AVPD diagnosed,which therapy worked for you finally?

Hi,i've diagnosed with AVPD 3 years ago,i've tried schema therapy without success,i've got drugs efexor for 1,5 year and stopped them with success,now i'm doing group therapy,started a month ago.

I have most of the symptoms the disorder involving,lack of friendships,lack of relationships,social anxiety,it's hard to open up and talk for my self,introvertion and extreme shyness my worst issues i have to face.

Hi and welcome to the forum.

CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) is considered one of the best for AvPD. I know of members here who have reached a point where an AvPD diagnosis is no longer applicable to them. It took them a lot of hard work, and even on reaching a recovery point, it doesn't mean you'd become the life and soul of the party, but it had enabled them to be able to function well enough and where their symptoms were no longer so disabling.

Everyone's journey will look a little different- I have other disorders and issues that make my diagnosis more complex, so reaching a point of recovered from AvPD is not really possible to me, but any improvement in symptoms is a win.

I hope you have some success with the group therapy. If something's not working for you in your therapy journey, don't be afraid to say so. I've had some therapy methods and therapists who have just really not done anything to help me, and it's often been a case of finding the right people to work with.

The forum is a bit quieter than it once was, but if you want to vent thoughts or ask questions, feel free.

lilyfairy wrote:CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) is considered one of the best for AvPD. I know of members here who have reached a point where an AvPD diagnosis is no longer applicable to them. It took them a lot of hard work, and even on reaching a recovery point, it doesn't mean you'd become the life and soul of the party, but it had enabled them to be able to function well enough and where their symptoms were no longer so disabling.

Every therapy i've tried so far was too slow as progress,i had to give much energy,much money and get back very little of help,i've tried two psychiatrists and one clinical psychologist last 3 years without success,group therapy seems to be good but i have to continue at least 1 year without to stop so to see if it finally will help me.

AVPD many suggest that isn't treatable,curable,no healing at all,my current therapist promised me that i can be healed through group therapy,so i have to wait and see if will improve at least some of major negative symptoms such as introvertion,extreme shyness,social anxiety and stress,expressing emotions,feelings.

Most forms of therapy are not quick, unless you happen to be dealing with a single issue- say stress at work, but once it gets more complex it becomes a much bigger task. Everything is going to take time and hard work.

AvPD is one of the more treatable personality disorders, but it will take time and patience. Also, please don't be hard on yourself if you don't feel you are seeing progress. Sometimes the progress is not easily noticeable either. Often it will be something little you pick up on some time later. I've been doing some trauma therapy over the past two years or so, and some months later I had a sudden realisation that I'd had a huge reduction in headaches, but it was only when I saw the painkillers on the kitchen counter and realised I'd not gone through half as many as I normally would. Or weeks later when I realised that certain flashbacks were no longer consuming me like they once had.

lilyfairy wrote:Most forms of therapy are not quick, unless you happen to be dealing with a single issue- say stress at work, but once it gets more complex it becomes a much bigger task. Everything is going to take time and hard work.

AvPD is one of the more treatable personality disorders, but it will take time and patience. Also, please don't be hard on yourself if you don't feel you are seeing progress. Sometimes the progress is not easily noticeable either. Often it will be something little you pick up on some time later. I've been doing some trauma therapy over the past two years or so, and some months later I had a sudden realisation that I'd had a huge reduction in headaches, but it was only when I saw the painkillers on the kitchen counter and realised I'd not gone through half as many as I normally would. Or weeks later when I realised that certain flashbacks were no longer consuming me like they once had.

I know that there is no quick fix,i have read about several possible therapies such as DBT,the know CBT,EMDR,Trauma therapy as you mentioned,Group Therapy and many more that promising treatment,but AVPD is a cluster c disorder which mean anxious or fearful behaviors.

I had tried some social skill training seminars online,but failed to deliver me practical help,lost money there.I have no friends,only 1 i can say as stable friend,no relationship with women,lack of personal and sexual life for 37 years of this life.

Majestic35 wrote:but AVPD is a cluster c disorder which mean anxious or fearful behaviors.

I had tried some social skill training seminars online,but failed to deliver me practical help,lost money there.I have no friends,only 1 i can say as stable friend,no relationship with women,lack of personal and sexual life for 37 years of this life.

By nature, we do avoid things, and therapy unfortunately also comes into that challenge. Other than friends I have online, I don't really have anyone I'd talk to about things either. I keep to myself and avoid most social situations. I often feel as though I'd like to feel something closer with people, but at the same time, I really don't.

I've read books, and looked into online stuff before, but found them a bit cookie cutter-type, and only occasionally found something that might be worth a try/be helpful to me. Most focused on more mild anxiety and depression, which usually ended up feeling kind of trivialising.

Can avoidant personality disorder be cured? Because AVPD is an understudied condition, it is not as well understood as other mental health disorders. Like other personality disorders, however, AVPD is currently thought to be a chronic, lifelong condition that cannot be cured.

https://www.psycom.net/avoidant-persona ... -treatment

I need to get healed,i cannot live anymore without stable friends,or without a relationship,i'm 37 yo and still in parent's house,whom are overcritical and strict at times.

That's probably the problem, you are keeping in relationship with your abusers who have vested interests to keep you that way. So you need to cut the cycle and be independent by moving away.

Then you can start thinking about getting external help. If you don't do that, you don't really want to change.

1PolarBear wrote:That's probably the problem, you are keeping in relationship with your abusers who have vested interests to keep you that way. So you need to cut the cycle and be independent by moving away.

Then you can start thinking about getting external help. If you don't do that, you don't really want to change.

I cannot be financially alone,i have just a basic salary.You are saying i don't want to change,i understand that i fear to change or make any change.