Personality Disorders in the Context of Addiction
In this course, Dr. Malcolm Horn explains how personality disorders intersect with addiction presentations in real-world clinical settings, clarifying core diagnostic concepts, common Cluster B patterns in substance use disorder populations, and the practical treatment implications of stigma, insight, and emotion regulation for recovery-oriented care.
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This course is the first in a two-part series on this topic. The second course is named <a href="/catalogue/courses/a-deep-dive-into-borderline-and-antisocial-personality-disorders">A Deep Dive into Borderline and Antisocial Personality Disorders .</a>
About this course
In this course, Chief Behavioural Health Officer Dr. Malcolm Horn, Ph.D., LCSW, MAC, introduces a clinically grounded framework for understanding personality disorders – particularly Cluster B patterns – as they commonly present alongside addiction. The course covers key definitional and diagnostic considerations (including why the term “personality disorder” can feel pejorative), explores how insight and emotion dysregulation affect change processes, and connects these concepts to real-world treatment planning. You will leave with clearer ways to formulate co-occurring presentations, reduce stigma in your therapeutic language and stance, and integrate skills-based and relationally informed interventions that improve engagement and outcomes in complex SUD work.
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