Schizoid Personality Disorder - mentalhealth.com

Diagnostic Features:

Schizoid Personality Disorder is a condition characterized by excessive detachment from social relationships and a restricted range of expression of emotions in interpersonal settings. This disorder is only diagnosed when these behaviors become persistent and very disabling or distressing. This disorder should not be diagnosed if the distrust and suspiciousness occurs exclusively during the course of Schizophrenia, a Mood Disorder With Psychotic Features, or another Psychotic Disorder or if it is due to the direct physiological effects of a neurological (e.g., temporal lobe epilepsy) or other general medical condition.

Complications:

Individuals with this disorder may have particular difficulty expressing anger, which contributes to the impression that they lack emotion. Their lives sometimes seem directionless, and they appear to ?drift? in their goals. These individuals often react passively to adversity and have difficulty responding appropriately to important life events. Because of their lack of social skills and lack of desire for sexual experiences, individuals with this disorder have few friendships and often do not marry. Occupational functioning may be impaired, particularly if interpersonal involvement is required, but individuals with this disorder may do well when they work under conditions of social isolation.

Comorbidity:

In response to stress, individuals with this disorder may experience very brief psychotic episodes (lasting minutes to hours). If the psychotic episode lasts longer, this disorder may actually develop into Delusional Disorder or Schizophrenia. Individuals with this disorder are at increased risk for Major Depressive Disorder. Other Personality Disorders (especially Schizotypal, Schizoid, and Avoidant) often co-occur with this disorder.

Associated Laboratory Findings:

No laboratory test has been found to be diagnostic of this disorder.

Prevalence:

Schizoid Personality Disorder is uncommon in clinical settings. This disorder occurs slightly more commonly in males.

Course:

This disorder may be first apparent in childhood and adolescence with solitariness, poor peer relationships, underachievement in school, which may attract teasing from their peers. The course of this disorder is chronic.

Familial Pattern:

This disorder is more common among first-degree biological relatives of those with Schizophrenia or Schizotypal Personality Disorder.

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