Personality disorders refer to a constellation of symptoms in one’s character marked by a lack of flexibility or adaptibility. The same maladaptive problem solving strategies are used repeatedly even though they haven’t worked in the past. There is a persistent defensiveness, a lack of openness to new ways of doing things, with an accompanying psychological weakness or tendency to collapse under stress. Personality disorders come in a variety of forms (e.g., Borderline, obsessive-compulsive, dependent, paranoid, passive-aggressive, histrionic, narcissistic, schizotypal personality disorders). Treatment can range from DBT for borderline personality disorder to long-term psychodynamic therapy for some of the other types. There are practical steps that you can take to cope with people who have personality disorders. For additional professional assistance in the Chicago area, call us at (630) 325-5300 x0.