Comparing Avoidant Personality Disorder and Schizoid Personality Disorder

A personality disorder is a mental illness that develops when a person has difficulty relating to others and even himself during specific situations. Two types of personality disorders that share some similarities are avoidant personality disorder and schizoid personality disorder. However, these disorders do have key differences.

What is schizoid personality disorder?

The person with schizoid personality disorder is completely unable to form any personal relationships. They are uncomfortable being with and interacting with others and prefer isolation over human interaction. This is not to be confused with schizophrenia which is characterized by hallucinations and losing contact with reality.

What is avoidant personality disorder?

The person with avoidant personality disorder desires human interaction and contact but is overwhelming afraid of rejection. The result is shyness, social withdrawal, and few if any close relationships. The people they have formed close relationships with will see a person who is highly sensitive and has a hard time trusting others.

Are men and women equally affected by these personality disorders?

Avoidant personality disorder appears to affect men and women equally. More men tend to be diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder.

Which is more common, avoidant or schizoid personality disorder?

It is estimated that 1% of the American population is affected with avoidant personality disorder. Because most people with schizoid personality disorder rarely receive treatment, it is difficult to determine how prevalent it is within the general population. Estimates are anywhere from 3-7%.

How do avoidant and schizoid personality disorders develop?

Avoidant personality disorder may have a genetic connection since this disorder tends to be more common in certain families. Another theory is parental rejection that is only reinforced by peers while growing up.

Heredity may also play a part in whether or not a person develops schizoid personality disorder. It is thought that a childhood lacking in empathy and nurturing may also contribute to the development of this disorder.

How do you treat avoidant and schizoid personality disorders?

Antidepressants can help the person with avoidant personality disorder deal with fears of rejection. A combination of psychotherapy and cognitive therapy can help treat this disorder by exploring what the underlying cause is. Medications and talk therapy together work better than one treatment or the other.

Psychotherapy is the most common form of therapy used to treat schizoid personality disorder. Medications are generally not used unless the person has another mental illness like depression.

Note: This article is for information purposes only. Please speak with your doctor if you suspect one of the above personality disorders.

Sources:

PubMed (National Institutes for Health), Avoidant Personality Disorder

MayoClinic website, Personality Disorder

Cleveland Clinic website, Schizoid Personality Disorder

Townsend, Mary C. (2009), Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing (6^thed), F.A. Davis Company: Philadelphia, pp 669-670 and 673-674