Personality disorders. Current perspectives.

Personality disorders are estimated to occur in at least 10% of the population. They can be major sources of long-term disability, and they frequently exist in conjunction with other major psychiatric disorders or with general medical conditions. Not infrequently, patients with personality disorders seek help from primary care physicians for physical complaints, rather than seeking psychiatric help. When a personality disorder is present, treatment of other coexisting psychiatric or medical conditions is frequently more complicated, lengthier, or less successful, a pattern that may at times be due to lack of recognition of the personality disorder. When a personality disorder is diagnosed, more effective treatment may be prescribed, particularly in light of improved treatment strategies for these conditions.