Do You or Someone You Love Need Avoidant Personality Disorder Treatment?
Are you or a loved one struggling with avoidant personality disorder? It can be emotionally and socially taxing to go through life with this disorder, as many of your abilities can potentially be hindered. Avoidant personality disorder often creates a skewed perception of self, causing you or a loved one to believe that they will be rejected or unloved in relationships or other social situations. Living in this mindset can be painful and destructive, as this disorder often keeps the sufferer in isolation or avoiding any activities that involve significant interpersonal contact. If your loved one has been struggling with avoidant personality disorder, you may understand how difficult and overwhelming it can feel to live life on a daily basis. Because of the nature of avoidant personality, it may be difficult to convince a loved one struggling with this condition to seek treatment. However, if you or your loved one attempts to bypass avoidant personality disorder treatment, it is likely that the physical, psychological, and social consequences will persist, or even worsen. Avoidant personality disorder is a complex health condition in which underlying issues may be present that need to be resolved in order for healing to take place. It is crucial that you seek the help and support from an avoidant personality disorder treatment center for guidance in your healing and recovery journey. Enlisting the help of a professional treatment team during this time can promote healing and offer guidance so that the effects of avoidant personality disorder are minimized.
Treatment Plan for Avoidant Personality Disorder
With the help of a comprehensive avoidant personality disorder treatment team, you will be receiving the professional guidance and support needed for management and healing from this mental health condition. While it may be challenging to reach out and ask for help, by taking this first step, you are creating a better future for yourself. This team will consist of an avoidant personality disorder healing program, loved ones, a therapist, and a support group. These four components will contribute tremendously to your ability to heal from an avoidant personality disorder.
- Friends and Family – Friends and family are important in the healing process and should not be underestimated. When therapy and healing becomes difficult, they can provide the inspiration to continue.
- Find a therapist – A therapist who specializes in avoidant personality disorder will be able to create an individualized treatment plan. They will also help find and provide the resources needed for healing.
- Avoidant personality disorder therapy program – An avoidant personality disorder therapy program will boost the ability to successfully deal with an avoidant personality disorder. It will also help in working with any additional co-occurring disorders or addictions.
- Support group – A support group can provide accountability and guidance which is important. They will provide assistance when facing the trials of stopping therapy and taking medications. They will be important in assisting to continue abstinence.
Treatment Levels for Avoidant Personality Disorder
Avoidant personality disorder can be approached with various psychotherapy techniques, aimed at improving social skills training, increasing social contacts, and promoting healing from any underlying psychological issues. An important part of treatment is developing trust with your psychotherapist, as many individuals with avoidant personality disorder will circumvent treatment due to fear of rejection. Other forms of therapy typically include skills group training to begin challenging negative self-beliefs. Various levels of treatment are available for the management of avoidant personality disorders, depending on the needs and symptoms of an individual diagnosed with this disorder. The following are common levels of care for avoidant personality disorder treatment in order of acuity:
- Outpatient Treatment Care – This setting of treatment is less informal but still offers forms of structured therapies, including individual and group sessions.
- Support Groups – Support groups fill a valuable role in overcoming an addiction. They provide accountability and understanding as the members have all gone through similar situations.
Types of Pharmacological Therapy for Avoidant Personality Disorder Treatment
While the recommended avoidant personality disorder treatment is primarily focused on psychotherapy for symptom relief and behavior change, several types of psychiatric medications may taken to help manage symptoms of anxiety. This might include the following medications:
- Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors: These types of drugs help individuals struggling with avoidant personality disorder face specific fears and phobias. Drugs may include Marplan, Parnate, and Nardil.
- Personality Disorder Drugs: Including Paxil, Prozac, and Luvox. These types of drugs may help treat conditions associated with avoidant personality disorder, including depression, post-traumatic stress, and social anxiety.
- Anti-anxiety medications
- Antipsychotic medications
Types of Therapy for Avoidant Personality Disorder Treatment
Psychotherapy may be one of the most helpful and effective tools in treating avoidant personality disorder. An avoidant personality disorder treatment center will commonly assimilate a variety of psychotherapy techniques with the purpose of addressing the root causes related to this mental health condition. Psychotherapy will typically involve individuals, groups, and families throughout the recovery process. The following are the main types of psychotherapies that may be used for the treatment of avoidant personality disorder:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – CBT is a treatment therapy that addresses maladaptive thinking patterns in order to affect the patient’s behavior in a more positive manner. It also helps the patient replace negative coping skills with positive coping skills.
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) – This level of rehab integrates the common behavioral therapy components of IBT and CBT for the regulation of emotions. The introduction of stress management and mindful awareness are key for this therapy
- Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) – IPT concentrates on the interpersonal relations and social roles using a short-term supportive psychotherapy, and it tries to help patients find better ways to handle and deal with existing issues or problems. There are four basic areas identified by IPT, which are unresolved grief, role disputes, role changes, and relationship shortcomings.
- Supportive Programs – This type of therapy includes programs such as family therapy, group therapy, support groups, etc. These programs help the entire family that is dealing with avoidant personality disorder.
If you or your loved one has been struggling with avoidant personality disorder, you have undoubtedly had to face many challenges and difficulties as a result of this condition. By seeking the appropriate avoidant personality disorder treatment, you are taking a step towards healing, recovery, and a life with uninhibited potential. Regardless of what your journey has been like thus far, you no longer need to bear this burden alone. With the availability of help and resources for overcoming avoidant personality disorder, you can get your life back on track and learn healthy ways to cope with stressful circumstances. An avoidant personality disorder treatment center can be invaluable to helping you get started on the right track of recovery. Consider taking the first step towards healing today and access the resources available on Addiction Hope to get started on your recovery journey.
Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on April 15th, 2013
Published on AddictionHope.com, Resource for Substance Abuse Treatment