[Diagnosis and therapy of personality disorders]

Approximately 10% of the unselected population are affected with personality disorders, among the patients of psychiatrists and family doctors the quota goes up to 40%. Personality disorders comprise deeply ingrained and enduring behaviour patterns, manifesting themselves as inflexible responses to a broad range of personal and social situations. They are stable and lead frequently to subjective distress and/or to impaired social functioning. The division in subgroups is made on the reason of typical patterns of experience and behaviour, but overlapping between different subtypes is frequent. People with personality disorders often come into conflicts with their environment because of their maladaptive behaviour which lead to crises and need of intervention. Psychopharmaca can be given in such situations, but substances with an addictive potential like benzodiazepines should not be prescribed for a longer period. The long-term psychotherapy of personality disordered persons requires an individual planing after a careful analysis of the behaviour pattern and should focus on concretely defined and reachable aims. Personality disordered persons belong to the most difficult patients, their long-term treatment demands appropriate therapeutic skills. In the primary care family doctors therapy and support is important but several basic rules should be followed.