Schizoid Personality Disorder
What is schizoid personality disorder?
Schizoid personality disorder has similar characteristics to schizophrenia but it is not the same. People with schizoid personality disorder are often cold and distant to others. They tend to isolate themselves and don’t enjoy close relationships.
Schizoid personality disorder is diagnosed more in men than women.
Between 3 and 5% of the population have schizoid personality disorder.
Difference between schizoid personality disorder and schizophrenia
Schizoid Personality Disorder can look similar to Schizophrenia. However, people with schizophrenia perceive reality very differently from other people. Symptoms of schizophrenia include hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there) and delusions (beliefs that are irrational or not true).
People with schizophrenia can seem withdrawn from others, lack motivation, and emotionally expressionless. A family history of schizophrenia has been linked with schizoid personality disorder. People with these conditions share similar abnormal patterns in brain chemistry and structure.
Symptoms
Symptoms include:
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Restricted emotional expression
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Don’t respond to facial expressions and gestures
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Choosing activities which can be done alone
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Don’t seem to enjoy life
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Don’t react to criticism or praise
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Seem detached and cold
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Don’t get social signals
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They avoid contact/forming relationships with others
Causes
It is not known how schizoid personality disorder develops.
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Most professionals agree that is it caused by biological and genetic factors, social factors (early interactions with family and other children), and psychological factors (temperament, and environmental experiences and learned coping skills to deal with stress).
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So it appears that there is not one single cause but the relationship between several factors can makes some people more likely to be affected by the symptoms of schizoid personality disorder.
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There has also been research suggesting that there is an increased risk for children who have parents with the condition.
Outlook
Symptoms of schizoid personality disorder can reduce intensity with age like many personality disorders. However better quality of life is seen in those who get psychotherapy or build relationships for support.
Treatment
Psychotherapy, medication, self-help can all benefit people with schizoid personality disorder. Joining a support group for others with the same condition may also help build confidence in social situations and be able to give advice for coping skills.
Access the Treatments page for more information
Personality Disorders Plymouth