Schizoid disorder belongs to the so-called “Group A” (rare or eccentric) personality disorders, and is a rare condition in which people avoid social activities and interaction with other individuals.

People with this pathology usually seem strange or peculiar, and they tend to be distant and indifferent to social relationships . They are characterised by preferring solitary activities and rarely express strong emotions. Although schizoid personality disorder sounds similar to schizophrenia, we are dealing with two very different disorders.

What are personality disorders

Individuals with personality disorders exhibit long-lasting 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 a person’s life, including social and work functioning. People with personality disorders often have poor coping skills and difficulties in 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 usually unaware of the problem they have and often think they have no problem at all. Because they don’t know they have a disorder, they don’t usually 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 often 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 as follows:

  • 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 usually do not have close friends or people they trust
  • Are indifferent to praise or criticism from others
  • Show emotional coldness

Causes of Schizoid Personality Disorder

Little is known about the causes of Schizoid Personality Disorder, but it seems 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 love 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 remarkable hereditary factor.

Treatment of Schizoid Personality Disorder

As mentioned, people suffering from this disorder rarely seek help from a professional . In addition, the treatment poses a challenge for the psychotherapist due to the difficulty of establishing relationships on the part of the patient. This is usually solved when the therapist shows some distance from the patient.

Psychotherapy and pharmacological support

Such treatment combines psychotherapy with the administration of drugs, usually antipsychotics such as Risperidone or Olanzapine. In cases where the disorder is co-morbid with disorders such as depression or anxiety, antidepressants or anti-anxiety drugs are also usually given.

Social skills learning

Since these individuals find it difficult to learn social skills quickly, it is necessary for them to learn concrete social skills , for example, by explaining some behaviours that could be seen as rude or rude. The psychotherapist can influence you to learn how you distort your thoughts or perceptions, as well as re-educate you to acquire more adaptive ways of responding and relating.

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