Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) and Personality Disorders
Personality disorders can be unhealthy, causing inflexible thinking patterns, irritation, and argumentative
behaviors that can pose a threat to everyday activities and relationships. It is estimated that 9.1% of the
population of the United States is affected by some type of personality disorder, and statistics demonstrate
that 67% of patients with personality disorders will be affected by co-occurring mental health difficulties.
Personality disorders can be classified into the following categories:
Eccentric or odd thinking behavior (paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal)
Emotional, dramatic and/or erratic thinking or behavior (antisocial, borderline, narcissistic)
Anxious or fearful thinking (avoidant, dependent, obsessive compulsive disorder)
Anger management difficulties
The causes of personality disorders can be numerous, and may include a combination of environmental
factors and genetics. Personality disorders may also be trauma-related, such as a traumatic head injury
(TBI). Symptoms of a personality disorder may become apparent as a result of a concussion presenting
with anger management issues, which may cause difficulty holding down a job. Borderline personality
disorders interfere with interpersonal relationships, and cause anxiety and emotional instability.
Recent studies of the general prison population in the State of Oklahoma demonstrated that a large
number of the inmates had at one time suffered a TBI. It is estimated that 30-40 million working age
Americans are living with an untreated brain injury. Approximately 45% will become unemployed within
two years of the TBI. Thirty-three percent will develop anger management issues, with 56.7% developing
comorbid depression. No matter the cause of a personality disorder, proper diagnosis is of the utmost
importance, because it is the aftercare that determines the patient's outcome.
Recovery from a personality disorder does not mean healed without residual effect, or restoration to prior
mental capacity or capabilities. Studies have demonstrated that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) holds
great potential for facilitating recovery from TBI-related personality disorders. If you or someone you
know is having difficulty with a personality disorder, contact Dr. Steven Skaggs at Skaggs Chiropractic,
LLC. Schedule a consultation today to learn if you or someone you care about could benefit from
hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
