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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffIn addition to professional treatment, consider following these lifestyle and self-care steps for antisocial personality disorder:
- Stick to your treatment plan. Don't skip therapy sessions, even if you don't feel like going.
- Take your medications as directed. Even if you're feeling well, resist any temptation to skip your medications. If you stop, symptoms may come back. You could also experience withdrawal-like symptoms from stopping a medication too suddenly. And don't take a higher dosage than what's been prescribed for you.
- Learn about your condition. Education about your condition can empower you and motivate you to stick to your treatment plan.
- Pay attention to warning signs. Work with your doctor or therapist to learn what might trigger your symptoms, especially feelings or thoughts involving destructive or harmful behavior. Make a plan so that you know what to do if symptoms return. Contact your doctor or therapist if you notice any changes in symptoms or how you feel. Consider involving family members or friends in watching for warning signs.
- Get active. Physical activity and exercise can help manage many symptoms, such as depression, stress and anxiety. Activity can also counteract the effects of some psychiatric medications that may cause weight gain. Consider walking, jogging, swimming, gardening or taking up another form of exercise you enjoy.
- Avoid drugs and alcohol. Alcohol and illicit drugs can worsen antisocial symptoms or interact harmfully with medications.
- Get routine medical care. Don't neglect checkups or skip visits to your family doctor, especially if you aren't feeling well. You may have a new health problem that needs to be addressed, or you may be experiencing side effects of medication.
References
- American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000.
- MacManus D, et al. Personality disorders. Medicine. 2008;36(8):436-441.
- Pfohl B. Personality disorders. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 9, 2008.
- Kiraly B. Patient information handout. Mental illness: Taking care of yourself. American Academy of Family Physicians. 2008;78(3). https://secure.aafp.org/login. Accessed Aug. 1, 2008.
- Staying well when you have a mental illness. Mental Health America. http://www.nmha.org. Accessed July 2008.
- Goldstein RB, et al. Lack of remorse in antisocial personality disorder: Sociodemographic correlates, symptomatic presentation, and comorbidity with Axis I and Axis II disorders in the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Comprehensive Psychiatry. 2006;47(4):289-297.
- Devens M. Personality disorders. Primary Care. 2007;34(3):623-640.
- Ward R. Assessment and management of personality disorders. American Family Physician. 2004;70(8):1505-1512.
- Andrade JT. The inclusion of antisocial behavior in the construct of psychopathy: A review of the research. Aggression and Violent Behavior. 2008;13:328-335.
- De Clercq B, et al. Childhood antecedents of personality disorder. Current Opinion Psychiatry 2007;20(1):57-61.
- Paris J. Clinical trials of treatment for personality disorders. The Psychiatry Clinics of North America. 2008;31(3):517-526.
- Davidson KM, et al. Cognitive behaviour therapy for violent men with antisocial personality disorder in the community: An exploratory randomized controlled trial. Psychological Medicine. In press. 2008.
- Gelhorn HL, et al. DSM-IV conduct disorder criteria as predictors of antisocial personality disorder. Comprehensive Psychiatry. 2007;48(6):529-538.
- Skodol AE., et al. Personality disorders. In: Hales RE. et al. The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Psychiatry. 5th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Publishing Inc. 2008.
