What are traits of someone with schizoid personality disorder?

Answer 1

Schizoid personality disorder(SPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a lack of interest in social relationships, a tendency towards a solitary lifestyle, secretiveness, and emotional coldness.[1] SPD is reasonably rare compared with other personality disorders. Its prevalence is estimated at less than 1% of the general population.[2]

Answer 2

There are many traits of schizoid. There are covert and overt traits. Covert are non-obvious traits, and so you have to rely more on the unshared feelings of the person. Overt traits are obvious, prefers to be alone, introversion,narcissity,superiorness,self-sufficiency,loneliness,loss of affect,depersonalization,and regression.

Answer 3

Definition

Schizoid personality disorder is a psychiatric condition in which a person has a lifelong pattern of indifference to others and social isolation.

Alternative Names

Personality disorder - schizoid

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Personality disorders are patterns of behaviors and relationships that interfere with a person's life over many years. The cause of schizoid personality disorder is unknown. Estimates of its incidence vary.

This disorder may be associated with schizophrenia and shares many of the same risk factors. However, schizoid personality disorder is not as disabling as schizophrenia, because it does not cause hallucinations, delusions, or the complete disconnection from reality that occurs in untreated (or treatment-resistant) schizophrenia.

Symptoms

A person with schizoid personality disorder:

• Appears aloof and detached
• Avoids social activities that involve significant contact with other people
• Does not want or enjoy close relationships, even with family members

Signs and tests

People with schizoid personality disorder are loners and show little interest in developing close relationships.

Treatment

People with this disorder rarely seek treatment, and little is known about which treatments work. Talk therapy may not be effective, because people with schizoid personality disorder have difficulty relating well to others.

Expectations (prognosis)

Schizoid personality disorder is a chronic illness with a poor outlook. The social isolation of the disorder often prevents the person from seeking the help or support that could potentially improve the outcome.

References

Moore DP, Jefferson JW. Schizoid personality disorder. In: Moore DP, Jefferson JW, eds. Handbook of Medical Psychiatry. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2004: chap 135.

Answer 4

Definition

Schizoid personality disorder is a psychiatric condition in which a person has a lifelong pattern of indifference to others and social isolation.

Alternative Names

Personality disorder - schizoid

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

The causes of schizoid personality disorder are unknown. This disorder may be related to schizophrenia and it shares many of the same risk factors.

However, schizoid personality disorder is not as disabling as schizophrenia. It does not cause hallucinations, delusions, or the complete disconnection from reality that occurs in untreated (or treatment-resistant) schizophrenia.

Symptoms

A person with schizoid personality disorder:

• Appears aloof and detached
• Avoids social activities that involve emotional intimacy with other people
• Does not want or enjoy close relationships, even with family members

Signs and tests

Like other personality disorders, schizoid personality disorder is diagnosed based on a psychological evaluation and the history and severity of the symptoms.

Treatment

People with this disorder rarely seek treatment, and little is known about which treatments work. Talk therapy may not be effective, because people with schizoid personality disorder have difficulty relating well to others.

However, one approach that appears to help is to put fewer demands for emotional closeness or intimacy on the person with this condition.

People with schizoid personality disorder often do better in relationships that do not focus on emotional closeness. They are better at handling relationships that focus only on recreation, work, or intellectual activities and expectations.

Expectations (prognosis)

Schizoid personality disorder is a long-term (chronic) illness that usually dos not improve much over time. Social isolation often prevents the person from seeking the help or support that might improve the outcome.

Limiting emotional intimacy may help people with this condition make and keep connections with other people.

References

Blais MA, Smallwood P, Groves JE, Rivas-Vazquez RA. Personality and personality disorders. In: Stern TA, Rosenbaum JF, Fava M, Biederman J, Rauch SL, eds. Massachusetts General Hospital Comprehensive Clinical Psyhchiatry. 1st ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier;2008:chap 39.

Reviewed By

Review Date: 11/14/2010

Linda Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine; and David B. Merrill, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiary, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

Answer 5

Schizoid personality disorder is characterized by extreme asociality, flat affect, and lack of enjoyment of activities.

Answer 6

Schizoid patients are perceived by others as "loners" without close family relationships or social contacts. Indeed, they are aloof and really do prefer to be alone.