Personality disorders
The three DSM clusters and the ICD-11 severity model, borderline personality disorder in the medical ward and ED, why structured psychotherapy and not medication is the treatment, and the organic causes of new personality change.
Tier 2Condition
Written with AI assistance and fact-checked against the sources below. For exam study, not clinical decisions. How notes are made
At a glance
- A personality disorder is an enduring, pervasive and inflexible pattern of thinking, feeling and relating that starts by early adulthood and causes distress or impairment across settings.
- About 6 to 10% of adults have one. Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is the one physicians meet most, in up to 1 in 10 psychiatric outpatients and many repeat ED presentations with overdose or self-harm.
- Structured psychotherapy is the treatment. No drug is approved or first line for any personality disorder.
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Sources
- Clinical practice guideline for the management of borderline personality disorder (MH25)AU/NZNational Health and Medical Research Council, 2012; listed as rescinded by NHMRC (checked November 2026), no replacement Australian guideline found
- Borderline personality disorder: recognition and management (CG78)National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2009 (check the NICE page for update status)
- Antisocial personality disorder: prevention and management (CG77)National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2009, last reviewed 2024
- Personality disorders: borderline and antisocial (QS88)National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2015
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR)American Psychiatric Association, 2022
- ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics: 6D10 Personality disorderWorld Health Organization, 2019, in effect 2022
- Last updated
- 14 November 2026
What changed
- 14 November 2026 Personal emails, About story and Australian-style copy