{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: Personality disorders and its association with anxiety and depression among patients of severe acne: A cross-sectional study from Eastern India.
{Author}: Sarkar S;Patra P;Mridha K;Ghosh SK;Mukhopadhyay A;Thakurta RG;
{Journal}: Indian J Psychiatry
{Volume}: 58
{Issue}: 4
{Year}: Oct-Dec 2016
{Factor}: 2.983
{DOI}: 10.4103/0019-5545.196720
{Abstract}: <B>BACKGROUND: </B>In many patients, emotional stress may exacerbate acne. Psychological problems such as social phobias, low self-esteem, or depression may also occur as a result of acne. The presence of acne may have some negative effect on the quality of life, self-esteem, and mood of the affected patients. While some studies have been undertaken about anxiety, depression, and personality patterns in patients with acne, only a few studies have been done to identify specific personality disorders in patients with acne. Furthermore, there is a dearth of data regarding the effect of personality disorder on the psychological states of the patients which prompted us to undertake the present study.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>This was a descriptive cross-sectional study, undertaken in a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Eastern India. Consecutive patients suffering from severe (Grade 3 and 4) acne, attending the Dermatology Outpatient Department, aged above 18 years were included to the study.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>A total of 65 patients were evaluated with a mean age of 26 years. Personality disorder was present in 29.2% of patients. The diagnosed personality disorders were obsessive compulsive personality disorder (n = 9, 13.8%), anxious (avoidant) personality disorder (n = 6, 9.2%), and borderline personality disorder (n = 2, 3%), mixed personality disorder (n = 2, 3%). All patients with personality disorder had some psychiatric comorbidity. Patients having personality disorder had higher number of anxiety and depressive disorders which were also statistically significant.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>The present study highlights that personality disorders and other psychiatric comorbidities are common in the setting of severe acne.