Hello I m Darren Magee and today s topic is looking at Schizoid Personality Disorder.
Now if you like this video if you find it helpful please consider subscribing to my
channel for future updates on mental health related topics. But just as a reminder,
this video is not a substitute for support from a mental health professional nor is it a tool
to be used to diagnose someone. So schizoid personality disorder, it's part of the cluster A
group of personalities, and this is characterised by odd, eccentric thinking and behaviour.
Now as with a lot of personality disorders there can be overlaps with other personality disorders
now, in this case overlaps with things such as schizotypal personality, paranoid personality,
there is obsessive compulsive personality, and indeed, avoidant personality. And just like other
personality disorders, it can be comorbid, meaning it can coexist alongside another
personality disorder as well as other mental health conditions. It's considered to be one of
the schizophrenia spectrum disorders, and indeed it shares some common symptoms with schizophrenia.
Just like as I previously mentioned it shares some characteristics with schizotypal personality
disorder, but they are, there are distinctions between schizoid personality on these other
disorders. Those with schizoid personality disorder rarely experience paranoia and
hallucinations. Also as much as they may seem distant or detached during a conversation,
they do make sense whenever they speak, which differs from the difficult to
follow speech patterns that can sometimes be demonstrated by people with schizophrenia.
People with schizoid personality, they can be quite introspective, they can even
fantasize. But they are often described by others as seeming emotionally flat or cold,
aloof, detached. They re often described by others as like being loners, they may prefer careers that
involve lone working. They may live alone. They don't really take part in social activities, or
there can be no real interest in making small talk, and there can be a difficulty or maybe
just no interest in forming relationships with others. Having said that as much as those with
schizoid personality disorder may prefer being alone, some also experienced intense loneliness
and social isolation as a result. No as I've said in previous videos I often look at a disorder as
looking at the impact it has on a person's day to day functioning, the impact it has
on their relationship with themselves as much as with other people. But people with schizoid
personality disorder, however, they can be quite high functioning. They can be very productive,
not necessarily in a state of distress. So the diagnostic criteria for schizoid
personality disorder as set out by DSM 5 is, There is a detachment from social
relationships with a restricted range of expression of emotions whenever they are in
interpersonal settings. Now, these beginning early adult heard I'm presenting a variety of
contexts and their demonstrated by at least four of the following symptoms . So first of all,
Neither desires nor enjoys close relationships. Now to others they may seem quiet, reserved, or
again, they just may be considered to be a loner. Number two, Chooses solitary activities. Now
not always, but there can be a distress over having to interact socially. Other times it's
just an indifference to say, social norms or social expectations. Number three, There's none
or little interest in having sexual experiences , which, just like the next criteria, Number four,
Takes pleasure in few activities. Now I've heard it described by some people as
like having no real excitement over things that others seem to be excited in, and there's either
a difficulty or no real interest in connecting with others on any kind of level. Number five,
Lacks close friends or confidants Now there can be exception to this. For example, they may have
a close relationship with say, a family member, and they may even decide to stay at home, never
move out even in adulthood. There may be someone that there is some kind of a connection with.
Number 6 Appears indifferent to either praise or criticism Now it looks to others as if maybe
their opinions don't really matter. It's, it's described as there's like a flatness there. Number
seven Shows emotional coldness, detachment, or flattened effectivity . Now, I think this could be
because there is that limited or restricted range of emotions. And lastly It's not attributable
to another medical condition that does not occur in the setting of schizophrenia, manic depression,
autism spectrum disorder, or another affective disorder with psychotic features . Now other
common characteristics include having difficulty with self expression, little motivation or
goals in life. Now to others as well it can be difficult to spot any observable change in a mood.
Now the causes of schizoid personality disorder are not really known. However, it is believed that
there can be a combination of both genetic and environmental factors at play. Because
personality, really personality is generally shaped by a range of things.
Things like inherited traits and tendencies, there s childhood experiences, parenting,
education and all the social interactions we have. All of these factors can play some part
in contributing to schizoid personality. People with schizoid personality disorder rarely tend
to seek help on their own unless they're being suggested or signposted by others.
Now I think that this could be because they don't always feel a level of distress as such,
even though at times they can. But when they do seek support, as I say, it could be because
they've been signposted by maybe someone who's close to them or, or they recognised their
condition has, has interrupted and distressed, disturbed, you know, multiple areas of their life.
So that is a brief outline of schizoid personality disorder. As always please use the comment box
below if you ve any comments or indeed anything I may have left out, anything you may like the add.
If you like this video, if you found it helpful, please consider subscribing to my channel for
future updates on mental health related topics and until next time. Thanks for watching.