Personality pathology needs adaptation, not treatment

The diagnosis and treatment of personality disorder are both highly contentious subjects. It is argued in this article that we have misunderstood personality pathology as yet another form of mental illness that should require treatment for its alleviation or removal. But it is not a typical mental illness; personality is a stable persistent component of the self and needs a different treatment approach based on adaptation.

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Publication Details

Journal
BJPsych Bulletin
Published
2026-01-08
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1192/bjb.2025.10197
Primary Topic
Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Personality pathology needs adaptation, not treatment

Peter Tyrer
BJPsych Bulletin
Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
article

Personality pathology needs adaptation, not treatment

Peter Tyrer
article en

Abstract

The diagnosis and treatment of personality disorder are both highly contentious subjects. It is argued in this article that we have misunderstood personality pathology as yet another form of mental illness that should require treatment for its alleviation or removal. But it is not a typical mental illness; personality is a stable persistent component of the self and needs a different treatment approach based on adaptation.

BJPsych Bulletin
Imperial Valley College (US)
Openalex Percentile: Top 96%
Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
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Personality pathology needs adaptation, not treatment — Peter Tyrer · BJPsych Bulletin (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS