Diagnostic Criteria, Schizoid Personality Disorder

dominicana301 wrote:not bathing and proper hygiene is a trait let me tell you why schizoid's mother schizophrenia often schizoid's have many traits of schizophrenia and schizotypal as well.

This is an exaggeration. I know a schizophrenic and don’t see myself in him. Most schizoids are able to function in the world whereas this is a rollercoaster ride for the schizophrenic. Where are you getting this information?

there is a suspected genetic link between schizophrenic parent and risk of schizoidism. And the similarity I think may lie in anhedonia which is quite typical of some schizophrenics, though I'm not sure. I don't know exactly where I got that information. Probably wikipedia.

All of my life I have felt different. Throughout my childhood I only ever had 1 good friend at a time. I have always been very intellectual and never liked team sports. I have always liked exercising on my own. As a teenager I never fitted in to any group but was never prepared to conform to fit in. I have always loved animals and had a high moral/social concience ( I refused to do PHysical Education if I thought that the bigger girls were being victimized even though I was capable & would state my reasons). I used drugs (pot) from fifteen to eighteen but stopped as I hated the effect of not being in control of myself. I never had boyfriends and While I was always out and at all the party's not many people remember me from this period as I wAs always on the periphery, never really connected to anyone. By the time I was going to night clubs I would get my drink and sit at the back of the club watching everyone " an anthropologist among my own culture". Around this time I was also an avid reader of fiction novels(something which I no longer read) and It gave me the skills to interact better
with others. I have been married twice and did not have a strong connection with either of them (long story) I have 5 friends and while I care about my family I have limited contact with them. I come across as really sociable but keep everyone at a distance. I fall in love rarely (once maybe twice) but am afraid to expose this. Above all I like who I am and will not change for anyone. I may or may not be schizoid, it doesn't matter I like the person I am.

Does anyone feel that SPD is a spectrum disorder? (i.e. ranging from mild to severe)

The reason I ask is because I have a parent that fits the diagnosis pretty well but a few caveats seem to not fit. For example:

My parent is an alcoholic. Sober and in public places/around people they don't know, the diagnosis fits perfectly. When intoxicated, a small glympse of an outgoing personality comes out. It is not like a night and day difference but enough to notice a change.

When I was a kid though, they became a monster with rage (after heavy drinking) when I disobeyed them.

Any thoughts?

-Much appreciated..

It says it's a spectrum disorder on http://www.schizoids.info but whether that's a credible source of information is unknown to me. I find myself agreeing/identifying with most of the stuff there though.

face wrote:It says it's a spectrum disorder on http://www.schizoids.info but whether that's a credible source of information is unknown to me. I find myself agreeing/identifying with most of the stuff there though.

Here's the DSM-IV criteria:


301.20 Schizoid Personality Disorder


Diagnostic Features


The essential feature of Schizoid Personality Disorder is a pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships and a restricted range of expression of emotions in interpersonal settings. This pattern begins by early adulthood and is present in a variety of contexts.


Individuals with Schizoid Personality Disorder appear to lack a desire for intimacy, seem indifferent to opportunities to develop close relationships, and do not seem to derive much satisfaction from being part of a family or other social group (Criterion A1). They prefer spending time by themselves, rather than being with other people. They often appear to be socially isolated or "loners" and almost always choose solitary activities or hobbies that do not include interaction with others (Criterion A2). They prefer mechanical or abstract tasks, such as computer or mathematical games. They may have very little interest in having sexual experiences with another person (Criterion A3) and take pleasure in few, if any, activities (Criterion A4). There is usually a reduced experience of pleasure from sensory, bodily, or interpersonal experiences, such as walking on a beach at sunset or having sex. These individuals have no close friends or confidants, except possibly a first-degree relative (Criterion A5).


Individuals with Schizoid Personality Disorder often seem indifferent to the approval or criticism of others and do not appear to be bothered by what others may think of them (Criterion A6). They may be oblivious to the normal subtleties of social interaction and often do not respond appropriately to social cues so that they seem socially inept or superficial and self-absorbed. They usually display a "bland" exterior without visible emotional reactivity and rarely reciprocate gestures or facial expressions, such as smiles or nods (Criterion A7). They claim that they rarely experience strong emotions such as anger and joy. They often display a constricted affect and appear cold and aloof. However, in those very unusual circumstances in which these individuals become at least temporarily comfortable in revealing themselves, they may acknowledge having painful feelings, particularly related to social interactions.


Schizoid Personality Disorder should not be diagnosed if the pattern of behavior occurs exclusively during the course of Schizophrenia, a Mood Disorder With Psychotic Features, another Psychotic Disorder, or a Pervasive Developmental Disorder or if it is due to the direct physiological effects of a neurological (e.g., temporal lobe epilepsy) or other general medical condition (Criterion B).


Associated Features and Disorders


Individuals with Schizoid Personality Disorder may have particular difficulty expressing anger, even in response to direct provocation, which contributes to the impression that they lack emotion. Their lives sometimes seem directionless, and they may appear to "drift" in their goals. Such individuals often react passively to adverse circumstances and have difficulty responding appropriately to important life events. Because of their lack of social skills and lack of desire for sexual experiences, individuals with this disorder have few friendships, date infrequently, and often do not marry. Occupational functioning may be impaired, particularly if interpersonal involvement is required, but individuals with this disorder may do well when they work under conditions of social isolation. Particularly in response to stress, individuals with this disorder may experience very brief psychotic episodes (lasting minutes to hours). In some instances, Schizoid Personality Disorder may appear as the premorbid antecedent of Delusional Disorder or Schizophrenia. Individuals with this disorder may sometimes develop Major Depressive Disorder. Schizoid Personality Disorder most often co-occurs with Schizotypal, Paranoid, and Avoidant Personality Disorders.


Specific Culture, Age, and Gender Features


Individuals from a variety of cultural backgrounds sometimes exhibit defensive behaviors and interpersonal styles that may be erroneously labeled as schizoid. For example, those who have moved from rural to metropolitan environments may react with "emotional freezing" that may last for several months and be manifested by solitary activities, constricted affect, and other deficits in communication. Immigrants from other countries are sometimes mistakenly perceived as cold, hostile, or indifferent.


Schizoid Personality Disorder may be first apparent in childhood and adolescence with solitariness, poor peer relationships, and underachievement in school, which mark these children or adolescents as different and make them subject to teasing.


Schizoid Personality Disorder is diagnosed slightly more often in males and may cause more impairment in them.


Prevalence


Schizoid Personality Disorder is uncommon in clinical settings.


Familial Pattern


Schizoid Personality Disorder may have increased prevalence in the relatives of individuals with Schizophrenia or Schizotypal Personality Disorder.


Differential Diagnosis


Schizoid Personality Disorder can be distinguished from Delusional Disorder, Schizophrenia, and Mood Disorder With Psychotic Features because these disorders are all characterized by a period of persistent psychotic symptoms (e.g., delusions and hallucinations). To give an additional diagnosis of Schizoid Personality Disorder, the Personality Disorder must have been present before the onset of psychotic symptoms and must persist when the psychotic symptoms are in remission. When an individual has a chronic Axis I Psychotic Disorder (e.g., Schizophrenia) that was preceded by Schizoid Personality Disorder, Schizoid Personality Disorder should be recorded on Axis II followed by "Premorbid" in parentheses.


There may be great difficulty differentiating individuals with Schizoid Personality Disorder from those with milder forms of Autistic Disorder and from those with Asperger's Disorder. Milder forms of Autistic Disorder and Asperger's Disorder are differentiated by more severely impaired social interaction and stereotyped behaviors and interests.


Schizoid Personality Disorder must be distinguished from Personality Change Due to a General Medical Condition, in which the traits emerge due to the direct effects of a general medical condition on the central nervous system. It must also be distinguished from symptoms that may develop in association with chronic substance use (e.g., Cocaine-Related Disorder Not Otherwise Specified).


Other Personality Disorders may be confused with Schizoid Personality Disorder because they have certain features in common. It is, therefore, important to distinguish among these disorders based on differences in their characteristic features. However, if an individual has personality features that meet criteria for one or more Personality Disorders in addition to Schizoid Personality Disorder, all can be diagnosed. Although characteristics of social isolation and restricted affectivity are common to Schizoid, Schizotypal, and Paranoid Personality Disorders, Schizoid Personality Disorder can be distinguished from Schizotypal Personality Disorder by the lack of cognitive and perceptual distortions and from Paranoid Personality Disorder by the lack of suspiciousness and paranoid ideation. The social isolation of Schizoid Personality Disorder can be distinguished from that of Avoidant Personality Disorder, which is due to fear of being embarrassed or found inadequate and excessive anticipation of rejection. In contrast, people with Schizoid Personality Disorder have a more pervasive detachment and limited desire for social intimacy. Individuals with Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder may also show an apparent social detachment stemming from devotion to work and discomfort with emotions, but they do have an underlying capacity for intimacy.


Individuals who are "loners" may display personality traits that might be considered schizoid. Only when these traits are inflexible and maladaptive and cause significant functional impairment or subjective distress do they constitute Schizoid Personality Disorder.


Diagnostic criteria for 301.20 Schizoid Personality Disorder


A. A pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships and a restricted range of expression of emotions in interpersonal settings, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by four (or more) of the following:

(1) neither desires nor enjoys close relationships, including being part of a family

(2) almost always chooses solitary activities

(3) has little, if any, interest in having sexual experiences with another person

(4) takes pleasure in few, if any, activities

(5) lacks close friends or confidants other than first-degree relatives

(6) appears indifferent to the praise or criticism of others

(7) shows emotional coldness, detachment, or flattened affectivity


B. Does not occur exclusively during the course of Schizophrenia, a Mood Disorder With Psychotic Features, another Psychotic Disorder, or a Pervasive Developmental Disorder and is not due to the direct physiological effects of a general medical condition.

Note: If criteria are met prior to the onset of Schizophrenia, add "Premorbid," e.g., "Schizoid Personality Disorder (Premorbid)."

-- 17 Nov 2011, 18:35 --

-- 17 Nov 2011, 18:39 --

jacuzzigirl78 wrote:Does anyone feel that SPD is a spectrum disorder? (i.e. ranging from mild to severe)

I don't feel it, but I do think it.

I'm wondering how many of you who believe you are SPD actually have Asperger's, I never knew how similar they were until now. reading the criteria and the personal accounts here I would almost say I was SPD if it weren't for the desire for intimacy thing.

I scored very low on a test for autism. In the norm anyway.
Can't say what the difference is exactly.

Rascal77s wrote:I'm wondering how many of you who believe you are SPD actually have Asperger's, I never knew how similar they were until now. reading the criteria and the personal accounts here I would almost say I was SPD if it weren't for the desire for intimacy thing.

I scored high enough on a couple of those online Asperger's tests that I decided to be formally evaluated by a psychologist. The psychologist decided that I have SPD, though he downplayed the disorder part.

Astaroth wrote:I haven't been formally diagnosed with schizoid PD but that whole character description fits me perfectly. I even know the specific time in my life when it started manifesting in my life, in 7th grade in middle school. I was a semi-popular kid in grade school. As a young kid, I loved playing outside with other kids, plenty of friends, the whole deal... anyways, in 7th grade, I started feeling a bit different. I noticed within myself that I was withdrawing from friends and social situations. I became even more quiet, introverted and a loner among other things... High school was extremely difficult for me. I developed anxiety from a situation that happened the summer before high school and as a result I suffered from major depression during that time. Over the last year, I've finally let go of the last two friendships that I had because me and my former friends I felt grew apart and that we just didn't have the same things in common much anymore. Also it was too draining to keep the relationships going so I stopped calling and taking calls from them.

This sounds incredibly similar to my situation in terms of the timeline events. When I was younger I was a gifted athlete, popular but I was also the target of a lot of teasing from peers and teachers. In High School I became very shy, quit most sports due to anxiety and bullying. Most people probably consider me the biggest loser around currently, although I see myself as a gifted intellectual. I tend to attract a lot of unwanted attention for reasons I am unaware of. I have difficulty communicating with anyone, including psychologists doctors (and especially my family physician) ect... I often do not respect their level of philosophical knowledge (trying to put this in terms people can understand, I just think they're not smart) however their have been a few physicians who I definitely respected and liked very much. I am curious as to how things played out for you as far as diagnosis ect...