Substance Abuse and B-Cluster Disorders II: Treatment Recommendations

Abstract

Part I of this two-part article described the characteristics and clinical features of the patient population that presents with both a B-cluster personality disorder and substance abuse. It also included guidelines for the clinician. Part II presents further recommendations for the treatment of this population, taking into account how the combination of these disorders manifests itself. The treatment approach should be kept simple and easy for patients to understand and should promote their ability to think rationally about the effect of their emotions on their behavior and its outcomes. A firm structure is critical to compensate for the lack of internal control of these patients and to prevent the manipulation that results from their view of the instrumentality of others. Denial, resistance, countertransference, and relapse to addictive behaviors are all potential barriers that are often encountered when attempting to treat this population. Group therapy with this population presents unique challenges to the clinician. As with individual therapy, a firm structure is imperative, with the clinician in charge of process and content.