Schizoid Personality Disorder: causes, symptoms and treatment.

A psychopathology that all mental health professionals should know about.

The schizoid disorder belongs to the so-called "Cluster A" (rare or eccentric) of personality disorders, and is a rare condition in which people avoid social activities and interaction with other individuals.

People with this pathology often appear odd or peculiar, and are often distant and indifferent to social relationships.. They are characterized by preferring solitary activities and rarely express strong emotions. Although schizoid personality disorder sounds similar to schizophrenia, these are two very different disorders.

What are personality disorders?

Individuals with personality disorders exhibit long-standing patterns of thinking and behavior that differ from what society considers normal. The inflexibility of their personality can cause distress, and can also interfere with different areas of the person's life, including social and occupational functioning. People with personality disorders often have poor coping skills and difficulty forming healthy relationships..

Unlike people with anxiety disorders, who know they have a problem but are unable to control it, people with personality disorders are generally unaware of the problem they suffer from and often think they have no problem. Because they do not know they have a disorder, they often do not seek help to treat it.

Symptoms of Schizoid Personality Disorder

The symptomatology of Schizoid Personality Disorder is usually characterized by social isolation and avoidance of social activities and interpersonal relationships. These people usually organize their lives to avoid contact with other people. Many never marry or may continue to live with their parents in adulthood.

Other common features of people with this disorder are the following:

• They do not desire or enjoy close relationships, even with family members.
• They choose solitary jobs and activities
• Not interested in having sexual experiences with other people
• They tend not to have close friends or people they trust.
• Are indifferent to compliments or criticism from others
• Show emotional coldness

Causes of Schizoid Personality Disorder

Little is known about the causes of Schizoid Personality Disorder, but it appears that both genetic and environmental factors play an important role in this disorder.. 

Environment and genetics

On the one hand, many mental health professionals speculate that the absence of parental care and affection during childhood contributes to the development of the disorder, but the high presence of the disorder in families with a member suffering from schizophrenia suggests that it may have a significant hereditary factor.

Treatment of Schizoid Personality Disorder

As has been discussed, people suffering from this disorder rarely seek professional help.. In addition, treatment is a challenge for the psychotherapist because of the patient's difficulty in forming relationships. This is usually solved when the therapist shows some distance from the patient.

Psychotherapy and pharmacological support

This treatment combines psychotherapy with the administration of drugs, generally antipsychotics such as Risperidone or Olanzapine. In cases where the disorder presents comorbidity with disorders such as depression or anxiety, antidepressants or anxiolytics are also usually administered.

Learning social skills

Since it is difficult for these individuals to learn social patterns quickly, it is necessary for them to learn specific social skills, it is necessary for them to learn specific social skills, e.g., by explainingFor example, by explaining some behaviors that might be seen as rude or rude. The psychotherapist can influence the patient to learn how he or she distorts his or her thoughts or perceptions, as well as re-educate him or her in more adaptive ways of responding and relating.

If the disorder is mild or moderate, it may improve rapidly. However, in more delicate and severe cases, the patient may have greater difficulty working and living independently. Treatment focuses on improving coping skills, as well as improving social interaction, communication, and self-esteem.