Personality Disorder Treatment | Inpatient Care & Support Programs

Living with a personality disorder can feel confusing and overwhelming. Intense emotions and relationship struggles may disrupt everyday life, making things seem unpredictable. It’s a deeply personal struggle that affects not only those experiencing symptoms but their loved ones, too. 

When symptoms become severe, personality disorder inpatient treatment may light the way to recovery and stability. Residential programs for personality disorders provide a safe, supportive setting for people to recover and heal. 

If you’re struggling with a personality disorder, a mental health professional can advise you on the right treatment for your circumstances. This page can also help by exploring residential treatment, covering:

  • What personality disorders are
  • Signs that inpatient treatment may be appropriate
  • What to expect from a residential recovery program
  • Benefits of inpatient care for personality disorders
  • What happens after leaving residential treatment
  • How to choose the right inpatient recovery program
  • Where to find help and support
Woman showing two different personalities in need of personality disorder treatment

What Are Personality Disorders?

Everyone has a unique personality that shapes how we think, feel, and behave. Personality traits come in different shapes and sizes, such as being confident, shy, controlling, or organized. These aspects of our personality affect how we think about ourselves, relate to others, interpret and cope with events, and react emotionally.1

Coping with the normal stress of life and creating fulfilling relationships is easier when personality traits are flexible. However, when these traits become extreme, rigid, or inflexible, it can be difficult to interact with others or manage life’s problems. In some of these cases, a person may have a personality disorder. 

Personality disorders are a group of conditions involving lifelong patterns of thinking, perceiving, and relating to others and oneself that cause problems with long-term functioning.2 The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) groups the ten specific personality disorders into three categories. These are:2

  • Cluster A:     These involve odd or eccentric characteristics, for example, paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders
  • Cluster B: These consist of intense or dramatic emotional patterns, such as antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic personality disorders
  • Cluster C: These exhibit anxious or fearful behavior, for instance, avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders. 

Each of these personality disorders is unique, yet they all share a long-standing pattern of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that cause distress or create problems with daily functioning.

Recognizing the early warning signs of personality disorders is essential for accessing the right support, especially as these conditions can severely impact all areas of life. But what are these warning signs?

Common Symptoms of Personality Disorders

Personality disorders affect just under one in ten adults in the U.S., according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).3 And, although each personality disorder type has its own unique set of symptoms, they do share certain common features. These are:4

  • Unstable self-image
  • Inconsistencies in values, goals, and appearance
  • Being unable to empathize with others
  • Difficulty understanding boundaries
  • Styles of relating that are inconsistent, detached, overemotional, abusive, or irresponsible
 

If these symptoms feel familiar, you might be living with a personality disorder.  Understanding the root cause of personality disorders can help to provide further insight, which is covered next.

Causes of Personality Disorders 

The precise cause of personality disorders isn’t currently known; however, several factors likely play a part in the development of these conditions. For example, contributing factors may include genetics, biology, cultural experiences, and a history of abuse, neglect, or trauma.5,6

While understanding the root cause is important, accessing the right support is also crucial for treating personality disorders. Some people may find that outpatient services provide sufficient support for managing their condition. Yet, for others who experience more severe symptoms, such as impaired functioning, personality disorder inpatient treatment may be the next appropriate step toward recovery. The signs that personality disorder recovery inpatient programs may be helpful for you are covered in the next section. 

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When to Consider Personality Disorder Inpatient Treatment

Not everyone with a personality disorder requires inpatient care, but for some people, it can be a turning point for healing. If symptoms negatively impact your life or cause distress, treatment programs for personality disorders inpatient care may be an option to consider. Residential treatment offers intensive, non-stop support in a safe and structured environment. 

Inpatient treatment for personality disorders may be particularly useful if you:5

  • Are in danger of harming yourself
  • May be a risk to other people
  • Are unable to function or care for yourself adequately
  • Have co-occurring conditions (84.5% of people with personality disorders also have one or more other mental health disorders)3
  • Have found outpatient treatments ineffective

Know that you’re not alone if some of these feel familiar. For instance, many people benefit from inpatient care borderline personality disorder programs when outpatient therapy isn’t enough to allow healing. If you’re wondering what inpatient care may involve, the next section discusses what to expect from a residential recovery program. 

Free and Confidential Personality Disorder Assessments Available Near Me

There are healthcare facilities, like A Mission For Michael (AMFM), that offer free and confidential assessments for mental health concerns. At AMFM, we provide assessments that include personality disorder testing to determine appropriate treatment recommendations based on your symptoms and struggles.

After completing our personality disorder assessment and testing, you’ll have a better understanding of your symptoms and what treatment options are available to you. If you are interested in personality disorder treatment programs, we can provide you with personalized quotes for our recommended programs. To learn more about the available personality disorder therapy options at AMFM, we invite you to call us today!

Call Now: (866) 478-4383

What Personality Disorder Inpatient Treatment Entails

Residential therapy personality disorder recovery programs provide an immersive healing environment, allowing you to live away from your usual daily stressors or triggers while focusing fully on mental health recovery. The following outlines what you may expect when entering an inpatient program.

Assessment and Evaluation

The experience starts with a conversation about your experiences and symptoms to allow the team a deeper insight into what’s happening. A detailed assessment then takes place, allowing them to identify any potential causes, triggers, and patterns that may be influencing your well-being.

Setting and Length of Stay

Residential centers are designed to feel calm, safe, and supportive. Comfortable bedrooms and meals are provided, with many centers offering tranquil recreational areas and outdoor spaces to connect with nature, all designed to nourish your mind, body, and soul. Support and care are available 24/7, with programs structured to minimize stress and uncertainty. 

Program durations vary depending on your needs and symptoms, lasting from as short as a weekend to over several months of complete support. 

Daily Routines
An important element of residential care is having a consistent routine. Daily schedules will be created to encourage progress through your personalized treatment plan. This may include sessions such as:

  • Individual therapy:     Certain psychotherapeutic approaches can be effective for treating personality disorders, such as psychodynamic therapy, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)1
  • Group therapy: Research shows that group therapy for personality disorders can significantly improve symptoms, social cognition, and quality of life7,8
  • Medication management: Medications, such as antidepressants, anti-anxiety medication, antipsychotic medications, or mood-stabilizers, may help to alleviate some symptoms1,5
  • Skills workshops: Including psychoeducation, to educate people about their diagnosis, and sessions to help you develop coping skills1
  • Holistic therapies: Holistic approaches, such as mindfulness, breathwork, and Reike, can positively impact well-being, though more research is needed into their effectiveness on specific mental health conditions9
  • Recreational activities: Engaging with creative expression or exercise classes can enhance your wellness journey

A residential program allows you to prioritize your recovery and provides you with the space, time, support, and resources needed to begin transformative healing. 

Find Personality Disorder Treatment Programs

A Mission For Michael (AMFM) provides treatment for adults experiencing various conditions. Personality Disorder support is a phone call away – call 866-478-4383 to learn about our current treatment options.

California Locations

See our residences in Southern California’s Orange County & San Diego County.

Carlsbad - Goldenbush
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Carlsbad - Hoover
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Dana Point - Blue Lantern
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Dana Point - Crystal Lantern
Female identifying house with double occupancy rooms. Includes large rooms, updated interior, & private treatment rooms.
Fallbrook - North Ridge
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Fallbrook - Peony
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Laguna Hills - Waterwheel
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Laguna Niguel - Campeon
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Lake Forest - Grayston
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Lake Forest - Sunnybrook
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San Juan Capistrano - Banderas
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San Juan Capistrano - Valencia
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Minnesota Locations

Take a look at our homes on the east side of the Metro area in Washington County.

Stillwater - Arcola
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Stillwater - Dellwood
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Virginia Locations

View our facilities in Fairfax County, VA within the DC metro area.

Annandale - Rebel Rose
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Fairfax Station - Derbyshire
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Great Falls - Kellie Jean
Gender Inclusive house with double and single occupancy rooms. Secluded area with movie theater, game room, and large property.
Vienna - Browns Mill
Gender Inclusive property, Restoring hope and well-being, AMFM Mental Health Treatment provides compassionate care in a peaceful setting in Vienna, Virginia.
Vienna - Corsica
Gender Inclusive house with double and single occupancy rooms. Secluded area with large backyard, movie theater, and dedicated spaces for therapy.
Vienna - Lawyers
Male identifying house with double and single occupancy rooms. Secluded area with large backyard many dedicated spaces for therapy.

Benefits of Personality Disorder Inpatient Treatment

Choosing to engage with residential treatment can feel like a big decision, requiring time, financial resources, and feeling emotionally prepared to work on yourself. As such, you may be wondering whether the benefits are truly worth it. 

While outpatient therapy can be helpful for many people, inpatient care offers some unique advantages for people needing a higher level of support. These benefits include:

  • Crisis stabilization 
  • 24/7 support and safety from trained professionals
  • A structured, healing environment that promotes healthy routines and encourages skill-building and coping mechanisms
  • Intensive therapy opportunities
  • Personalized treatment plans aimed toward your recovery goals
  • A space away from the usual stressors or triggers in daily life to fully focus on healing
What’s more, research shows that inpatient treatment settings can bring larger improvements than outpatient settings to people struggling with personality disorders.10-12

Therefore, residential centers can provide the intensive support often required to manage personality disorders. However, understanding what happens after leaving a residential facility could also help you make this treatment decision.

Transitioning to Outpatient Care

Leaving personality disorder inpatient treatment is not the end of your healing journey – far from it. Instead, it’s a step forward on the road to recovery after you are equipped with new skills, insight, and support. 

Before you leave the residential program, your treatment team will create an aftercare plan with you. Essentially, aftercare plans outline the support needed to return to your normal routines following inpatient treatment. This detailed plan may include ongoing therapy (individual or group), medication management, peer support groups, crisis planning, and relapse prevention strategies. Separate organizations may provide these services. Alternatively, step-down programs, such as partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) or intensive outpatient programs (IOPs), may be recommended. 

PHPs offer structured, intensive care during the daytimes, five days a week, whilst allowing you to return home during evenings and weekends. IOPs provide a flexible yet intensive therapy schedule with two to three hours of support per day, three to five days a week. This may suit people seeking support that can fit around their routine commitments.13

Aftercare is there to help you maintain the progress you’ve made in residential care, enabling long-term recovery from personality disorders. 

Now that you know what to expect after leaving residential care, how do you know which treatment program is the best fit for you?

Choosing the Best Inpatient Treatment Centers for Personality Disorder

Finding the right personality disorder inpatient treatment program is an important step toward recovery that may require some research time. Yet, it doesn’t have to feel daunting or complicated. It can be made easier by considering certain elements and any personal preferences you may have. Some factors you may want to consider include:

Clinical Considerations:
  • Whether the center specializes in treating personality disorders
  • The evidence-based or holistic therapy options offered
  • If the treatment center is accredited by recognized bodies such as The Joint Commission
  • What a treatment plan for your personality disorder typically looks like
  • Whether individualized treatment plans are created
  • If aftercare and step-down planning are provided
Practical Considerations:
  • If centers accept your insurance, or what the costs are for privately paid treatment
  • Treatment center locations and the facilities they provide
  • What the sleeping arrangements are like
  • Whether your dietary requirements can be catered to
  • Whether visitors are allowed
  • What the admissions process is like
Program Considerations:
  • What a typical daily schedule looks like
  • The duration of the programs offered
  • Forms of recreational activities included 
  • The typical age range of the people in recovery programs

When choosing an inpatient personality disorder recovery center, consider speaking with admissions staff, reading reviews or testimonials from former patients, and requesting a tour of the facility. These steps can help you make a well-informed decision before committing to a center. Remember that your comfort and trust in the program matter and can make a difference to your recovery from personality disorders. 

AMFM: Compassionate Care for Personality Disorder Recovery

Living with a personality disorder can be incredibly challenging, but you don’t have to face it alone. Inpatient treatment can provide the safe space and support needed to heal. If you or someone you love is seeking residential support for personality disorder recovery, we are here to help. 

At AMFM Healthcare, we offer specialized residential treatment programs designed to provide compassionate care, evidence-based therapies, and a safe, structured environment to support healing from personality disorders.

Contact us today to learn more about our residential treatment programs and how we can support you on your journey to wellness. 

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  1. American Psychological Association (APA). (2024, November). What are Personality Disorders? https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/personality-disorders/what-are-personality-disorders
  2. American Psychological Association (APA). (2023, 15 November).  Personality disorder. APA Dictionary of Psychology.  https://dictionary.apa.org/personality-disorder
  3. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). (n.d.). Personality disorders.  Retrieved October 22, 2025 from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/personality-disorders
  4. Salters-Pedneault, K., PhD. (2025, May 28). What are personality disorders in the DSM-5? Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/personality-disorders-a2-425427
  5. Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Personality disorders – Symptoms and causes. Retrieved October 22, 2025 from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/personality-disorders/symptoms-causes/syc-20354463
  6. Fariba, K. A., Gupta, V., Torrico, T. J., & Kass, E. (2024, July 17). Personality disorder. StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK556058/
  7. McLaughlin, S. P. B., Barkowski, S., Burlingame, G. M., Strauss, B., & Rosendahl, J. (2019). Group psychotherapy for borderline personality disorder: A meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials. Psychotherapy, 56(2), 260–273. https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000211
  8. Bozzatello, P., Blua, C., Marin, G., Rocca, P., & Bellino, S. (2023). Group interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT-G) for borderline personality disorder: A randomized controlled study. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 168, 157–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.10.049
  9. Mayer, B. A. (2022, February 9). Holistic therapy: treating body, mind, and spirit for whole person healing. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/holistic-therapy#types
  10. Bartak, A., Andrea, H., Spreeuwenberg, M. D., Ziegler, U. M., Dekker, J., Rossum, B. V., Hamers, E. F., Scholte, W., Aerts, J., Busschbach, J. J., Verheul, R., Stijnen, T., & Emmelkamp, P. M. (2010). Effectiveness of Outpatient, Day Hospital, and Inpatient Psychotherapeutic Treatment for Patients with Cluster B Personality Disorders. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 80(1), 28–38. https://doi.org/10.1159/000321999
  11. Fowler, J. C., Clapp, J. D., Madan, A., Allen, J. G., Frueh, B. C., Fonagy, P., & Oldham, J. M. (2018). A naturalistic longitudinal study of extended inpatient treatment for adults with borderline personality disorder: An examination of treatment response, remission and deterioration. Journal of Affective Disorders, 235, 323–331. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2017.12.054
  12. Bohus, M., Haaf, B., Simms, T., Limberger, M. F., Schmahl, C., Unckel, C., Lieb, K., & Linehan, M. M. (2003). Effectiveness of inpatient dialectical behavioral therapy for borderline personality disorder: a controlled trial. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 42(5), 487–499. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0005-7967(03)00174-8
  13. Blanchfield, T. (2024, December 12). How an intensive outpatient program (IOP) works. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-an-iop-intensive-outpatient-program-5521766

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