Does Birth Order, as Only Child Add Up to AVPD?

I realize when I was growing up I watched a favorite tv show. It was called, "Party of Five" and the youngest child, a good 5 years younger than the next was always told to "Go away." and "we are busy." by her family. So she essentially raised herself. I was mad at how bad she was treated. I just got it. I was mad because it was exactly how I grew up. And I suspect, given it's similarities to descriptions of an only child, that there is a parallel between AVPD and only children, or later solo kids riased as the 5+ years youngest one.

I'm wondering if others may identify too?

I looked and see an old old thread like this:
avoidant-personality/topic10315.html

But I don't think being an only child necessarily means you will get treated badly.

^That thread is an interesting read. From what I saw most there were only children (I'm an only child), and whether they were or not they seemed to feel as if they were constantly struggling to meet people's expectations of them. I felt like this a lot growing up. Getting away from people I knew (even if I escaped into a crowd of strangers) made me feel like I could finally breathe. I often as a kid thought obsessively about running away, and how I'd manage to make it on my own.

I don't think it's the number of siblings or birth order itself but rather how parents treat their child/children. I'm an only child and do not relate to what you described at all, my parents always treated me well.

The only thing that perhaps was different, was that I had only few rules and many freedoms. As long as the school grades were decent, it didn't really matter to them how I spent my time. Unfortunately, freedom of choice often overwhelms me and I don't do much in the end

Holodeck wrote:^That thread is an interesting read. From what I saw most there were only children (I'm an only child), and whether they were or not they seemed to feel as if they were constantly struggling to meet people's expectations of them. I felt like this a lot growing up. Getting away from people I knew (even if I escaped into a crowd of strangers) made me feel like I could finally breathe. I often as a kid thought obsessively about running away, and how I'd manage to make it on my own.

It's a great description you got there, I know this feeling. Being away from the people I knew, felt like being released from some some kind of ties or shackles. I always felt as if, once you got a certain role in society, only rather drastic measures allowed you to break free from it. Or perhaps I just didn't find easier ways yet.