Not sure

I am not sure whether I have SPD, but it seems likely to me. Every single SPD characteristic in the DSM IV and ICD 10 describes me. So at least now I have some inkling that I might not be a late-blooming sociopath, but just a person with a definable personality disorder.

It doesn't seem to me to be too much of a disorder, aside from feeling alienated by a society based on interactions I have no craving and little patience for. I used to think it was just me, but it seems there are others who feel the same way.

Hi, mariogreymist,
Welcome to the club, and the forum. Now you can relax; you have a name for your nature.

mariogreymist wrote:I am not sure whether I have SPD, but it seems likely to me. Every single SPD characteristic in the DSM IV and ICD 10 describes me. So at least now I have some inkling that I might not be a late-blooming sociopath, but just a person with a definable personality disorder.

It doesn't seem to me to be too much of a disorder, aside from feeling alienated by a society based on interactions I have no craving and little patience for. I used to think it was just me, but it seems there are others who feel the same way.

I'm wondering if I have SPD as well. I just finished a long internship in my graduate program and my supervisor had me come in to review her assessment of my work. She said I wrote beautifully, was always professional... ad nauseam. The one thing she said which was not complimentary was that I often seemed as if I couldn't get away from her fast enough, and that I seemed to avoid my coworkers. This is true, but I thought I did a good job of concealing it. Oh well...

I have believed for some time that I have a mental condition(s). I wondered if I had ADHD because I feel distracted sometimes in the presence of others. I wondered if I had an anxiety disorder because I hate doing presentations in front of large groups (often required in my classes). However, I really have no trouble getting everything done like many with ADHD (I have a very high GPA and always have) - it's just that other people make me uncomfortable sometimes (most of the time). What I have read about PSD so far seems a bit contradictory with regard to anxiety. One piece said it has nothing to do with anxiety and another said it very much does. I have anxiety or discomfort around most others, but feel completely well when alone.

Until I read about SPD, I thought it was related to schizophrenia - sort of "schizophrenia light". Not sure why I thought that, but it never crossed my mind that I may have it since I have never had any hallucinations or imagined others were conspiring against me. Once I read the list of symtoms for SPD, I was amazed. It was like reading a description of myself.

Kevin wrote:Until I read about SPD, I thought it was related to schizophrenia - sort of "schizophrenia light". Not sure why I thought that, but it never crossed my mind that I may have it since I have never had any hallucinations or imagined others were conspiring against me. Once I read the list of symtoms for SPD, I was amazed. It was like reading a description of myself.

Your assumption that it was related to schizophrenia is not too far off the mark:

American Heritage Dictionary wrote:
schiz·oid (skĭt'soid')
1. Of, relating to, or having a personality disorder marked by extreme shyness, flat affect, reclusiveness, discomfort with others, and an inability to form close relationships.
2. Of, relating to, or suggestive of schizophrenia. No longer in scientific use.
3. Informal Relating to or characterized by the coexistence of disparate or antagonistic elements: "This schizoid town is part resort, part sardine cannery" (Jean Anderson).

I'll add that the two parts of the word schizoid "schiz(o)" and "oid" means respectively "split" and "alike/resembling". In schizophrenia the meaning is clearer as it consists of the two words "schizo" - split and phrenia where "phren" is greek for mind. So a loose translation would be "split mind condition" (-ia denoting condition). The reason for the "oid" part in schizoid was because schizoid was originally thought to be a preliminary stage to or a milder version of schizophrenia. Incidentally there are such "schizophrenic lights", but that condition is called "schizoaffective". The word schizoid was reapplied to the personality disorder in 1980 which means that older literature may mean something a bit different when talking about schizoid, but what it actually means depends on when it was written. There has been more than one change of meaning.

Anyway, welcome to the monkey house (I'm sure Puma appreciates this greeting). As you seem to be both high-functioning as schizoids go and at the start of your working life you may have a chance of limiting the problems caused by SPD.

when I first read the DMI or whatever its called I was shocked It felt like someone was describing me, then I was confused and I thought wow my personality is a disorder, I bet everyone on here felt the way I did

Thanks for your response (and word of encouragement). I'm looking forward to learning more about SPD over the coming weeks. In one of the articles I read, it said that people with SPD often form strong attachments to animals. I really have with my two cats, and did with my former dog (R.I.P.).

I do well with people as long as it is a one-on-one scenario (except with my supervisor for some reason, although she is very nice). I think the fact that she was my supervisor is what made me uncomfortable with her. Weird, I know. I also have a tendency to "mirror" people - and purport to agree with whatever they are saying. I think I am overcoming this insincere habit as I get older though.

The "disorder" part of it is debatable.