Avoidant
Personality Disorder: Most of the people have this disorder but they
don’t recognize that they have it. Of course this disorder is not such a
dangerous disorder if they know they had it but if they don’t know that they
had it, it’s really dangerous thing.
Avoidant
Personality Disorder (AVPD) is a recognized disorder which is
characterized by a hypersensitivity to criticism, intense self loathing and a
strong desire to isolate themselves. Sufferers believe that they lack social
skills, and feel they don’t know or understand “the rules”. Hence, they tend to
avoid social situations to avoid the pain of rejection by others.
People in a close relationship with them often feel
frustrated by the person’s tendency to pull away from them and avoid other
people. They also find it hard to lead an active social life as the sufferer
refuses to go to events such as family gathering, work parties and so on. Also,
they may feel pressurised to cut themselves off, too, and live in a bubble with
the AVPD person. This can be a source of stress for the person and the extended
family.
Although people with AVPD will generally display a number of
the traits outlined below, each person is unique and different. (Also, most of
us display avoidant traits at times but that doesn’t mean we have AVPD).
Symptoms and traits include the following:“always” &
“never” statements; blaming; catastrophizing (automatically assuming a “worst
case scenario”); circular conversations (endless arguments which repeat the
same patterns); “control-me” syndrome (a tendency to form relationships with
people who are controlling, narcissistic or antisocial); dependency;
depression; emotional blackmail; false accusations; fear of abandonment;
hypervigilance; identity disturbance ( a
distorted view of oneself); impulsivity; lack of object constancy (the
inability to remember that people or objects are consistent and reliable over
time – regardless of whether you can see them or not); low self-esteem; mood
swings; objectification (treating a
person like an object); panic attacks; passive aggressive behaviour; projection
(attributing one’s own feelings or traits onto another); self-hatred; “playing
the victim” and thought policing (trying to question, control, or unduly
influence another person’s thoughts, feelings and behaviours.)
Specifically, the DSM-IV-TR, defines Avoidant Personality
Disorder (AvPD) as being:
A pervasive pattern of social inhibition, feelings of
inadequacy, and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation, beginning by early
adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by four (or more)
of the following:
A1. Avoids occupational activities that involve significant
interpersonal contact, because of fears of criticism, disapproval, or
rejection.
A2. Is unwilling to get involved with people unless certain
of being liked.
A3. Shows restraint initiating intimate relationships
because of the fear of being ashamed, ridiculed, or rejected due to severe low
self-worth.
A4. Is preoccupied with being criticized or rejected in
social situations.
A5. Is inhibited in new interpersonal situations because of
feelings of inadequacy.
A6. Views self as socially inept, personally unappealing, or
inferior to others
A7. Is unusually reluctant to take personal risks or to
engage in any new activities because they may prove embarrassing.
A formal diagnosis must be made by a mental health
professional.
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