Tennessee Mental Health Treatment for Avoidant Personality Disorder

The saying goes that everyone is their own worst critic. Avoidant personality disorder (AVPD) takes this to a whole new meaning. AVPD is a type of personality disorder that tells you that all the fears of rejection and feelings of inadequacy running through your mind are true. 

2.4% of the U.S. population suffers from this mental health condition. You’re under your own microscope of scrutiny. Fear-based thoughts that insist you aren’t good enough consume you. The belief everyone judges you is always present. Social interactions are a minefield. Your fear of rejection is in self-destruct mode.

You can step away from the microscope. Our results-driven Tennessee Mental Health Treatment program for avoidant personality disorder treats an AVPD diagnosis with care.

TRUE Addiction and Behavioral Health will give you the courage to live free. Get ready to leave feelings of inadequacy at the door.

Avoidant Personality Disorder at a Glance

This is a personality disorder focused on self-esteem. Avoidant personality disorder is extreme social inhibition, lack of worth, and fear of rejection. It’s an aversion to social situations and interacting with others.

Immense worry about criticism, rejection, or embarrassment fuels the fear. The roots of this disorder aren’t known. Genetics and early childhood surroundings are likely to play a role. Shyness isn’t unusual when you’re young. If these symptoms continue in adolescence and adulthood, it becomes debilitating.

It’s the ultimate social shutdown. A foundation of low self-esteem makes forming close relationships hard to impossible. Isolating yourself from social situations leaves more than your calendar empty. Our one-of-a-kind recovery center will empower you to step out from the sidelines.

Signs and Symptoms of Avoidant Personality Disorder

AVPD is choosing to be alone rather than run the risk of rejection in a relationship. This disorder can range from mild to all-controlling.

Other traits of avoidant personality disorder include:

• Being oversensitive and taking any criticism personal
• Having any or a limited amount of close friends unless there’s a guarantee they like you
• Being prone to exaggerate potential problems
• Extreme worry about rejection and humiliation
• Rarely trying new things or taking risks
• Having a poor self-image, viewing themselves as not good enough or below others
• Feeling immense nervousness and anxiety in social settings and relationships. This results in avoiding activities or jobs if it means being around others

Avoidant personality disorder (AVPD) lacks full research and is underdiagnosed. AVPD by nature, resists treatment because it’s new and different. 

Why Treatment for AVPD Matters

If you don’t receive proper, fine-tuned treatment, AVPD only grows. The symptoms take away more of your life and sense of self. Individuals can become shut off from society. This leads to long-term hardships in areas like work and social life. A lack of treatment increases the risk of depression and using drugs or alcohol to cope.

Even though it’s the disorder’s core, reaching out is crucial to managing avoidant personality disorder. Enlisting a reputable and qualified recovery center is best done sooner than later.

Why Choose Our Tennessee Mental Health Treatment Programs 

Many rehab centers in Tennessee and beyond claim to know this unique disorder. How do you tell which one is right for you? Our vision has become our mission at TRUE.  We provide treatment plans tailored to your transformation.

Here’s what sets us apart.

TRUE is an inviting and supportive environment. We respect and act with our client’s needs in mind. Our treatment team has combined decades of experience in mental health treatment. Our facility is spacious and modern with a team committed to helping you break free from AVPD. We understand your needs and provide the care you need. Our treatment services support you in overcoming a disorder fueled by low self-esteem.

We advocate kindness, gentleness, patience, forgiving, and being of service. Our clinicians ensure you’re comfortable and at ease in various program settings. We work hard to foster a calming environment full of amenities to enjoy. We support each person’s whole self. A serious lack of this led our founder to bring his vision of TRUE to life. AVPD affects all parts of you, so we treat all parts of you. This is your physical, emotional, and mental recovery. 

Ben Dobbs, founded our one-of-a-kind center out of a lack of specialized mental health care. His triumph over 15 years of addiction and mental disorders inspired TRUE. His professional experience has made him a respected figure in the recovery community. He has worked for some of the South’s top substance abuse and mental health treatment centers. Ben now has more than a decade of service in the addiction treatment field.

We take pride in finding the TRUE roots of you. We put this into action through your customized treatment plan. Avoidant personality disorder can be hard for a lot of people to grasp. Your treatment plan keeps this at the forefront in how we provide your care. 

Our Avoidant Personality Treatment Programs

Personality disorders are tricky to treat because of the nature of the disorder. These disorders come with deep-set ways of thinking and ingrained behaviors. Despite this, avoidant personality disorder traits can work in favor of treatment. Most individuals stuck in this self-esteem struggle want to build connections with others. 

If you or a loved one is struggling with an avoidant personality disorder, we can help. Our programs target complete recovery.

Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)

Our outpatient program is a step down from inpatient. PHP involves 30 hours a week. You come to our center in the daytime and go home at night. You ease into using your new skills in your daily life. This rigorous program instills the skills for steady footing in shaky social situations. PHP dives deeper into mental health concerns and co-occurring disorders. You develop and practice new behaviors to overcome AVPD.

Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)

IOP is a lot like PHP but with fewer restrictions. You strengthen your emotional regulation, coping techniques, and thinking. Our IOP runs three to five days a week for about 15 hours. Our wellness services boost your self-esteem and ability to connect with others. Afterward, you return home at night to ease into regular life.

Sober Living Homes

Sober living isn’t exclusive to addiction recovery. Early sobriety is a life change. A sober home unites two tricky matters under one roof. Sober living homes give structured housing and accountability in early recovery.

A stable, clean, and balanced space to grow extends what you’ve learned. You can’t beat living in vibrant Nashville, Tennessee, in an accommodating environment.

Our outpatient programs aren’t the end. Aftercare for relapse prevention is vital. You’ve lived with this disorder so long that old habits are hard to break. This includes peer support specialists, recovery coaching, and ongoing counseling. We will treat you wholly and to your anxiety type.

Is Medication Suitable for Treating AVPD?

There isn’t a medication that targets the deep fears and insecurities AVPD embodies. There is support for medication to treat personality disorders. AVPD is a cluster c personality disorder, known for anxiety. Healthcare professionals use treatments like ones for social anxiety disorders and social phobia. Antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications are prescribed alongside therapy.

Our Avoidant Personality Treatment Approach

Our therapies are effective treatments for AVPD. Talk therapy is a mainstay that is beneficial for individuals struggling with an avoidant personality disorder. Therapy addresses the underlying mental, social, and societal issues contributing to the condition.

We don’t treat AVPD the same as depression or bipolar disorder. We ensure we address any other co-occurring mental health disorders or substance use disorders. This dual diagnosis approach treats the whole you for lasting results. Your treatment plan is well-rounded and flexible. This collaborative approach gives you an optimal mix of evidence-based and wellness interventions.

The therapy improves your mental health and intimate relationships. It teaches social skills training, understanding your unique personality traits. It also addresses other underlying mental health conditions, if needed. We promote full lifestyle improvement. We aim to help individuals regain control of their lives. Therapy lays the foundation for a healthier and more fulfilling life.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the therapy mental health professionals advise for avoidant personality disorder. CBT uses similar techniques for social anxiety. Both disorders share a lot of common symptoms. We start by addressing the negative thought patterns and behaviors. This guides overcoming fears and coping in social situations.

CBT for AVPD focuses on the avoidance and shame elements. Self-esteem is a big factor that CBT targets. Cognitive behavioral therapy identifies triggers and behaviors. Therapists provide tools to manage the triggers related to their personality disorder symptoms. As it stands, more research will provide more insights to treat this disorder.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a variation of CBT. It treated borderline personality disorder and suicidal ideation initially. DBT has since been proven to treat various personality disorders.

The main goal of DBT is to help clients build a life they believe they deserve. It guides taking a more optimistic outlook on life. Individuals who undergo DBT have low self-esteem and feel hopeless. This therapy specializes in changing thoughts and actions to align with personal goals.

Motivational Interviewing

Motivational interviewing serves as a helpful approach for improving self-worth and rejection. This talk therapy explores values, goals, and concerns. It reinforces self-determination to begin making more positive changes. It provides insights into the social and fear symptoms of the disorder. It also boosts confidence in owning the recovery process. 

Family Therapy

Family therapy involves family members joining in the therapy process. Your therapist and loved ones work together. This treatment identifies the underlying issues or concerns related to avoidant personality disorder. You work together to develop strategies for managing AVPD.

Holistic Therapy

Outpatient is much more than therapy. We offer a range of self-esteem and confidence-boosting options to enjoy. We bring together a wide range of therapeutic activities. Our outpatient heals your mind, body, and spiritual well-being.

We offer these modalities, with more in the works:

• Music Therapy
• Art Therapy
• Yoga
• CEMA (cognitive, emotional, memory assessments)
• Acupuncture 
• Animal Therapy
• Onsite physical fitness equipment with personal trainers on staff
• Movement Therapy

Other Types of Personality Disorders

Aside from AVPD, there are various personality disorders. Each one has specific symptoms and markers. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) lays these out.

They include the following:

• Antisocial personality disorder involves a lack of remorse for actions against others. 
• Borderline personality disorder (BPD) causes constant instability in social relationships, self-image, and mood. 
• A dependent personality disorder is a need to be surrounded by others. This brings individual comfort. 

• Histrionic personality disorder demands praise and constant compliments.
• Narcissistic personality disorder is bragging about themselves to others to the point of obsession. 

• Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is a fixation on self-perfection. 
• Paranoid personality disorder causes individuals to distrust or constantly worry about others’ thoughts, feelings, and actions.
• Schizoid personality disorder is when individuals hold back from developing attachments with others. They cannot establish an emotional connection with others.
• Schizotypal personality disorder creates a false world in the mind of individuals. They believe in a magical existence and think they are all-knowing.

Get the Help You Deserve

Living with avoidant personality disorder doesn’t have to control you any longer. TRUE teaches you how to build healthier relationships and become self-reliant.

Take the first step to improve your quality of life by contacting our Tennessee Mental Health Treatment program for avoidant personality disorder. You or your loved one can live a fulfilling life. Give us a call or email us to start the conversation.