Find a Mental Health Professional for Other Personality Disorders

About Other Personality Disorders support

Personality disorders describe enduring patterns of thinking, relating, and experiencing emotions that deviate significantly from cultural expectations, are inflexible, cause distress or functional impairment, and are stable over time. Beyond BPD, recognised personality disorders include obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, avoidant personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, paranoid personality disorder, and others. The term "personality disorder" can feel stigmatising, and many practitioners now frame these presentations in terms of early experiences, attachment, and learned patterns rather than fixed character flaws. Treatment for personality disorders is primarily psychological and often longer-term. Schema therapy has strong evidence across a range of personality disorder presentations. MBT, psychodynamic therapy, and structured CBT approaches are also used. The therapeutic relationship is often the primary vehicle for change, as many of the patterns being addressed play out directly in the relationship between client and therapist. In Australia, access to practitioners trained in schema therapy or other personality disorder treatments varies by location. Public mental health services may offer longer-term programs in some areas. Private practice psychologists and clinical psychologists are the most common access point. Medicare's Better Access initiative subsidises sessions under a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan, and SANE Australia provides peer support and information.