Avoidant

[ShadowCat]

I was looking up things about avoidant personality disorder on google, and all of the symptoms were right on the mark. I never realized that I had avoidant personality disorder. I used to be extremely shy and whatnot, and have gotten better. I always feel socially inept though. I feel like no one would ever want to be my friend because I'm boring. Do you guys think this is something one can overcome without a psychologist? If I did go back to my psychologist, what would she do? I don't know if I want to go back to my old psychologist though, because she didn't seem to really understand my situation.

 

[allanboy]

I have to ask this, what´s the difference between SA and the avoidant disorder? You got any sites that say it?

Oh, and any difference between social PHOBIA, and social ANXIETY?

Just enjoying the chance to ask these questions, sorry to disrupt the topic.

 

[Septor]

I always thought it had to do severity of the case first Social Anxiety then Social Phobia then avoidant personality disorder.Though i could be wrong.

I sitll don't see the differnt between Social Phobia and avoidant personality disorder by reading the definition of them

 

[Invisible_Alien]

Avoidant Personality, as with all personality disorders, are supposed to refer to a way of behaving and dealing with the world. This is opposed to Social Anxiety Disorder or Social Phobia, which is perceived by some to be a reaction to the world. I've studied all this in college, and quite frankly, there is virtually no agreement. Keep in mind psychology is mostly THEORY. Many psychologist, psychiatrists and researchers do not believe personality disorders exist. Basically what we're all getting into here are labels. I've never been a believer or supporter of labels. One can be diagnosed with APD and not SAD or SP. One can be diagnosted with SAD or SP and not APD. One can be diagnosed with both. One could also be diagnosed with only traits of APD and not actually the disorder itself. One could also go to several different shrinks and get different diagnoses.

Personally I believe I would qualify as having an APD, although I've never been officially diagnosed with it. There is some overlap with SP but to me they are two seperate things. I think my APD led to SP. Even if I didn't suffer from the anxiety of SP I would still have APD. I think APD is my primary problem.

 

[bluenow]

For me it all boils down to no self confidence.
If I knew how to build up my confidence I wouldn't have shyness, anxiety, sometimes agoraphobia, avoidant, etc.

 

[kiwi]

oh man i have APD!

Sorry to tell you, but you also have SPS (Supercool Personality Syndrome).

 

[Septor]

Avoidant Personality, as with all personality disorders, are supposed to refer to a way of behaving and dealing with the world. This is opposed to Social Anxiety Disorder or Social Phobia, which is perceived by some to be a reaction to the world. I've studied all this in college, and quite frankly, there is virtually no agreement. Keep in mind psychology is mostly THEORY. Many psychologist, psychiatrists and researchers do not believe personality disorders exist. Basically what we're all getting into here are labels. I've never been a believer or supporter of labels. One can be diagnosed with APD and not SAD or SP. One can be diagnosted with SAD or SP and not APD. One can be diagnosed with both. One could also be diagnosed with only traits of APD and not actually the disorder itself. One could also go to several different shrinks and get different diagnoses.

Personally I believe I would qualify as having an APD, although I've never been officially diagnosed with it. There is some overlap with SP but to me they are two seperate things. I think my APD led to SP. Even if I didn't suffer from the anxiety of SP I would still have APD. I think APD is my primary problem.

That would make a lot of sense.I have been diagnosed as SP then SAD then APD then SP then APD and so on so on.It would be something different with each person I went to.Sound like they even cant agree on what's what.The problem is i think all 3 are talking about the same thing or close to it.

 

[Hastur]

I think I have APD, ranging from plain avoidant behaviour to thought avoidance (which also entails me getting a wide variety of physical symptoms, which I can use, I suppose, for further avoidance).
I used to think of myself as something of a mental ninja until I read a bit more about the subject
(I'd be a really good spy, for instance, as I lose most of my ability to speak and any ability to remember things under pressure)

 

[allanboy]

Mental ninja? lol, never thought of it like that before

 

[Anonymous]

This is a really good page that explains Avoidant Personality in detail, I found it evry informative...it also puts forward a difference between Social Phobia and Avoidant PD........

http://www.toad.net/~arcturus/dd/avoid.htm

Very good read!