Personality disorders: how the new consensus statement seeks to improve care and understanding

A consensus statement, published by MIND advocates change in the diagnosis and care of people living with a personality disorder, and calls for issues of neglect and exclusion to be addressed.

People diagnosed with a personality disorder often live a precarious and isolated existence, and endure a wide range of problems that exact a heavy toll. They are vulnerable to anxiety and depression, as well as issues with alcohol and drugs. One in ten will die by suicide, and physical problems such as obesity and cardiovascular disease are common. On average, their lives are shorter by 19 years than the general population.

That is the bleak assessment of a recently published consensus statement on personality disorders: Shining Lights in Dark Corners of People's Lives, supported by the Royal College of Nursing, the Royal College of General Practitioners, Mind and the British Psychological