Avoidant Personality Disorder Symptoms and Causes

Personalities are categorized according to inherent characteristics. Depending upon nature, sociability and reaction to stimuli people tend to judge a person. Studies in psychology have enabled people to categorize personalities. An ideal personality has many characteristics. A person is expected to follow ideal personality.

avoidant personality disorder

Corrections can be made to personality to become more adaptable. Normally an ideal personality will adjust to world and society amicably. He/she will be socially happy and will have rich inward life. But due to interpersonal and intrapersonal coercion personality begins to defer. Some take a balanced path while others take a more extreme path. Whatever be the circumstances a person should try to adjust to outward world by bringing subtle changes to his inner world.

What is avoidant personality disorder

An avoidant personality disorder is characterized by extreme negation to social life. The person with avoidant personality disorder feels inadequate and is affected by what others think of him. Around one percent of population has avoidant personality disorder. In this personality disorder the person feels he is socially inept. He fears of criticism. He wants to avoid the company of people. He avoids people and seeks isolation. He moves into his own shell in fear of interacting with people.

Avoidant personality begins to hamper the occupational life of the person. Due to fear of rejection he avoids making contacts with people. This makes him socially awkward and a loner. Avoidant personality disorder begins with adulthood. This continues for a long time.

If corrective steps are not taken then the person loses his plush time and energy. Another problem of avoidant personality is that the person may fantasize and wish for an ideal relationship. When he does not get such a relationship he becomes frustrated. The avoidant personality disorder will show restraint in intimate relationships also.

Prominent Causes

No single factor can be isolated for this disorder. It is believed that genetic and environmental factors are responsible for avoidant personality disorder. This disorder occurs because the early childhood of the person may be neglectful.

The personality disorder leads to extreme social boycott. The personality disorder is due to biosocial model of causation. The disorder is very complex and is caused due to many social and genetic factors. It begins to show early in adulthood. Usually person feels inferior to others and shuns social life. The disorder is also heredity in nature. If a person has this disorder then there is likelihood of this disorder to be passed down to children.

Treatment options

Avoidant personality disorder can also lead to substance abuse and depression. The disorder can also lead to schizophrenia. This personality disorder if left untreated can lead to breakdown of a person. The person since is hypersensitive to criticism can have broken homes. The best way to treat avoidant personality disorder is by psychotherapy.

In psychotherapy the person is given a chance by the therapist to change his mood, behavior, performance and manner. Psychotherapy involves lots of patience. The person is required to think of ways of problem solving. He is required to reach out to people. Thus through psychotherapy the person can reach to world and get over this disorder.

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