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Co-occurring disorders

Personality disorders and addiction, met with compassion.

Struggling with addiction alongside a personality disorder can feel overwhelming and isolating. These are not character flaws or moral failings — they're complex mental health conditions that deserve compassion. We offer integrated treatment that puts your safety and dignity first.

Understanding personality disorders

Deeply ingrained patterns, not personal choices.

A personality disorder involves deeply ingrained, inflexible patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that differ from cultural expectations and cause distress or problems functioning. These patterns aren't personal choices — they're part of a person's long-term way of seeing the world. When combined with addiction, which might stem from impulsive behaviors or a way to cope with internal pain, they become even more challenging.

Types of personality disorders

An accurate diagnosis guides effective care.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD)

Intense emotions, a deep-seated fear of abandonment, and instability in relationships.

Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD)

A strong need for admiration and a lack of empathy, often masking profound insecurity.

Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD)

Difficulty conforming to social norms and a disregard for the rights and feelings of others.

Histrionic personality disorder (HPD)

Patterns of excessive emotionality and attention-seeking behaviors.

Avoidant personality disorder

Extreme social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and heightened sensitivity to criticism.

Dependent personality disorder

An excessive need to be taken care of, which can lead to submissive or clinging behavior.

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD)

A preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and mental and interpersonal control.

Schizoid, schizotypal, and paranoid personality disorder

Patterns of social detachment, acute discomfort in relationships, or pervasive distrust of others.

Assessment and diagnosis

A comprehensive, compassionate process.

An accurate diagnosis allows our clinical team to understand each person's situation and create the most effective treatment plan possible.

Clinical interview

A respectful conversation where a clinician listens to each client's personal history, struggles, and goals.

Standardized measures

Evidence-based clinical questionnaires that help clarify symptoms and gain a clearer understanding of the underlying issues.

Records review

When previous mental health and treatment records are available, our team reviews them to guide the process.

What treatment looks like

Treating the whole person — mind and body, together.

Treating only the addiction without addressing the underlying personality disorder is rarely effective in the long run. Our integrated approach includes:

Therapy modalities

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), highly effective for building skills in emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness, especially for BPD — plus cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help change harmful thought patterns.

Medication management

While there's no single medication for personality disorders, our medical team may prescribe medications to help manage co-occurring symptoms like depression, anxiety, or mood swings.

Addiction management

We treat addiction as a primary, life-threatening condition that must be addressed immediately, including safe medical detox and building a foundation for recovery.

The role of trauma

A trauma-informed approach to safety.

Research shows a high percentage of individuals diagnosed with personality disorders, particularly borderline personality disorder, have a history of significant childhood trauma. The behaviors and emotional patterns you see are often deeply ingrained survival responses. Our therapeutic approach is trauma-informed — we create an environment of physical and emotional safety, because recovery cannot happen if a person feels unsafe or threatened.

Getting started

Quality care, made accessible.

Quality care should be accessible. Oak Grove Recovery proudly accepts Ohio Medicaid and can help you navigate your coverage. Our admissions team is available 24/7 to answer your questions and guide you through every step.

Common questions

Personality disorders and addiction, answered.

How long does treatment take?
The length of treatment is highly individualized and depends on personal progress. Your care team reviews your plan through detox and residential treatment and adjusts the timeline to your needs.
What therapies do you use?
Our core therapeutic models are dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). We also offer motivational interviewing when recommended, alongside medication management and medication-assisted treatment when appropriate. All of our therapies are trauma-informed.
Do you accept insurance?
We accept Ohio Medicaid and many private insurance plans. Our admissions team can help you verify your benefits.
Reach out today

Met with warmth, every step of the way.

Getting help now can be one of the best decisions you or a loved one makes. Even if you're not sure, calling is confidential and compassionate — and we'll answer any questions you have.