Avoidant Personality Disorder

About Avoidant Personality Disorder

Avoidant personality disorder is a pervasive pattern of social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation, beginning by early adulthood. People with the disorder avoid work or social activities that involve significant interpersonal contact because of fear of criticism or rejection, are unwilling to get involved with others unless certain of being liked, show restraint in intimate relationships because of fear of being shamed, are preoccupied with being criticized in social situations, and view themselves as socially inept or inferior. Unlike people with schizoid personality disorder, they usually want relationships but feel unable to pursue them. It overlaps substantially with social anxiety disorder, and some researchers regard the two as points on a continuum of severity. The condition often co occurs with depression and other anxiety disorders and is associated with limited social networks and difficulties in work and education. Contributing factors are thought to include temperament, such as shyness and behavioral inhibition in childhood, and experiences of rejection or criticism. Treatment usually involves psychotherapy, particularly cognitive behavioral therapy with gradual exposure to social situations and work on negative beliefs about oneself, as well as schema therapy and psychodynamic approaches. Medications used for social anxiety, such as SSRIs, are sometimes used for anxiety symptoms.