People who are diagnosed with avoidant personality disorder(APD) desire to be in relationships with others but lack the skills and confidence that are necessary in social interactions.
The APD has the real self in hiding- hiding from an original environment or internal objects that were traumatic, rejecting and abusive. AvPD is usually first noticed in early adulthood, and is associated with perceived or actual rejection by parents or peers during childhood.
Causes and Symptoms:
Individuals with avoidant personality disorder typically have following symptoms:
- The person is reluctant to participate in social involvement without clear assurance that they will be accept ed. People with this disorder assume other people are not safe to trust until proven otherwise.
- A desire for closeness with others but difficulty forming relationships with people outside of immediate family and excessive fear of rejection or disapproval of others.
- Extreme shyness or social anxiety in social situations, though feels a strong desire for close relationships. Low self-esteem undermines their confidence in meeting and conversing with new acquaintances.
- Highly self-conscious and self-critical about their problems relating to others and are chronic substance abuse/dependence.
Treatments for Avoidant Personality Disorder:
The general goal of treatment in avoidant personality disorder is improvement of self-esteem and confidence. The overall prognosis for persons with APD remain at the low end or below normative levels social functioning even after treatment. As the patient’s self-confidence and social skills improve, he or she will become more resilient to potential or real criticism by others.
Avoidant personality disorder is most often treated using psychotherapy and medications.
Therapies used to treat APD include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Family and marital therapy
- Interpersonal therapy
- Group therapy
- Self-hypnosis
- Support groups
- Meditation
The primary purpose of both individual therapy and social skills group training is for individuals with AvPD to begin challenging their exaggeratedly negative beliefs about themselves.
Medications:
The use of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) has proven useful in helping patients with avoidant personality disorder to control symptoms of social unease and experience initial success. The major drawback of these medications is limitations on the patient’s diet. The monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), particularly phenelzine, and the selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are considered to be the most effective pharmacological interventions . Other medications include:
- Anafranil (Tricyclic)
- Luvox (SSRI)
- Paxil (SSRI)
- Marplan (MAOI)
- Parnate (MAOI)
Since avoidant personality disorder usually originates in the patient’s family of origin, the only known preventive measure is a nurturing, emotionally stimulating and expressive family environment.