Personality disorders

Physicians can provide effective behavioural counselling for conditions that are likely to be impacted by personality disorder symptoms, such as substance use or important lifestyle issues (diet and exercise, risk-taking behaviours, smoking). For patients with personality disorders who are also parents, counselling can be provided to enhance family communication and parenting; patients who see family physicians can be offered the opportunity to have a family counselling session in the context of routine medical care. Primary care physicians who offer integrated medical care with attention to psychosocial issues can assist patients in moderating the influence of personality disorder-related symptoms on their overall health status.