Analyzing Schizoid Personality Disorder Chart

Schizoid Personality Disorder Chart

SPD or Schizoid Personality Disorder is a Cluster A personality, which is a group consisting of peculiar and odd personality disorders. SPD is categorized by a prevalent social detachment pattern and a restricted amount of emotions. Due to this, the people affected by SPD are isolated socially and do not seek for relationships that get them close to a person.

Symptoms

Individuals suffering from SPD are mostly reserved and they organize their life so they can avoid social contact. A lot of individuals with SPD do not marry and even live with their parents their whole life. Some other commonly found characteristics of SPD are:

They seek solitary activities and jobs

They do not seek and enjoy relationships with a close bonding

They do not take pleasure in a lot of activities (group)

They do not have any close relatives

They find it difficult to relate to other people

They react differently to criticism as well as praise

They do not show emotions

They also day dream a lot and create powerful fantasies of complicated inner lives (WebMd, 2014).

b. Causes

Not much is known regarding the causes of SPD, however both environment as well as genetics is reckoned to play an important role in leading to such behavior. Many mental health professionals opine that a sad childhood in which emotion and warmth were not present play their part in the development of SPD. A much higher risk for this personality disorder is stated to be inherited (WebMd, 2014).

c. Risk factors

The factors that play their part in the development of SPD are:

Having an unresponsive and cold parent throughout childhood

Having a relative or a parent diagnosed with SPD, schizophrenia or schizotypal personality disorder

Being hypertensive through teen years and to have these feelings treated with scorn or annoyance

Suffering neglect, mistreatment or child abuse (Mayo Clinic, 2013).

d. Diagnosis

If an individual has these symptoms, the health professional will start by evaluating the medical history and even a physical exam. Even though there are no laboratory tests to diagnose personality disorders, the doctor uses different tests to eliminate possibility of any physical problem as a cause (Mayo Clinic, 2013; WebMd, 2014). If the doctor finds no physical causes of the symptoms after evaluation, he/she then refers the person to a psychologist or a psychiatrist, specifically trained for treating mental problems. Psychologists and psychiatrists use assessment tools and interviews specially designed for the evaluation of such kind of disorders.

e. Treatment

Medications

Even though there are no particular drugs for the treatment of SPD, some drugs can help control the symptoms. If a person has symptoms of depression or anxiety, the doctor might prescribe serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) on a selective basis. Although the antipsychotics are not part of routine treatment, they might help with social problems and emotions.

Talk therapy (psychotherapy)

If an individual wants to have close relationships, a changed version of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) might help to change the attitudes, and beliefs of the person regarding relationship issues. An experienced therapist is more likely to understand the person's need for personal space and how it is not easy for the person to open up about their life. he/she can then continue to reach out to the affected individual gently (Mayo Clinic, 2013).

Group therapy

Group therapy is one of the avenues of individual treatment through an interaction between people learning their interpersonal skills. This therapy also provides support to the individuals while increasing their social motivation.