Although the importance of personality disorders have not generally been recognized in clinical practice, they are the origins of many medical consultations and social ills: from substance abuse, alcoholism, self-harm and suicide, to neglect of children, criminality and HIV transmission. In a comprehensive summary and evaluation of the clinical literature, this book seeks to dispel the myth that people with personality disorders are simply individuals for whom nothing can be done. With detailed coverage of recognition, assessment and management, Drs. Dowson and Grounds provide a coordinated empirically-based account of those aspects of personality disorders that are of relevance to psychiatrists and allied disciplines.