The essential feature of the disorder schizoid Personality is a general pattern of distancing from social relationships and restriction of emotional expression in the interpersonal plane. This pattern begins in early adulthood and occurs in various contexts.
Subjects with schizoid personality disorder do not show a desire for intimacy, they seem indifferent to opportunities to establish personal relationships and they do not seem to be very satisfied with being part of a family or a social group (Criterion A1). They prefer to spend time on themselves, rather than being with other people. They are usually socially isolated or lonely and almost always choose solitary activities or hobbies that do not require interactions with other people (Criterion A2). They prefer mechanical or abstract tasks such as computer or mathematical games. They may show very little interest in having sexual experiences with another person (Criterion A3) and they like very little or no activities (Criterion A4). There is usually a reduction in the sensation of pleasure from experiences
Individuals with schizoid personality disorder often seem indifferent to approval or approval. criticism of others and show no concern for what others may think of them (Criterion A6). They can withdraw from the normal niceties in social interaction and often do not respond appropriately to social norms, so that they appear socially inept or superficial and self-absorbed. They usually show a soft appearance without observable emotional reactivity and with few gestures or reciprocal facial expressions such as smiles or nodding (Criterion A7). They report that they rarely experience strong emotions such as anger or joy. They often show restricted affectivity and are cold and distant. However, on the rare occasions that these individuals feel, even temporarily, comfortable talking about themselves. They may recognize that they have unpleasant feelings, especially as it relates to interactions social.
Schizoid personality disorder should not be diagnosed if the behavior pattern appears exclusively during the course of schizophrenia, a mood disorder with psychotic symptoms, another psychotic disorder or a pervasive developmental disorder, or if it is due to the direct physiological effects of a neurological or other disease (p. g., temporal lobe epilepsy) (Criterion B).
Differential diagnosis
Schizoid Personality Disorder can be differentiated from Delusional Disorder, Schizophrenia, and mood with psychotic symptoms by being characterized by a period of persistent psychotic symptoms (p. g., delusions and hallucinations). For further diagnosis of schizoid disorder Personality disorder, the personality disorder must have manifested before the onset of psychotic symptoms and must persist when the psychotic symptoms are in remission. When an individual has a chronic psychotic disorder on Axis I (p. g., schizophrenia) that was preceded by schizoid personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder should be recorded on Axis II, followed in parentheses by premorbid.
There may be great difficulty in distinguishing individuals with schizoid personality disorder from those with mild forms of autistic disorder and Asperger's disorder.
Mild forms of autistic disorder and Asperger's disorder are distinguished by a more severe impairment of social interaction and by behaviors and stereotypical interests.
Schizoid personality disorder must be distinguished from a personality change due to illness in which the features appear due to the direct effects of a disease of the nervous system central. It must also be differentiated from the symptoms that may develop associated with chronic substance use (p. g., unspecified cocaine-related disorder).
You can confuse the schizoid disorder of personality with other personality disorders that have some characteristics in common. Therefore, it is important to differentiate these disorders based on differences in their characteristic features. However, if an individual has personality characteristics that meet the criteria for one or more personality disorders in addition to schizoid personality disorder, all of these can be diagnosed disorders.
Although characteristics of social isolation and restricted affectivity are common to schizoid, schizotypal, and paranoid personality disorders, Schizoid Personality Disorder can be differentiated from Schizotypal Personality Disorder by the lack of perceptual distortions and disorder paranoid personality due to lack of suspicion and paranoid ideation. The social isolation of schizoid disorder personality disorder may differ from that seen in avoidant personality disorder, This is due to the fear of being overwhelmed or not knowing what to do and the excessive anticipation of rejection. In contrast, people with schizoid personality disorder have greater detachment and a very limited desire to become familiar with others. Subjects with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder may also show social distancing that It arises from devotion to work and discomfort with emotions, but they have an internal capacity to relate. Solitary individuals can display personality traits that can be considered schizoid. They only constitute a schizoid personality disorder when these traits are inflexible and maladaptive and cause functional impairment or subjective distress.
Subjects with schizoid disorder Personality may have special difficulties expressing anger, even in response to direct provocation, contributing to the impression that they are unemotional. Sometimes their lives seem to be going nowhere and they leave their goals to chance. These individuals often react passively to adverse circumstances and have difficulty responding adequately to important life events. Due to their lack of social skills and lack of desire for sexual experiences, subjects with this disorder they have few friends, they rarely go out with someone and they do not usually get marry. Work activity may be impaired, especially if interpersonal involvement is required, although individuals with this disorder can cope well when working in conditions of social isolation. Individuals with this disorder may experience very brief psychotic episodes (lasting minutes or hours), especially in response to stress. In some cases, schizoid personality disorder may appear as the premorbid antecedent of delusional disorder or schizophrenia.
Sometimes individuals with this disorder have a major depressive disorder.
Schizoid Personality Disorder is most often seen concurrently with Personality, Schizotypal, Paranoid, and Avoidant Disorders.
Symptoms dependent on culture, age and sex
Subjects from various types of cultural backgrounds can display defensive behaviors and interpersonal styles that can be qualified mistakenly as schizoid. For example, people who have moved from a rural to an urban setting may react with an emotional chill. that can last several months and manifest itself by solitary activities, restricted affectivity and other deficits in the communication. Immigrants from other countries are sometimes mistakenly viewed as cold, hostile, or indifferent.
Schizoid personality disorder may first become apparent in childhood or adolescence through attitudes and behaviors lonely, poor relationships with peers and poor school performance, which indicates how different these children or adolescents are and makes them subjects of teasing.
Schizoid personality disorder is diagnosed a little more frequently and can cause more disability in males.
Prevalence
Schizoid personality disorder is rare in the clinical setting.
Family pattern
Schizoid personality disorder may be more prevalent in relatives of individuals with schizophrenia or with schizotypal personality disorder.
A general pattern of distancing from social relationships and restriction of emotional expression at the interpersonal level, which begins in early adulthood and occurs in various contexts, as indicated by four (or more) of the following: neither wants nor enjoys personal relationships, including being part of a family chooses solitary activities almost always has little or no interest in having sexual experiences with another person enjoys little or no activity does not have close friends or trusted people, other than first-degree relatives is indifferent to praise or criticism from others shows emotional coldness, detachment, or flattening of the affectivity B.
These characteristics do not appear exclusively in the course of a schizophrenia, a mood disorder with psychotic symptoms, or other psychotic disorder and are not due to the direct physiological effects of a general medical condition.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
