ASPD Treatment in Orange County, California
Antisocial Personality Disorder, ASPD for short, is a dramatic personality disorder that includes aggressively irresponsible behavior that goes against societal norms and rules. People with ASPD may regularly lie, commit crimes, or engage in other hurtful deeds without guilt. Though people with ASPD rarely seek help on their own, therapy such as family therapy and group therapy may be able to benefit them. Southern California Sunrise’s mental health center in Mission Viejo can provide the needed ASPD treatment for you or your loved one.
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What Is Antisocial Personality Disorder?
According to The Mind, the development of antisocial personality disorder and all other personality disorders are considered mental health conditions. A person with antisocial personality disorder typically exhibits antisocial behaviors and an increased risk of experiencing long-term changes to how they think, feel, or relate to other people.
An antisocial personality disorder is a mental illness that has particularly proven to be a severe form of personality disorder because of the known long-term patterns of manipulating and other unfavorable behaviors. Individuals who express personality psychopathy are considered to suffer from severe forms of antisocial personality disorder.
A couple of different signs and behaviors that play a role in identifying antisocial personality disorder include:
- Expressing impulsive behaviors
- Lack of remorse
- Frequently acting irresponsibly and reckless
- Express little to no care for anyone else's feelings
- Participating or initiating in criminal behavior
- Lying for unnecessary reasons
- Blame others for the issues in their lives
- Lack of empathy
- Usually unable to sustain long-term relationships
- Regularly exploit or violate the rights of other people
Like other types of personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder is classified as a condition on a spectrum, which means the symptoms can range in severity. Some may exhibit some occasional bad behavior, where others seem to be breaking the law repeatedly and even sometimes committing severe crimes.
Who Develops This Disorder?
The development of antisocial personality disorder is known by doctors and other industry-professionals to affect more men than women on average. Although the exact reasons are still unknown, there are certain circumstances where the likelihood of personality disorders forming is higher.
A few common causes include:
- Growing up with an antisocial or alcoholic parent
- Consistently experienced difficult or dangerous childhood situations
- Child abuse and neglect
These numerous mental health symptoms typically reach their peak during the individual’s late teenage years or early twenties but have been seen to have the possibility of improving on their own over time. Along with these difficulties, genetics are also capable of leading to this or other personality disorders and can begin to form in the early childhood years.
Treatment Options
When receiving an antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) diagnosis, the individual would have to have shown evidence of a psychopathic personality or other symptoms that are in accordance with the disorder before the age of 15. However, a definite diagnosis of ASPD can not be made until the age of 18. Many adults suffering from ASPD will have often shown signs of the disorder throughout their childhood or early adolescence.
When looking for a viable treatment option, talking therapies such as behavioral therapy or psychotherapy in either a group or individual setting is a recommended place to start. Some doctors and therapists will frequently use specific FDA approved psychiatric medications like atypical antipsychotics or mood stabilizers in the effort to treat specific ASPD symptoms such as impulsivity and aggressive behaviors.
If a family member, a close friend, or anyone else you know is struggling with a mental health condition such as ASPD, and you want to help, it is encouraged to consider attending a support group to learn more about the illness. Seeking help from a social worker, psychologist, or psychiatrist is the next step of the process when trying to stabilize the state of an individual’s mental health.
It should be clear that although you may not be able to change your loved one’s behavior, strategizing tactics and coping skills can be obtained to assist with setting healthy boundaries and protecting yourself and others from any harm.
Get ASPD Treatment in California
You or your loved one’s ASPD doesn’t need to get in the way of a happy life filled with meaningful relationships. The talented staff at SCSRC’s Mental Health Center in Mission Viejo understands your challenges and wants to help.
Our leading therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists can develop a personalized ASPD treatment program that is unique and right for you or your loved one. Whether it’s a combination of medication and specific psychotherapy approaches, we can work together to build a plan that is effective for you.
Call today and our admission specialists will gladly answer any question you may have and discuss our process.