Table 2 Treatment implications, personal resources, and relevant treatment options for each of the ten personality disorders

Paranoid

Problems dealing with high expressed emotion; needs time to build trust; needs great patience; problems with groups, especially confrontative groups.

Careful, able to cope in realistic danger; protects own privacy

Counselling; inpatient treatment in small wards with great flexibility; not exploratory psychotherapy [10]

Schizoid

Problems dealing with high expressed emotion; needs great patience; does not benefit from requests for participation in social activities.

Able to deal with being alone;

Counselling; possibly inpatient treatment in small wards with great flexibility [10]

Schizotypal

Problems dealing with high expressed emotion; needs great patience; problems with groups; needs time to build trust.

Creative, independent thinking

Counselling; possibly inpatient treatment in small wards with great flexibility [10]; antipsychotic medication

Antisocial

Impulse actions; "plays the game"; needs straight talk from counsellor or case worker; transgresses boundaries in treatment;

Great potential for action under many circumstances

Therapeutic community or similar treatment [33]; regular addictions treatment; cognitive-behavioural interventions, or similar

Borderline

Impulse actions; transgresses boundaries in treatment; needs to learn to cope with emotion; chaotic relationships to therapists

Sensitive and able to experience emotions

Psychotherapeutic treatment; antidepressants; antipsychotics; inpatient treatment; long-term involvement

Histrionic

Flirts and appears shallow and superficial to others; has difficulties focusing on own situation and issues

Charming and outgoing

Psychotherapeutic treatment; counselling; inpatient treatment; cognitive-behavioural interventions

Narcissistic

Appears grandiose and arrogant; makes it difficult for staff members to intervene ("scares" away all criticism)

Has ability to feel pride

Inpatient treatment for drug misuse; self-change program, cognitive-behavioural interventions

Avoidant

Difficulty getting out with new people; stays in "safe zones", and has difficulty trying out new treatment options or seeking social support or employment

Self-protective; sometimes able to stay out of trouble by keeping away

Psychotherapeutic treatment; antidepressants; inpatient or outpatient treatment; individual counselling and case management

Dependent

At high risk of abusive relationships

Good ability to form working relationships; good compliance

Psychotherapeutic treatment; antidepressants; inpatient or outpatient treatment; individual counselling

Obsessive-compulsive

Difficulties concluding in counselling or therapy settings; attempts to control counsellor, and other professionals

Sticks to goals

Psychoeducation;