Avoidant Personality Disorder is a fairly common personality disorder characterized by severe shyness or a worry of being rejected or embarrassed. It often forces people to isolate themselves, preventing them from living a happy and satisfying life. It is possible to recognize many symptoms that accompany this disorder, but to obtain a diagnosis, it is necessary to consult a mental health professional who specializes in this area.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Recognizing the Symptoms of Avoidant Personality Disorder
Step 1. Consider strong shyness
One of the most obvious symptoms of this disorder is a severe sense of social inhibition, which goes beyond mere shyness. A person affected by this psychological condition may give the impression of being frightened or extremely tense whenever he is in circumstances that force him to interact with other people.
Step 2. Pay attention to social relationships
Often, those with avoidant personality disorder do not have close friends or romantic relationships. This situation may be due to the fact that he feels socially inadequate.
- When he feels emotionally involved, he is extremely controlled due to the strong fear of being rejected.
- Even though she has a hard time forming relationships with people, she wants to establish important bonds and can fantasize about what her life would be like if she had any.
Step 3. Notice what kind of activities to avoid
People with avoidant personality disorder tend to escape from situations that lead them to interact with others, such as at school, at work, or during recreational activities.
Many also avoid engaging in new or unfamiliar activities for fear of embarrassment
Step 4. Observe reactions to criticism
People with avoidant personality disorder have a tendency to be extremely sensitive to criticism, or even comments that they perceive critically. He may feel that others are continually judging him, even when he is reassured to the contrary.
- Some people with this disorder avoid activities in which they fear they will fail so as not to run the risk of being criticized for their poor performance.
- They may feel that they are being criticized in contexts that others do not take seriously, such as during a game.
Step 5. Notice if he is overly pessimistic
A person with avoidant personality disorder tends to overestimate the negative aspects of a situation. You may find that he is obsessed with the fear that problems may arise and that you consider them much more serious than they are.
Part 2 of 3: Distinguishing Avoidant Personality Disorder from Other Disorders with Similar Characteristics
Step 1. Rule out schizoid personality disorder
Both avoidant and schizoid are personality disorders that can cause people to avoid socializing, but there is a substantial difference between the two. People with the first disorder are generally very upset when they isolate themselves and want to get involved with others, while a person with schizoid personality disorder usually does not allow themselves to be distressed by the lack of social interactions.
Step 2. Consider the possibility of social anxiety disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder and Avoidant Personality Disorder are very similar, so it is nearly impossible for those not proficient in this field to tell them apart. Typically, those with avoidant personality disorder exhibit more symptoms than those with social anxiety, and their symptoms are characterized by strong social inhibition.
- People who have only a few symptoms of avoidant personality disorder may actually have social anxiety disorder, but a mental health professional needs to decide on this diagnosis.
- There is a possibility that some people will be diagnosed with both disorders, which further complicates the distinction between these two conditions.
Step 3. Learn about other ailments that can lead to a lack of self-confidence
Avoidant Personality Disorder is not the only psychiatric condition that can generate low self-confidence and a sense of inadequacy. Before assuming that an individual has avoidant personality disorder, consider other similar personality disorders as well.
- Like people with avoidant personality disorder, those with histrionic personality disorder tend to lack self-esteem. The most important difference is that the latter tend to do everything to receive confirmation and approval from others, often in a negative or destructive way, while the former completely avoid contact with others.
- Dependent Personality Disorder is also characterized by a lack of self-esteem and fear of abandonment. However, sufferers tend to attach themselves to one individual instead of shirking from any kind of social interaction. Plus, she struggles to make decisions on her own - and that's not a feature of avoidant personality disorder.
Part 3 of 3: Getting the Diagnosis from a Professional
Step 1. Undergo a full physical exam
If you think you have avoidant personality disorder (or someone you know has it), the first step in getting a diagnosis is to see a doctor. It will rule out any physical conditions that may be causing the symptoms.
The visit will consist of a physical examination and a detailed analysis of the patient's personal and family history
Step 2. Consult a mental health professional
If no health problems are identified, the doctor will likely advise the patient to consult a mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist, who specializes in diagnosing personality disorders, including avoidant personality disorder.
- This visit will consist of a rather in-depth interview. The psychiatrist or psychologist will want to know what symptoms the patient is experiencing, when they started and how they have progressed over time.
- There are no medical tests to diagnose avoidant personality disorder. Diagnosis is made on the basis of observations of the patient's behavior and the symptoms he reports.
- Once the diagnosis is made, the specialist will encourage the patient to undergo psychotherapy to help manage the symptoms of avoidant personality disorder.
Step 3. Get a diagnosis in case of concomitant conditions
Some people with avoidant personality disorder also suffer from other mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression. A thorough psychiatric evaluation should detect whether other mental illnesses contribute to aggravating the symptoms of avoidant personality disorder.
