Skip to Main Content

It is advisable for the family doctor to become familiar with the types of personality disorders as they often represent the ‘heartsink’ patient or the ‘fat file’ syndrome. Their medical/psychiatric significance:

  • maladaptive relationships with GPs, people and society

  • sexually dysfunctional lives

  • risk of substance abuse and self-destructive behaviour

  • prone to depression and anxiety (usually low grade)

  • susceptible to ‘breakdown’ under stress

  • the cardinal feature of antisocial PD is lack of empathy

Table P5Summary of main personality disorders

Management The best treatment is a supportive ‘therapeutic’ community and family and an understanding and supportive GP. Cooperative ‘problematic’ patients may respond well to psychological intervention incl. CBT and behavioural techniques. Self-esteem problems need careful support. Medication has limitations but helps any associated psychoses, anxiety or depression. Think of BPD in a young person presenting with suicide attempts or threats, an eating disorder or uncontrolled behaviour.

Pop-up div Successfully Displayed

This div only appears when the trigger link is hovered over. Otherwise it is hidden from view.