We all have our little idiosyncrasies. However, when someone begins to withdraw from society and speak, think, act, and dress in a strange way, it is possible for them to develop symptoms of schizotypal personality disorder.
Before we begin, it’s worth noting that schizotypal personality disorder may share similar symptoms as other disorders. For example, schizophrenia and schizotypal personality disorder. However, they are not the same thing. How would you describe the signs of this disorder?
Three main symptoms of schizotypal personality disorder
Symptoms can be divided into three main groups:
Limited ability to form and maintain close relationships
A distorted way of perceiving or thinking about events
Displaying strange behavior that attracts attention
However, to be diagnosed with schizotypal personality disorder, you must have at least 5 of the following symptoms:
Problems maintaining relationships outside the family
He lives a hermit or solitary lifestyle
Detached, isolated from society
Suffers from persistent social anxiety that does not decrease with familiarity
Social anxiety is linked to paranoia
Inappropriate emotion, emotions, or emotional reactions
Strange speech style, i.e. incoherent rambling, unusual manner of speaking
Dismissing strange and bizarre behaviors, beliefs, behaviors, or thinking
Dresses in a strange way, wears odd, mismatched, or unkempt clothes
He misinterprets events, and believes that something meaningless is having a direct effect on her
Paranoid and suspicious of those around them, he questions loyalty
Thinking magical, superstitious, has faith in clairvoyance, telepathy, and the paranormal
These beliefs are allowed to influence their thinking and judgment
Feel they can influence events (referential thoughts)
Odd thinking style, eg, stereotyped, black and white, vague, overly detailed, metaphorical or situational thinking
He thinks they can sense the presence of an absent person
These symptoms in more detail
Inability to form relationships
The main problem that a person with this disorder faces is the inability to form close relationships. However, it is not surprising that a person with schizophrenia may experience relationship problems. Consider other factors involved in this disorder.
For example, strange speech and thinking, misinterpretation of events, and dressing in an eccentric manner. All of these contribute to problems forming relationships. But are their problems caused by their own discomfort managing these symptoms or the discomfort of others around them? Experts aren’t sure. I think it’s a combination of the two.
social isolation
What experts do know is that a person with schizotypal personality disorder feels anxious in social situations. Thus, they are likely to prefer their own company, along with all other social and interpersonal deficits. This leads to a hermit or recluse lifestyle.
As a result, this has an indirect effect on relationships. They feel uncomfortable in social situations. Of course, this does not help in the formation of close relationships. However, the main reason for this anxiety is paranoia and suspicion about the behavior of others towards them. Not the fact that they feel shy and awkward in social situations.
strange behavior
There are many symptoms of strange behavior that are seen in schizotypal personality disorder. For example, the flat effect in speech is common. Others around them will think they are cold and distant because of this.
Likewise, speaking inappropriately or showing the wrong emotions at the wrong time. A bit like laughing at a funeral. The way they talk is also weird. They may use a lot of metaphors to talk, talk a lot of useless nonsense or go into a lot of detail.
Their dress will be mismatched or strange. They would think nothing of wearing pajamas to the theater or a ball gown to the supermarket. It may be disheveled or dirty. They won’t care about personal hygiene, preferring to spend their time researching important things like alien invasions and the end of the world.
Reference ideas
People with schizotypal personality disorder often believe that meaningless events are of great importance, especially to them. It is as if they are given clues and signs to interpret and only they can solve it. This is similar to “magical thinking” where people believe that their thoughts, ideas, desires, or actions have the power to influence external events.
I remember working in an office years ago, and a guy I’d only worked with a few times came up to me and asked if I’d left a rubber band on his desk. I didn’t understand the question. He said the band was in the shape of a love heart and that he understood what I was trying to say to him.
superhero
Superstition is another symptom of the schizotypal personality, along with a preoccupation with the supernatural. People with this disorder are obsessed with fortune-tellers, magic, numbers, the universe, and the unknown. Anything that cannot be easily explained.
They may also have strange beliefs; Those that do not conform to societal norms. But they won’t care what other people think.
Style of thinking
People with this disorder think differently than we do. They may use black and white thinking, or see time and space in different terms (permanent skew). They also suffer from focusing on physical symptoms, such as pain or fatigue (somatic symptoms), which then causes them great emotional distress.
They are often paranoid and believe in conspiracy theories, especially those relating to outlandish tales about themselves. For example, they might assume that an innocent phone call from a relative is reporting them to the CIA.
Who is likely to suffer from schizotypal personality disorder?
Less than 4% of the world’s population suffers from this disorder. There is a slightly higher incidence among men (4.2%) than among women (3.7%). You are more likely to have this disorder if you are a black woman, low-income, divorced, separated, or widowed.
With adjustments for the variables, schizoaffective disorder shows a significant association with other disorders. This includes narcissistic personality disorder, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. On the contrary, there are fewer cases in Asian men.
What are the causes of this disorder?
Experts believe that a combination of factors contribute to the cause of this disorder:
biology
Genetics
environment
biology
Research shows that mothers exposed to influenza during their sixth month of pregnancy have higher associations with schizophrenic traits in males.
genes
Early studies suggest that the prognosis for this disorder is higher when some type of schizoaffective disorder runs in a family.
environment
Stress, trauma, or acute anxiety attacks increase the incidence of this disorder.
Diagnosis and treatment of schizotypal personality disorder
There are no blood or genetic tests that can diagnose this disorder. In fact, a person experiencing many of the symptoms of schizotypal personality disorder should seek an appropriate diagnosis from a trained mental health practitioner. Psychologists and psychiatrists have the expertise to diagnose this rather difficult psychological disorder.
