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Avoidant Personality DisorderAvoidant personality disorder can also sometimes be referred to as anxious personality disorder. It is a personality disorder that is often characterized by an individual pattern of social inhibition, consistent feelings of inadequacy and/or an extreme sensitivity to any negative evaluation. Many people with this condition consider themselves to be inept socially of unappealing personally to other people. For this reason they often avoid social interaction with other people because they fear they may be humiliated or ridiculed by others. Most often avoidant personality disorder is seen in early adulthood. Psychologists have found that it is often associated with a perceived or actual rejection of the individual by their parents or peers during their childhood. Diagnosis CriteriaBeginning in an individuals early adulthood there is a variety of contexts that can be used to indicate avoidant personality disorder. Four of more of the following symptoms can mean a person is suffering from avoidant personality disorder:
Relations to Other Mental DisordersPsychologists have found through recent studies that those who are diagnosed with avoidant personality disorder often have social phobias as well. They often excessively monitor their internal reactions when they are faced with social interaction. The difference between a social phobia and avoidant personality disorder is the fact that a person with the disorder will also try to excessively monitor the reactions of people that they are interacting with. Because of this monitoring a person with avoidant personality disorder may often have hesitant speech since they are preoccupied with monitoring themselves and others. People with anxiety disorders often have avoidant personality disorder. Ten to fifty percent of people with panic disorders will be diagnosed with avoidant personality disorder. In addition about twenty to forty percent of people who have a social phobia will have the disorder. Over half of the people with obsessive-compulsive disorder will be diagnosed with the disorder. Some psychologists have also begun to suggest a new personality disorder that has a combination of avoidant personality disorder features and some features of borderline personality disorder. The psychologists have called this avoidant-borderline mixed personality. Course of Avoidant Personality DisorderIndividuals who suffer from avoidant personality disorder will often have extreme cycles of withdrawal. During these cycles the individual will often create an anticipation for rejection. As a result many people believe the individual suffering from the disorder does not like then and will then avoid the person. This increases the individuals fear of rejection and encourages their withdrawal. Treatment of Avoidant Personality DisorderThere are various techniques that are used to help treat avoidant personality disorder. Among these are social skills training, cognitive therapy, exposure treatment to social contacts that are gradually increased, group therapy to allow the individual to practice their social skills and occasionally drug therapy will be employed. One of the biggest factors in treatment is the psychologists ability to gain and keep the trust of their client. People who have avoidant personality disorder will often avoid treatment sessions if they distrust their therapist or fear they will be rejected by their therapist. Social skills group training is important to help a person with avoidant personality disorder to challenge their negative beliefs. |
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