[Personality disorders and working capacity]

Personality disorders are common: some personality disorder is present in 6 to 10% of the populations. These disorders appear mostly together with some other psychiatric disorder which often has a larger impact on the working ability than the personality disorder. Because personality disorders appear particularly in interactive relationships, the patients may impose strain on their work community and jeopardize the working capacity of their workmates. Work itself is likely to improve the prognosis of personality disorders. Thus, for a person with personality disorder after losing his/her working capacity, primary objectives are active therapeutic approach, as short sick leave as possible and support for returning to work.