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Personality Disorder in Teens: Types, Signs, & Treatment

A distressed teenage boy holding his head in his hands, with a concerned adult sitting next to him offering support.

Studies estimate that around 3% of adolescents deal with borderline personality disorder, when you account for other types of personality disorders, this number may be even higher. In general, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that nearly 50% of all adolescents will deal with some sort of mental health disorder.

The prevalence of mental health issues, including personality disorders, among teens in the U.S. is a growing concern. To help teens struggling in Arizona, Nexus Teen Academy offers evidence-based and holistic treatment options in a residential setting. Our clinical team is dedicated to helping your son or daughter work though these mental health disorders and manage or treat the underlying problems and associated symptoms. If you would like to learn more about how we can help, contact our team today.

Now, let’s get a better understanding of what teen personality disorder actually is.

What is Teen Personality Disorder?

A distorted, red-tinted portrait of a teenager with multiple blurred exposures, symbolizing emotional turmoil and identity struggles associated with personality disorders.

The term “personality disorders” refers to a group of mental health disorders that impact long-term thoughts and behaviors that deviate from what is considered normal. These can be unhealthy and lead to debilitating issues that impact social relationships, academic performance, and general day-to-day life.

Types of Teen Personality Disorders

As mentioned above, there are several mental health disorders that fall under the personality disorder category. According to the National Library of Medicine, they can be put into three clusters:

Cluster A

  • Paranoid Personality Disorder
  • Schizoid Personality Disorder
  • Schizotypal Personality Disorder

Cluster B

  • Antisocial Personality Disorder
  • Borderline Personality Disorder
  • Narcissistic Personality Disorder
  • Histrionic Personality Disorder

Cluster C

  • ObsessiveCompulsive Personality Disorder
  • Dependent Personality Disorder
  • Avoidant Personality Disorder

We’re going to take a closer look at a few of the most common types among teens and adolescents.

Borderline Personality Disorder in Teens

A borderline personality disorder is characterized by individuals acting impulsively and feeling uncertain of how they see themselves. It causes individuals to have problems managing their emotions, disrupting social relationships.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder in Teens

If someone is dealing with a narcissistic personality disorder, they have trouble displaying and feeling empathy for others. Moreover, they aim to be admired by others and often think they are better and deserve special treatment

Antisocial Personality Disorder in Teens

As the name suggests, antisocial personality disorder causes major problems in relationships. It is characterized by long-term manipulation and exploitation of others without showing signs of remorse.

Common Signs of Teen Personality Disorder

A teenage girl holding a white mask in front of her face, partially revealing her real expression, symbolizing hidden emotions and identity struggles in personality disorders.

While the signs of teen personality disorder will relate to their situation and the specific type of personality disorder that they are dealing with, there are still a few things that you can look out for if you are worried about your son or daughter.

Some common behavioral signs of teen personality disorder include:

  • Extreme impulsiveness
  • Self-harming behavior
  • A distorted self-image
  • A pattern of unstable relationships or social interactions
  • Inappropriate behavior

These are just a few of the common signs of personality disorder that may persist across many of these disorders. To get a better understanding if your child is dealing with personality disorder, or perhaps a different mental illness, contact our program today.

Teen Personality Disorder Treatment

Teen personality treatment will look different for everyone, depending on their situation and the specific disorder they are dealing with. In general, like most mental health disorders, treatment is provided through a mixture of psychotherapy and medication.

Some of the most common types of therapies for teens with personality disorders include dialectical behavior therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. Along with these individual forms of counseling, group therapy can be beneficial. Group therapy allows individuals to learn how to interact with others properly and maybe even learn from others dealing with similar problems.

Along with therapy, medication is often prescribed to teens with borderline personality disorder and other forms of the illness. Medication is often based on the symptoms associated with the problem, depression and mood swings for example. While medication can be helpful, it is vital to get help through therapy simultaneously for the best results.

Teen Personality Disorder Treatment at Nexus Teen Academy

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If your teen is struggling with a personality disorder, Nexus Teen Academy offers advanced forms of treatment in a residential setting to help manage and deal with these problems and underlying symptoms effectively.

At Nexus, we utilize evidence-based, holistic, and experiential treatment programming to ensure that your son or daughter gets all the help possible while at our facility. Before admission, we will have intake evaluations to determine if your child is a good fit for our program or if there is a different route that should be taken.

While in our program, you will be able to talk with your child daily via phone and video calls. Moreover, we offer weekly family visitation so you can still be a part of the healing process while they are at our teen residential treatment program in Arizona.

At Nexus, we aim to be your child’s home away from home while they are in treatment and strive to provide a safe, secluded, and nurturing environment while they work through their personality disorder. To learn more about how our personalized treatment may be able to help your teen, contact our team today and walk us through your situation.

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