How others have described you.

Weird. (Always have to put this one first - I am a weird man.)

Strange.

Soft spoken

Silent

Lonesome

Talented

Angry

Uncaring

Insensative

Have been all names in the book. My crowning achievement was the day my OWN mother called me a S.O.B. in a fit of anger where she had ran out of all other cursewords to call me!

Drama King

Thoughtful

Thoughtless

Selfish

Kind

Bizarre

One-track minded

Is it an AvPD thing to be fascinated/preoccupied with how others see you? That would explain the 'egotistical' label. I know I've been very interested in what others thought when I felt I didn't know myself very well.

I think the most apt thing I've been called was 'alexithymic'.

Yes it is. Avoidants, in general, monitor not only themselves but others quite intensly during social interaction.
Actually most people probably think Avoidants and Schizoids have the most in common, in terms of P.S.'s. While the external manifestation in regards to social life may justify this assertation I believe it is slightly superficial.
I think Avoidants and Narcissists have an incrediable amount in common on a much deeper level. For example Avoidants and Narcissists are both extremely self-absorbed and are obssessed with how they are judged by other people. Moreover both P.D.'s. are predicated by severe esteem issues, although different coping mechanisms are employed to address the said issue.
Also both Narcissists and Avoidants are quite selfish. Of course an Avoidant will almost invariably have more empathy than a Narcissist both reject others before they can reject them, in different manners, due to esteem issues.
Finally, unlike Schizoids and Sociopaths, Avoidants and Narcissits depend on how others perceive them to give their lives meaning.

Agreed on. Excellent analysis actually, at least I would fit in there quite well. I only appear schizoid regarding physical contact.And my mother once called me an emotionless monster, but that doesn't really count.

Avoidants v. Narcissists

Asuka, I also thought that was a very interesting analysis/comparison. For discussion purposes (I don't claim to know what's right), I would like to challenge a couple of things, though.

I think some of the statements have as a premise that it is incorrect or not normal to measure one's self against how others perceive you. I understand that it is good to be happy with one's self, but unless one is a hermit, a person living in society has some level of interaction with others in families, schools, jobs, commerce, etc. and how one is perceived by others is a legitimate measure of being a successful part of that society. Receiving reinforcement that others perceive you as a successful member of that society would seem to make one happier than being unsuccessful. So, I think it is normal and natural to want others to perceive you favorably and to be looking for signs as to whether they are or are not perceiving you favorably.

"Avoidants and Narcissists are both extremely self-absorbed and are obsessed with how they are judged by other people."

OK - it's the obsessed part that I guess should be emphasized. Shouldn't every one care how they are judged by others? It's learning not to obsess over it that is important, isn't it?

"Also both Narcissists and Avoidants are quite selfish."

How are they selfish? If the conclusion is just because they care how they are perceived, then I disagree. Your recognition that Avoidants are empathetic, I think, contradicts this conclusion. Avoidants care about how they are perceived and they care about others, too. I don't think that makes them selfish.

"Avoidants and Narcissists depend on how others perceive them to give their lives meaning."

I stated my premise above. I think all people, except hermits, depend on how others perceive them. It's the obsessing and the inability to correctly interpret what they monitor that causes problems for Avoidants.

quiet, shy, reticent, diffident, nice, "most likely to stand around saying nothing interesting (while rocking back and forth awkwardly)" [that one was someone's suggestion for my "most likely" in yearbook], down on myself, super-cynical, whack job...

I'll edit when I think of more. People don't really describe me that often.