Paranoid

Schizoid personality disorder has a complicated past. It was originally conceptualized as the personality type associated with schizophrenia. However, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders states that schizoid personality disorder should not be diagnosed if the pattern of behavior occurs exclusively during the course of schizophrenia. But this does not mean that the two cannot co-occur. Schizoid personality disorder most often co-occurs with schizotypal, paranoid, and avoidance personality disorders. At the turn of the twentieth century, schizoid personality disorder was described as a trait-like variant of schizophrenia. Others described it as “shut-in personality,” “schizoidie,” and even as “autistic personality.” The term schizoid was also used in broader terms to identify socially withdrawn patients who had great difficulty with intimacy and peculiar behavior now associated with schizotypal personality disorder.

However schizoid personality disorder can be differentiated from other disorders. Schizoid personality disorder is different from schizotypal personality disorder in that schizotypal personality disorder lacks the cognitive and perceptual distortions that are associated with schizoid personality

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This is because the pattern of detachment from social settings and restricted range of expression of emotions lead to a lack of desire for intimacy and close relationships. It was previously broadly defined, but now it is divided into three different categories: schizoid, avoidant and schizotypal personality disorders. Despite these beliefs the research has been done. The formers are characterized by a period of persistent psychotic symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations.

The diagnostic criteria for schizoid personality disorder offers a list of symptoms which the individual must have four or more of to be diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder. After he returned home, he drifted aimlessly from job to job before he finally gave up his search for an occupation that suited him.

Group therapy may be an alternative treatment to consider, although it is usually not a good as an initial treatment for schizoid personality disorder. It can be distinguished from paranoid personality disorder by the lack of suspiciousness and paranoid ideation. There is more research on normal personalities than abnormal, but the results for abnormal personalities still do reveal some information. Siever and Davis showed that dopamine is linked to schizoid personality disorder in 1991, and also showed that diminished serotonin activity is linked to antisocial personalities. Also the fact that they produce a bland exterior without any visible emotional reactivity is also a contributing factor. However, some psychoanalysts deny genetics can be the cause of a personality disorder. They usually “drift” along towards them, instead of pursuing them head on, as evidenced by the case study of Raymond A. People who suffer from this disorder see little to no reason for social interactions and often will remain quite quiet in group settings, contributing little or no help to others and offering little or no help to themselves. Temperament also plays a role in schizoid personality disorder.

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