How to bring up personality disorders to your doc?

Hello, 26 male lurker from Finland here. I've been having issues with my self esteem most of my life and have been treated for depression/adhd 6 years unsuccessfully. Most of my problems come mainly from fear of people and the criticism i try to avoid. I tend to put on this facade like mask that hides my "true self" if you get what i'm feeling? I'm not as shy anymore per say but i can fake it like i used to as a kid in school. Mostly i tend to avoid the people who are too close. Family i contact maybe 4-8 times a year (because they call) and i have only one "friend".

Now here comes the scary part. I know u shouldn't self diagnose, but i've been reading about psychology ever since i moved on my own at 18. I mainly get disability benefits and 99% of my free time is spent on the computer and i like to research all kind of things when i get in the right mood.

Few days ago i started reading about this book they use to diagnose personality disorders and it was way more in depth than anything i've ever read and the Avoidant Personality Disorder described me to a t. Most other articles i read just skimped the surface but this even described the similar childhood personality i had to what type of parents are associated with it and other jargon.


I got a doctors appointment at 13.8 so i wan't to know should i even tell about my suspicions without getting ignored or so that she doesn't feel i attack her profession? Feel like an jackass for spending all this time on #######4 pills and stuff that always made me just want to quit the whole treatment.


EDIT: Hope this doesn't seem like i'm not too serious because i bet many "self diagnose" so easily. I can pull out some more details but i hate writing walls of texts so ask me

Hmm.. I'm a little lucky in the fact that I didn't have to bring up to my therapist, he was the one that brought it up and diagnosed me.

But, my advice would be, don't mention it as though you are self-diagnosing, because that really tends to tick therapists off for some reason. (As you said, attacking her expertise). Saying "I think I might have AvPD", probably isn't the best way. If I were to do it, I would perhaps say that I had read a bit about this one disorder and I feel as though I can really relate to it. Mention the symptoms that you can relate to about it.

So my advice: Don't say you have a suspicion that you have it. Say that you can relate to the symptoms you read about AvPD. And hopefully she will respond with her opinion about it. Therefore, you are still relying on her "expertise".

That's just what I would do! Let us know how it goes.

- EGD.

It's the therapist's job to diagnose you, you shouldn't have to bring it up directly.
Be honest, talk about what's bothering you and a good therapist will give you a proper diagnosis after several sessions.

You're right. I just fear that personality disorders are not as well known here based from what I've heard. I definitely think it's something that has been present too long even when i wasn't depressed or anything. Kinda pissed that i even started reading the damn thing but the book did convince me that my environment must have been one or if not the causing factor to some of my problems.

ICD-10 is widely used in Europe and probably in Finland as well. F60.6 = AvPD
Every competent therapist will know about it.
You can always inquire about your diagnosis in later sessions and maybe even ask directly about AvPD if you think you're not getting diagnosed correctly, but I doubt that this is going to be necessary.
I'm certain that Finland has a good health care system, so don't worry too much about it.

If you can go without personality disorder the more comfortable the situation is for the therapist/doctor or whatever. I remember the atmosphere when my psychiatrist discovered it. PD is kind of turn off. But since you are already on disability benefits it wont hurt that much. GAD, SAD, GSAD and depression are likely easier conditions to deal with.

There's really not much point in telling a medical doctor - at best he will just give you SSRIs. You need cognitave behavioral therapy and desensitization for the avpd. Seek out a psychologist for that.