationships: Significant bullying or social isolation during adolescence can reinforce patterns of avoidant or paranoid behavior.

Best Treatment Options for Personality Disorder

We offer a full spectrum of evidence-based treatment for personality disorders.

The DBT program includes individual therapy, skills training groups, phone coaching, and therapist consultation teams.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a highly effective therapy for patients with personality disorders.
Treatment for personality disorders often includes medication (antidepressants or mood stabilizers) to address co-occurring symptoms.

Signs It's Time to Seek Professional Treatment

If you're wondering whether you or someone you love needs professional personality disorder therapy, these are clear indicators that it's time to reach out to a specialist.

Patterns of intense idealization followed by sudden collapse or chronic conflict.
Thoughts of self-harm, non-suicidal self-injury, or suicidal ideation.
You are losing jobs, failing classes, or experiencing repeated ends of significant relationships due to your reactions.
You are experiencing a complete break from reality (hallucinations or delusions).

Common Questions About Personality Disorder Treatment