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Treatment
People with antisocial personality disorder often do not admit they have a problem that should be treated. They may need encouragement from others or treatment to be mandated by a court.
This disorder can be difficult to treat, and treatment may be complicated by other conditions, especially substance abuse. However, the other disorders may be easier to treat than antisocial personality disorder, and treating them may improve overall health and functioning.
Different kinds of psychotherapy are used with antisocial personality disorder. Group therapy can be useful in helping people learn how to interact better with others. Cognitive behavioral therapy and behavior modification can help change problematic patterns of thinking and encourage positive behaviors.
Medications are used to deal with specific symptoms, such as aggressiveness and irritability and may also target other psychiatric disorders that are common with antisocial personality disorder. Mood stabilizers such as lithium or carbamazepine may also be useful to improve impulsivity. In general, medications that are likely to be abused are usually avoided because people with this disorder also often have substance abuse problems.
Although antisocial personality disorder is a chronic condition, some symptoms, especially criminal behavior, may decrease slowly on their own with age, starting in one’s thirties.