Schizoid And Schizotypal Personality Disorders
There are some people in the world that are eccentric. There are others who have disorders that cause them to be peculiarly eccentric and uninterested in most human contact. Schizoid and Schizotypal Personality Disorders are not necessarily dangerous or harmful to anyone. The difficulty is in the capability of the suffering person to interact with other people in normal situations. Increased social interaction seems only to make matters worse for these people, but they do find relief in the company of animals or even machines. The disorders are similar to each other, but are not exactly the same as each other.
Schizoid Personality Disorder
A person with Schizoid Personality Disorder has no problem functioning until it comes to social situations. She does not appreciate or desire the company of other humans. She is awkward and maybe even resorts to forced reactions when confronted with social situations. She is however, very comfortable in isolated situations. She can work the shifts that others find to be boring and endlessly long because of the lack of human contact. This person is obviously different than the people around her because of her withdrawn nature and lack of a show of emotion. Others may even say that she does not have emotion. Most activities are not enjoyable and this person feels no need to impress others or gain their approval. She may find a good friend in a pet, however. Having the pet does not increase desire for human contact, but may bring some social interaction and a little bit of joy into the person’s life.
Schizotypal Personality Disorder
The person with Schizotypal Personality Disorder has many similarities to the person with Schizoid Personality Disorder. Both are uncomfortable in social situations and both have very little emotional expression. The person with Schizotypal Personality Disorder does show feelings of suspicion. He does care what other people think of him and is usually convinced that he is being talked about, laughed at and judged. He considers everything surrounding him to be full of meaning and symbolism. He probably has some unusual beliefs, whether they are religious or not. Like the person described above, he appears to be different than others, but more significantly. His mannerisms, gestures and dress all draw attention to him. While he is suspicious of most people’s intentions, this suspicion may draw him to special interest groups that hold the same theories of conspiracy or cult mindsets.
While some personality disorders are difficult to diagnose, both of the disorders described above refer to people who seem extremely eccentric and unable to cope with social situations. Not every eccentric person should be described as having one of the disorders listed here, but if the problems are pervasive, affecting every area of life for an extended period of time, there is a definite possibility that a problem exists. The best course of action for a person with one of these disorders is to find a place to belong. He or she should find an activity that he or she can enjoy and put time and energy into. Dealing with the general population will be easier if they aren’t able to pick the person out as being different, so trying to fit in will also be helpful.
Frances, Allen MD and First, Michael B. MD. Your Mental Health: A Layman’s Guide to
the Psychiatrist’s Bible. New York: Scribner, 1998.
