Avoidant Personality Disorder
Honours Project by TinyTea.
Through this article, I hope to raise awareness on Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD), an often overlooked and serious personality disorder.
What is Avoidant Personality Disorder?
Avoidant Personality Disorder can be very difficult to endure, people are often:
1. Afraid talk to others.
2. Fearful of going outside.
3. Constantly worried about being judged.
4. Unable to trust even the closest of friends and family.
Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD) is a rare mental disorder which can lead to anxiety and depression. It is characterized by the avoidance of events, social interactions, situations involving others, and relationships due to the constant fear of rejection, criticism, or embarrassment. Often times, those diagnosed with AvPD do not want to be alone and would rather be closer to others, however cannot because of conflicting feelings and lack of trust. Humiliation and Rejection are constant fears in those that deal with AvPD and can be a daily struggle. These feelings can lead to lack of self-confidence and self-esteem which are damaging to ones health. Similarly, daily life for those that deal with AvPD can be extremely stressful as experiences such as making friends, working, and talking to others causes immense pain both emotionally and physically.
Since AvPD is rare, others believe that those that deal with this are either shy or unfriendly; this is usually not the case. This personality disorder gives them the constant fear of being rejected or criticised and is most definitely not their fault. In most cases, those that deal with this have trouble leaving their home for fear of being judged based on physical appearance, personality, speech, and overall character.
What is the difference between Avoidant Personality Disorder and Social Anxiety?
These two equally important mental health issues are often confused, but they are different things. Many of the symptoms that those that deal with AvPD will experience will be linked with social anxiety, however, these symptoms will be at a much more severe level in comparison to somebody with social anxiety. In AvPD, the fear of being judged is so great that there have been cases where they feel uncomfortable in their own home.
With that in mind, it isnt unusual for those that deal with AvPD to also have social anxiety. The prime difference, as mentioned before, is that AvPD is more severe and the extent with feelings of isolation are carried beyond that of social anxiety.
Though this should be diagnosed by a doctor, the symptoms are listed below!
Symptoms of Avoidant Personality Disorder
-Showing caution in every situation or often wary over little things.
-Striving for perfection in appearances, actions, and interactions.
-Feeling Sensitivity when receiving criticism, often followed by feelings of self destruction and sadness.
-Taking Risks and changes seem impossible due to the fear of failure.
-Struggling to go outside or leave a home environment.
-Making friends can be a challenge and a daily struggle.
-The constant fear of looking bad or hurting others.
-Apologising constantly for small or unnecessary things.
-Having trouble eating or drinking outside in public or in front of others.
-Thinking in all-or-nothing terms and thinking of the worst-case-scenario.
-Feeling scared or nervous for no apparent reason, especially outside in public spaces.
-Feeling inferior and sensitive to others is a common occurrence.
-Rapid breathing, sweating and overall panic which can occur both inside and outside home.
-Feeling paranoid about how people perceive you despite knowing they wont.
-Rarely speaking when with others and being shy or panicky around strangers.
What are the causes of Avoidant Personality Disorder?
The primary cause of Avoidant Personality Disorder is unknown, however, scientists have agreed that it can stem from four different aspects of a persons life. Of course, the reason for AvPD is a combination of at least two or more of these factors.
Genetics- It can be hereditary, the chances of having AvPD increase if there is a direct genetic link, such as a parent or close relative. Those with parents who have AvPD are twice as likely to have symptoms than if they had parents without it.
Environment- Environmental causes of AvPD could be the experiences faced while growing up, some of which may include abuse, bullying, emotional neglect, or other traumatic events. There are most definitely other causes as well, for example, one could have experienced rejection or depression, which are both contributing factors to AvPD.
How can Avoidant Personality Disorder be treated?
The two most common treatments are:
Psychotherapy- By participating in group therapy or talk therapy, this will allow for the person to be surrounded by support. This is often troubling for those that deal with AvPD because it causes stress and panic to be around others despite it being a place to help them.
Medication- This is not very effective in those that deal with AvPD as there is no official treatment for it, however, they can be prescribed antidepressants and medication for anxiety, always ask a doctor or trained professional.
What can you do to help those with Avoidant Personality Disorder?
-Encourage them to seek treatment.
-Always offer support by being kind and patient.
-Offer to take them somewhere safe or distracting.
-Compliment them, make them smile.
-Be understanding and empathetic, this isnt their fault.
-Never force them into social situations.
-Dont take their actions personally, they never want to hurt you.
Quick Facts!
~AvPd can start at a young age but can also develop well into adulthood.
~Only 2% of the general population deal with AvPD, making it a rarer and lesser known personality disorder, let alone mental health issue.
~Women are more likely to develop AvPD than men in the United States.
~50% of those that deal with it do not get married while the other 30% are married and 20% divorced.
~Research suggests that AvPD can stem from traumatic experiences such as crime or abuse.
~Having an anxiety disorder at a young age can increase the chances of one developing AvPD in later years.
References:
K. (2013, October 21). What is Avoidant Personality Disorder? AVPD symptoms and therapy - Mental Health with Kati Morton. Retrieved November 12, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQY6HgES9m0
Interesting avoidant personality disorder facts based on scientific articles. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2017, from https://www.barendspsychology.com/interesting-avoidant-personality-disorder-facts
Avoidant Personality Disorder Symptoms. (2017, August 24). Retrieved November 12, 2017, from https://psychcentral.com/disorders/avoidant-personality-disorder-symptoms/
Avoidant Personality Disorder. (2017, April 19). Retrieved November 12, 2017, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/conditions/avoidant-personality-disorder
Kivi, R., & Leonard, M. (2017, April 19). Avoidant Personality Disorder. Retrieved November 12, 2017, from https://www.healthline.com/health/avoidant-personality-disorder
Grant, M. (2016, February 16). 7 Signs You Might Have Avoidant Personality Disorder. Retrieved November 12, 2017, from https://www.bustle.com/articles/142369-7-signs-you-might-have-avoidant-personality-disorder
Matsko, M. C., & W. (2017, November 11). How to Help Loved Ones with Avoidant Personality Disorder. Retrieved November 12, 2017, from https://www.wikihow.com/Help-Loved-Ones-with-Avoidant-Personality-Disorder
Helpful Resources:
Get Involved in the 7cups AvPD Community!
Now that weve looked at Avoidant Personality Disorder, please answer the following questions:
What does AvPD look like for you? Can you tell us a bit about your experience with it?
If you have Avoidant Personality Disorder, what support would you like to receive from others?
Have you found any coping mechanisms or techniques to overcome this?
Thank you all for reading!
-TinyTea
@TinyTea
Thanks for the wonderful post. Lots of information.
What does AvPD look like for you? Can you tell us a bit about your experience with it?
- I don't tell anyone anything close to me. I don't ever, ever truly let anyone know me. I've known a few people who were stunned to find out I had severe social anxiety. Because, I so rarely spoke and there was no way to figure it out.
If you have Avoidant Personality Disorder, what support would you like to receive from others?
- I would so desperately love it if they reassured me often that I wasn't a burden to them.
Have you found any coping mechanisms or techniques to overcome this?
- Not really. But sometimes I just have to get over myself (as my mom says) and be open. No matter how poorly it turns out.
What does AvPD look like for you? Can you tell us a bit about your experience with it?
No one really knows how I feel, keep people at arms lenght all the time. I'm reaaaally anxious all the time, constantly feel like people don't wanna be around me because I'm so anxious (which probably is a bit the case, I don't blame them). Takes a freaking long time for me to trust someone and even then I find it hard to let loose. Just feel so fragile all the time.
If you have Avoidant Personality Disorder, what support would you like to receive from others?
I do appreciate when people include me, even if I'm awkward and not too fun to hang out with al lot of the time (though some of the time I feel like I am when I'm at ease which is never basically), it really means a lot to me if ppl still invite me or talk to me even when I'm really awkward around others.
Have you found any coping mechanisms or techniques to overcome this?
Not really. 7cups helps, I find this community really open and welcoming and it is always a safe place for everyone to express themselves which is great. Other than that... hanging around ppl I feel good with helps, which is sadly not a lot atm which doesn't contribute to a whole lot of happy feelings going around now for me.
I think I suffer from avoidant personality disorder but I've never been certified so I dont know but all the symptoms fit. retracing my life back, I think my AVPD stemmed from childhood when I was first neglected by my own flesh and blood parents than friends than society. isolation by society because of looks even your family background is a big indicator for AVPD I think. I live in taiwan and have been for the last seven years. asia is the worst for people with my illness or any mental health for that matter. all asia talks about and cares is politics especially right now its taiwans time to shine. politics is horrible but I'm off topic. I'm han chinese east asian/chinese my grandparents are from henan china who fled to taiwan to escape death during the civil war in china. history isnt my strong so I dont know. I'm off topic again. I just have AVPD because I'm ugly and poor and that causes rejectiong by society/other people. I cant catch a break. I would like to go back to america where I grew up since I was five years old but i dont have money. what is a girl to do?. I'm definitely stuck with no way out
@samanthasou that sounds really painful, I'm sorry to hear that
@TinyTea
Very informative
As a listener, I want to listen to such members and understand them.
Thanks
I was diagnosed with AvPD more than ten years ago. I think I developed it in part because of my kind of "sensitive" nervous system, I guess you could call it, and the fact that I was bullied by two other girls during 2nd and 3rd grade and no one helped me with it. They didn't beat me up, but they belittled me constantly and did things like poke holes in my notebook cover or steal my homework. I was very sheltered and naive and suspect that the two girls who treated me this way had experienced some hard knocks and were more calculating and "street smart," for lack of a better term, even though we were all the same age and they probably weren't doing it on a conscious level.
I don't have much to offer in the way of coping skills. Avoiding is the name of the game and is second nature to me! I do it without thought. It has hurt me in my personal life and at work. I am over 50 but have never had a relationship and have always been in low-level, low-paying jobs because I simply cannot and will not put myself out there. I much prefer quiet, behind-the-scenes jobs where I can take my time to think and work without pressure. Cannot perform at all with somebody "looking at" me.
TinyTea, it's pretty important to organize everything in your life, and when I say that - I mean even your house, and your personal room as well. I've read a lot of articles with tips how to make your life more positive and how disorder can make our lives chaotic, but this website here ( url: https://www.homoq.com/mess-ruins-our-lives/ ), that I could find few weeks ago - has all the basic statements and conclusions how mess in your house or room can affect on your personal life. You should definitely pay attention to it.
@TinyTea I was initially diagnosed with depression and anxiety. After a lot of trial and error talking to therapists who didn't seem to figure out what the rooo
@Lemonzest8
It looks like part of your post got cut off. I'm glad you were eventually able to figure out that AvPD seemed to fit what was happening.
@TinyTea
Thanks a lot for this!!!!!
Wonder if this is active still