Explain avoidant personality disorder and therapy plan — CASC communication station

Station brief

Format. Communication station, approximately 7–10 minutes active time after reading. You are the psychiatry registrar in the outpatient clinic. ^[1]

Candidate instructions. Explain avoidant personality disorder in plain language without stigma, clarify its relationship to social anxiety, outline why structured CBT (exposure and dropping safety behaviours) is first-line, clarify that medication treats anxiety or depression rather than “curing personality,” discuss alcohol as a short-term social crutch, and check understanding. The examiner plays the patient. ^[1][2]