Schizoid Personality disorder.

The issue with Self-Diagnosis is that it's inherently bias towards whatever our mentality is focusing on.

Also, when it comes to psychology and diagnosing Personality Disorders (PD) it becomes particularly difficult from a self-diagnosing position because it's very much so like a horoscope where the terminology is often very generic if read at face value and can apply to a lot of people, despite them clearly not having that PD at all.

For instance. I've interviewed several people with Anti-Social Personality Disorder (Pyschopaths/Sociopaths) before, and administered the Psychopathy Checklist to them after several weeks of interviews - If you're unaware of what the Psychopathy Checklist is, I highly suggest checking it out as it's very interesting. Now, most of the people I interviewed (Of whom have all been professionally diagnosed by an actual Psychologist previously) had a score of 25/40 or higher, which indicated a chance that that person could be a psychopath - or at the very least had the traits that a psychopath would have. Except for 2 people, who scored lower than 25, which would therefore indicate that they weren't likely a psychopath.

So how could this be if a psychologist already made a diagnosis? Well, it's because some traits within Personality Disorders need to be particularly prevalent in an individual for them do actually be diagnosed that way. They don't have to have every single trait.

I did the test on over two dozen friends and family as well. Some scored very low on the test (12/40 is an average persons score), however, some scored very high (above 25/40). These people weren't actually psychopaths, but they did have a lot of traits that psychopaths share.

I suspect that this is a similar case with you, as SPD isn't terribly common, but the traits that make up SPD can be quite common.

If you want a solid Diagnosis, head to a psychologist and find out for sure. Fortunately for you, SPD isn't considered particularly dangerous, like Anti-Social Personality Disorder can be, so you won't be put on any watch lists or anything.

originally posted by: ManBehindTheMask
Sounds more like Sociopathy tendency to me than schizoid......

lack of empathy, unable to make the connections emotionally most people do...

Not that its means youre a bad person


just my two cents

Doesn't to me. Can you elaborate on your diagnosis with sources? Are you speaking from experience?

a reply to: SpeakerofTruth

i had a forensic psychologist diagnose me with this about 4 years ago. i went through about 3 hours of tests and question and answer sessions. wasnt by choice.
i never followed up on it.

about 2 years ago i had a psychiatrist diagnose me with bi polar mixed with psychotic features.

ive been on and off meds depending on my mood and financial situation.
could be i have it. could be i dont. i will tell you though that living in my head is torment most of the time.

im married and have a daughter. i love them. they love me.
everyone else i can basically do without. that includes my mother and brothers....
i have a job but dont socialize with people there if i dont absolutely have to.

i dont have any friends and dont want any. there is a guy i keep in touch with that i met through work. he lives in south africa and seems to be as strange as me. i think it works because i dont ever have to see him and hour 'relationship' consists of stupid # on whatsapp.

ive always said i only feel alone when i am with other people. not my quote. dont remember who i stole it from but it fits.

im 39 next month and been this way to some degree for as long as i can remember. i went through a pretty serious trauma when i was 8. both docs that diagnosed me seem to think this has something to do with it.

ive been known to self medicate. battled that off and on...

its a rough go man....your brain can be your own worst enemy.

handle it however you can. screw everyone else

originally posted by: SpeakerofTruth
a reply to: ManBehindTheMask

It's possible. I have wondered that myself. Thing is, I know what sadness and anger are. Have felt both intensely before. So, I don't think it's sociopathy

I have a friend whose a sociopath, he gets a "depression" of sorts although im not sure its the same, and hes actual clinical ........

He just doesnt connect with certain human emotions, relationships, those sort of connections, even with his mom and dad or brothers and sisters....

he 'loves" them but ......things like that , interpersonal relationships just dont work the same.....

You can still have emotions as a sociopath

originally posted by: The GUT

originally posted by: ManBehindTheMask
Sounds more like Sociopathy tendency to me than schizoid......

lack of empathy, unable to make the connections emotionally most people do...

Not that its means youre a bad person


just my two cents

Doesn't to me. Can you elaborate on your diagnosis with sources? Are you speaking from experience?

Goodness no, im not a clinical psychologist........but I have worked with many people who were diagnosed in my old line or work, and one of my best friends is clinical......

Great guy hes just, very apathetic when it comes to relationships and people

• Shallow emotions – Lack of real emotion in response to events, limited capacity to feel love

• Lack of empathy – Inability to feel sympathy for others or to understand the emotional consequences of their actions

just a few , that match what the OP had stated, so im not sure what you mean that you dont think it sounds like sociopathy at all.......

There are quite a lot more traits too you can google, but as with any diagnosis im sure you dont have to exhibit all of them on the list.......

After all, not all sociopaths and psychopaths are serial killers

a reply to: SpeakerofTruth

I think a lot of mental health issues are simply due to a person's perspective on things.

Someone like yourself, for instance, is probably "suffering" from living a content life as a loner.

Think about it like how when we see something good, we start to feel good, and then transfer that over to you seeing everything as satisfactory, and thus you feel and live a life of contentment. It's the same thing for people who fall into depression or other ways of thinking - we kind of subconsciously program ourselves on a daily basis, so if and when we get into trouble, we need to consciously reprogram ourselves - no biggy.

In short: It's probably the way you think about things, so if you want it to change, then force yourself to think differently about things.

a reply to: Bleeeeep

No, Some people actually feel far better without others.

a reply to: Ghost147

And in most cases, it's because that is how they have programmed themselves.

We program much of our nature / instinctive behavior ourselves (most is not genetically inherited - it's conceived, as qualia, by our own minds.)

edit: We do it subconsciously though, and it does become our "nature" so where I wrote "force yourself" earlier, I meant it -- what will be "natural" or instinctive or come as a first thought will indeed come emotionally so you will have to force in new emotions.

a reply to: Bleeeeep

From what the OP has explained, and what little we have to go on, it is possible that they have this Personality Disorder. In which case your logic - which is sound if applied to a person without a Personality Disorder, yet in the same situation - would not be accurate.

a reply to: Ghost147

"This personality disorder", as with most, is probably not neurological. He doesn't seem to have issues with feeling happy or sad - he is just mostly content all the time like a depressed person is sad all the time. He probably started out as an introvert and progressed into full chill mode.

a reply to: Bleeeeep

That's a distinct possibility. I don't know. I'm just relaying what it seems to be to me based on what I know about such behavior as I often exhibit. I posted this mostly to get other people's opinion. What you're saying is quite possible.

a reply to: Ghost147

Kind of hard to know which is which. Lol. Like I said, I haven't been diagnosed. I am sort of self diagnosing. It's what my behavior and mentality seems to be reminiscent of to me. I was just curious as to whether I was projecting or if my described behavior sounded the same to others as well.

a reply to: SpeakerofTruth

A therapist would charge you to say what you've said here, but he would stretch it out looking for some root issue and charge you a ton of cash in the process. Basically, he would just pattern match your self-diagnoses with a term he read in a book and then tell you to fix yourself by thinking correctly.

e.g. Do this if you want to "fix" yourself: think about how you think of things, and then change how you think of them. Do not think of negative things without justifying them / fixing them, though. The severe problems we have (depression, ptsd, etc.) are because we are triggering thoughts and emotions that we cannot justify, or thoughts that we fear and cannot conquer etc. That will be 3000 bucks pls.

a reply to: Bleeeeep

Yeah, that has pretty much been my opinion about psychology and psychiatry over the years too. As I told one of the other posters, everything seems to be a "disorder" or "illness" nowadays. Back in the 1950s, the DSM only had about fifty diagnosable mental "maladies." Now, there are well over 400. That's quite a leap.

a reply to: SpeakerofTruth

Are you unhappy about where you are in life? Do you feel as though you are missing out on something you want? If you are content to be mostly alone, not suicidal or otherwise depressed, then I wouldn't sweat it. Now, if you do have some issue, you can talk to someone about it. Otherwise, why worry?

Schizoid? Sounds like a typical Finn to me.

As long as you admit you might be nuts, your not nuts.

If you think you are normal, then you are nuts.

There is no such thing as normal. Consensus of the time in the area you live in determines if you are normal.

Only a doctor can diagnose you. In order to get a diagoses of schizo/personality there is a certain criteria and guidelines a doctor would use. Any good doctor is not going to diagnose you without following certain guidelines.

If you decide to go to the doctor be careful on how you choose one. There are good doctors and bad doctors. A bad doctor can screw you up with medications. If you think you need help call a mental health out patient resource at your local hospital and ask for a doctor recommendation.

I came down with paranoid schizophrenia when I was 18. It ripped my life and my mind apart. I was so sick that the doctors told my mom I would probably have to be institutionalized for life. The doctors did not think I was going to come back. It was a 2 year descent into madness. I was having severe delusions and visual hallucinations. The doctors I saw refused to diagnose me with schizophrenia because I wasn't hearing voices. One day it was like a switch in my head that went off and I started having auditory hallucinations. As soon as that happened the doctors pinpointed what was wrong with me.

The reasons most people with schizophrenia are antisocial isn't because they are just antisocial it's because they are sick. You stick me in a room full of people and I become mute. The reason I become mute is because I have a difficult time following conversations. Psychosis from schizophrenia causes brain damage. My memory and comprehension are messed up.

A person with a schizo personality generally will have paranoia or delusions of persecution associated with their antisocial tendencies. A person with a schizo personality may think the phone lines are bugged or that people are watching and stalking them. Or as another form of delusions they may think there are certain codes hidden in lottery tickets and if they figure it out they can win. Those are some examples of delusions.

One of the worst parts about schizophrenia is the medication. The class of drugs they use to treat delusions and hallucinations are called A-typical anitpsychotics. They are mind numbingly horrible. They take years off of your life and long term use causes health problems. I sleep 12 hours a day because of my medication and I'm on a low dose. In the hospital they drugged me to the max with Haldol. It's a frontal lobotomy in a pill. It makes you a walking drooling zombie.

Modern medications alter your brain chemistry and in some cases can do more harm then good particularly if you don't get the correct diagnoses. I would also avoid any benzodiazepine. They are a class of anti anxiety medication like Xanax Valium or Ativan. They are one of the most addictive drugs on the planet. Withdraws can kill a person and you can get addicted within days. I take Ativan and the withdraws are worse then cigarettes.

a reply to: tikbalang



took the 12 minute test: Architect (INTJ-a)


introvert 74, intuitive 56, thinking 70, judging 74, assertive 59




but being introverted does not make one a Schizo Personality.... when i'm off in my world of thought, in the middle of a crowd,,,

I;m at work, mentally piecing together the mosaic pieces into what I hope is a recognizable pattern or panorama...

there is also the reason for swimming in a crowd of people, perhaps to discover some work related or intellectual resource which can become a part of my network-contact for some future reason/need

plus the din of the crowd.. is too much for the bell-ringing & symphony music which is always playing in the background







wantsome says:

In the hospital they drugged me to the max with Haldol. It's a frontal lobotomy in a pill. It makes you a walking drooling zombie.

within the 4 walls they thought Thorozine was sufficient to make me into the zombie walk-shuffle... I played basket ball instead with taller guys some 30 years younger...
but when released by court order after 6 months in a 29 day recovery program, I was sent home with a RX for that Haldol stuff... on the 1st week I started tearing at my skin, itching like hell, a shot of benedril fixed that and they stopped the Haldol...
the idiots never believed that my truck was parked on state property and was finally impounded, so my run-to-the-desert was thwarted on my first attemp

originally posted by: SpeakerofTruth
I write this for one of two reasons. One is that I think I show classic symptoms of it in my personal life, and two, the disorder kind of interests me because it's a disorder that causes a person to act contrary to what's expected in a social society. If you don't know what Schizoid Personality is, here's a synopsis:

Schizoid personality disorder (SPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a lack of interest in social relationships, a tendency towards a solitary or sheltered lifestyle, secretiveness, emotional coldness, and apathy. Affected individuals may be unable to form intimate attachments to others and simultaneously demonstrate a rich, elaborate and exclusively internal fantasy world.[1][2]:p. 706

Schizoid

Now, I guess a little background is required.

I have always, well, at least since I was about 11 years old, been a "loner." I mean, the type of person that could be living in your house and with exception to seeing me and maybe occasionally hearing me answer a question when asked, you'd never even really know I was there. I am not the type of person to sit and chit-chat about random things or joke around.
I am 39 years old. Never been married. No children. Sure, I have had a handful of girlfriends, but nothing that lasted more than a few months.
I don't develop tight personal bonds with most people, even immediate family. I mean I care about them, but the closeness just isn't there.
I don't get lonely. I mean, I have lived alone most of my adult life and it frankly does not bother me in the slightest. You know, most people can only stand solitude for a certain amount of time. I have been known to do nothing but go to work, go home to an empty house for months on end... Never bothered me.
In social situations, I tend to say little to nothing to anyone. I just constantly listen, watch and analyze. I know it's weird.
I can say it's weird because I watch how other people act, and it doesn't coincide with my actions at all.
I am not sure if I have Schizoid Personality disorder, but given it's diagnosable symptoms, I'd say it's probably a safe assumption. Maybe there is a psychologist here at ATS that would be willing to give some feedback on this. Thank you.

My ex wife is like this. Looking for answers.

She's bat sh*t crazy and knows it.

In order to avoid real help, she went back to school and got her Psych degree and probably thinks she's OK now. Because when I last saw her, she was just as nutty.

So long as your lifestyle and the way you feel about yourself does not upset you then I would not be concerned. Im glad that people are becoming more aware of mental health issues in society but I believe that when we sensationalize issues we have a tendency to over analyze things and can add them to our life narratives to understand them better even if it's not necessary. I think you show remarkable ability to be introspective and self aware and those are pretty courageous and commendable characteristics. Also, the fact that you even begun a thread to get advice should show you that you are more social and connected to others than you may initially have realized. So pat yourself on the back a little my friend.
Keep in mind that disorders are diagnosed due to the way in which someone is outside 'the norm', but only when they significantly disrupt other aspects of
your life and cause difficulties for you and/or your loved ones. It sounds like you are okay with the way in which you choose to live your life and who you are as a person overall. Therefore, I'd say that you most likely just have introverted tendencies and are attune to what you do and don't need to live the way that makes you the happiest. I'd refrain from self diagnosing or labeling yourself. Sounds like you're doing just fine.