Avoidant Personality Disorder - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Avoidant Personality Disorder is characterized by marked social inhibition  and extremely sensitive to criticism. Avoidant personality disorder is a psychiatric condition. People with this disorder have an inferior self-perception and are preoccupied with external views. Avoidant personality disorder (APD) ís considered to be an active-detached personality pattern, meaning that avoidants purposefully avoid people due to fears of humiliation & rejection. Avoidant personality disorder usually is first noticed in early adulthood, and is associated with perceived or actual rejection by parent or peers during childhood. Whether the feeling of rejection is due to the extreme interpersonal monitoring attributed to people with the disorder is still disputed. Avoidant personality disorder is reported to be especially prevalent in people with anxiety disorders, although estimates of comorbidity vary widely due to differences in (among others) diagnostic instruments. may also be avoided for fear of being rejected and worrying about embarrassing themselves.People with avoidant personality disorder are preoccupied with their own shortcomings and form relationships with others only if they believe they will not be rejected. Loss and rejection are so painful that these individuals will choose to be lonely rather than risk trying to connect with others.

Avoidant personality disorder important environmental factor is parental rejection. Rejection by parents appears to be particularly devastating. Peer Rejection is a 2nd environmental factor implicated ín the emergence of APD. Criticism and disagreement is perceived as ridicule, shaming and rejection. This leads sufferers to only interacting with those who are sure to like them. Avoidance may also be recommended by parents, peers, teachers, entertainers, religious leaders & the media as protection against the evils of the world. Unresolved rivalry with siblings has been suspected of inducing transferential jealous competition among individuals, leading to avoidant behavior. Treatment of avoidant personality disorder can employ various techniques, such as social skills training , cognitive therapy , exposure treatment to gradually increase social contacts, group therapy for practicing social skills, and sometimes drug therapy. Antidepressant medications can often reduce sensitivity to rejection.

Causes of Avoidant Personality Disorder

Find common causes and risk factors of Avoidant Personality Disorder

• Chromosomal or nervous system disorders..
• Environmental factors.
• Genetic factors.
• Shaming and rejection.
• Peer Rejection.

Signs and Symptoms of Avoidant Personality Disorder

Sign and symptoms of Avoidant Personality Disorder

• Aalways chooses solitary activities
• Interest in having sexual experiences with another person
• Takes pleasure in few, if any, activities
• Lacks close friends or confidants other than first-degree relatives
• Appears indifferent to the praise or criticism of others
• Shows emotional coldness, detachment and flattened affectivity

Treatment of Avoidant Personality Disorder

Common Treatment of Avoidant Personality Disorder

• Treatment of avoidant personality disorder can employ various techniques, such as social skills training , cognitive therapy , exposure treatment to gradually increase social contacts.
• Group therapy for practicing social skills, and sometimes drug therapy.
• Antidepressant medications can often reduce sensitivity to rejection.