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Counselling Stories/Personality

Schizoid Personality Disorder

by Sangdam 2021. 11. 3.

Schizoid personality disorder belongs to Cluster A among the classifications of personality disorders. Primarily, Cluster A personality disorders are characterized by a strange or eccentric way of thinking. To be honest, when I hear the word schizoid, I think of crazy people. However, the word schizoid here does not mean a hallucinatory state of the mind. This refers to a personality who prefers to be alone, has no desire for intimacy with others, and has little emotional change. Thus, people with this disorder are often described as apathetic, withdrawn, socially isolated, and indifferent to others. In simple terms, this disorder can be described as a lifelong mental state of indifference to others and social isolation.

Schizoid Personality Disorder is not a very common disorder. It often occurs with major depression and other personality disorders, particularly other mental health conditions, including schizotypal, paranoid, borderline, and avoidant personality disorders. It usually occurs in childhood and adolescence with solitariness, poor peer relationships, and underachievement in school, which mark these children or adolescents as different and make them subject to teasing and is more common in men than women.

 

Cause:

The exact cause of schizoid personality disorder is still unknown. In fact, there are various opinions regarding the causes of personality disorders. But in general, genetics is the biggest risk factor for developing this personality disorder. That is, if someone in his family has a schizoid personality disorder, they are more likely to be exposed to this disorder. The results of a study of twins with schizoid personality traits support this genetic effect. In addition, the environment of childhood is also a big risk factor. Prenatal malnutrition, premature and low birth weight, turbulent or stressful childhood, or perfectionistic, loveless or emotional parents, neglected and abnormal parenting, plus experiences of traumatic brain injury can cause schizoid personality disorder. After all, a schizoid personality disorder can be caused in part by heredity and life experiences.

 

Diagnosis by DSM-5:

A.    A pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships and a restricted range of expression of emotions in interpersonal settings, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by four (or more) of the following:

1. Neither desires nor enjoys close relationships, including being part of a family.

2. Almost always chooses solitary activities.

3. Has little, if any, interest in having sexual experiences with another person.

4. Takes pleasure in a few, if any, activities.

5. Lacks close friends or confidants other than first-degree relatives.

6. Appears indifferent to the praise or criticism of others.

7. Shows emotional coldness, detachment, or flattened affectivity.

B.     Does not occur exclusively during the course of schizophrenia, a bipolar disorder or depressive disorder with psychotic features, another psychotic disorder, or autism spectrum disorder and is not attributable to the physiological effects of another medical condition.

Note: If criteria are met prior to the onset of schizophrenia, add premorbid, i.e., schizoid personality disorder (premorbid).

 

Symptoms:

The most prominent symptom is the lack of close relationships with other people. Because of this, they prefer to be alone and lonely and are often considered loners. On the other hand, they lack emotional expression and are unable to properly express their emotions. Also, they have no sexual desire. They appear aloof, unwilling to socialize, and socially incompetent. Even they can seem rude. Importantly, people exposed to this disorder do not consider their behavior or preferences to be abnormal.

Neither want nor enjoy intimate relationships – in general, people want close relationships with others, which promotes physical and mental health. Unfortunately, however, people with schizoid personality disorder have no desire for close relationships with others outside of their families and thus have difficulty forming attachments. Of course, some with this disorder may have an inner craving for interpersonal relationships. Nevertheless, they do not have the ability to bond or connect with ordinary people.

Prefers solitary lives - People with a schizoid personality disorder may immediately see others as disrupters and may even view social interactions as worthless. Therefore, they usually lead a solitary and isolated life and engage in activities that they can do alone such as reading, writing, or video games.

Lack of interest in sexual experiences – Most people with schizoid personality disorder are not interested in or seek sexual relationships. They even avoid situations that could lead to sexual encounters or intimate relationships.

Passive and enjoys only solitary activities – Most people can enjoy the richness of life through a variety of activities. However, people with schizoid personality disorder generally do not experience pleasure in activities that other people would enjoy, and they tend to engage in passive and solitary activities such as watching television or playing video games.

Be indifferent to praise and criticism – small compliments can give people a sense of pleasure and fulfillment, as well as motivate them to do their own thing. Unfortunately, however, people with a schizoid personality disorder do not respond in the usual way to compliments from others and appear to be seldom affected by others' criticism. That is, they seem indifferent to criticism and praise.

Secretive – People with schizoid personality disorder have a belief that their inner thoughts and feelings can be shared with others. Because of this, they have anxiety that their private life may be exposed and invaded by fear that their inner side may be revealed to others. Thus, they can appear more secretive than ordinary people and tend to be overly concerned about their privacy, despite having nothing to hide.

Difficulty Expressing Emotions - People with a schizoid personality disorder often have difficulty experiencing emotions and expressing appropriate emotions. This can make you appear emotionally dull or cold.

Apathy and Separation - People with a schizoid personality disorder often appear aloof or distant because they have difficulty forming relationships and expressing their feelings meaningfully. They feel comfortable with their indifference and seem happiest in relationships that don't require emotional intimacy. They also prefer jobs in which they feel comfortable as observers and keep their distance from others. In the end, they prefer and feel comfortable with separation from reality and relationships, thus reinforcing the separation.

A feeling of intimacy with fantasies - The most prominent characteristic of schizoid personality disorder is a tendency to create fantasy worlds. People exposed to this disorder often create sophisticated fantasy worlds that are deeply intertwined with everyday life. They may feel comfortable and safe living in their inner world, and conversely, making relationships with the real world feel uncomfortable and insecure.

 

Treatment:

The biggest problem with treatment for schizoid personality disorder is that many clients are often unaware that they have a problem. Therefore, it is a big task to lead them to the field of treatment. In fact, accurate data on the effectiveness of various treatments do not exist, as this disorder is rarely seen in clinical settings. In general, the basic treatment method used in the treatment of all personality disorders, including schizoid personality disorder, is also psychotherapy. However, if a personality disorder occurs simultaneously with other symptoms such as anxiety or depression, antidepressants or anti-anxiety drugs may be used to alleviate them. Cognitive-behavioral therapy can help people with schizoid personality disorder assimilate into a socially structured life by helping them develop close relationships with others. In particular, there is a study result that the symptoms are weakened with the aging of the brain, and therefore social adaptation is improved with the increase of age.

 

When dealing with schizoid personality disorder, I think that it is not the right attitude to look at all disorders from a negative perspective. It is necessary to understand that in some cases, positive abilities can be exercised through accepting and using disability as a way of life. People with a schizoid personality disorder may show great abilities in academic fields that they do alone. The tendency to focus on one's own research field due to their avoidance of relationships with other people can make them experts in a field. However, the most important first step towards this is that they must be able to understand and accept themselves well. This can be a starting point to get out of the hustle and bustle of disability and change one's own characteristics into one's own strengths. In this respect, a schizoid personality disorder is a reminder that the most important thing in life, whatever it is, is to understand and accept ourselves.

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