Schizotypal personality disorder

Schizotypal personality disorder is like any disorder, a behavioral disturbance; This is characterized by difficulty in establishing and maintaining close relationships with others.

Subjects with schizotypal personality disorder have a general pattern of reduced capacity for social relationships, perceptual and / or cognitive distortions, and eccentricities in behavior.

Characteristics of schizotypal personality disorder

People with this disorder are often described as odd or eccentric, have few close relationships with other people, and generally do not understand how relationships are formed or the impact of their behavior on others. These problems can lead to severe anxiety that leads to these people having a tendency to become antisocial .

People with schizotypal personality disorder respond inappropriately to social cues, since they sometimes misinterpret the motivations and behaviors of others, which leads them to generate significant distrust of other people.

Causes

The causes of schizotypal personality disorder are unknown at the moment, although there are various theories about the possible causes of this condition. The most observed causes that are believed to originate this disorder are: genetic factors, psychological factors and environmental factors or the combination of these biopsychosocial factors.

Genetic factors

It is estimated that one of the causes that originate this personality disorder is genetics. This estimate is due to the fact that it has been observed that this condition is more common in families where at least one member suffers from schizotypal disorder or schizophrenia.

Psychological factors

Some brain abnormalities can cause failures in the structure and function of the brain. These brain failures can cause different alterations in the behavior patterns of an individual, among these alterations are personality disorders, such as schizotypal disorder.

Social or environmental factors

Some disturbing events that occurred in childhood or traumatic situations can act as triggers for this personality disorder. We can also acquire this disorder through imitation , repeating the behavior that our environment offers us.

Symptoms of Schizotypal Personality Disorder

• Social deficit, significant malaise
• Ideas of reference (talks little, dresses strange, others talk about him, self-reference)
• Weird beliefs or superstitions that influence behavior (clairvoyance, mind reading, sixth sense, strange fantasies)
• Unusual perceptual experiences
• “Weird” thinking and language (dark, difficult)
• You are at risk of schizophrenia or paraphrenia
• You may believe that you have magical control over others (what happened, you thought hours before)
• Impulsive, manipulative
• Suspicion or paranoid ideation
• Odd behavior and / or appearance (inattention to conventional social behaviors)
• Lack of close friends (not counting close family members)
• Social anxiety that does not diminish with knowledge. paranoid fears, when they meet someone after a certain time they may have a bond
• They are not comfortable relating to others
• They interpret social relationships as problematic
• Your behavior suggests a lack of desire for intimate contact
• Disorder associated with schizophrenia but to a lesser degree

When to see a doctor?

If there is any suspicion that a friend or family member may have this type of personality disorder, the person may be politely suggested to seek medical attention, starting with a primary care physician or mental health provider.

It must be borne in mind that people with schizotypal disorder are prone to seek help only with their friends or family, so they may refuse to take medical help and in that case, the measures that each family member or friend deems necessary should be taken. to help your recovery.

It is advisable to seek treatment for this type of disorder as soon as possible, since it has been proven that the potential for personality change becomes less flexible with age, therefore if time is allowed to elapse, your treatment will be less cash.

Schizotypal Personality Disorder Treatments

Treatments for schizotypal personality disorder often include a combination of medications with one or more types of psychotherapy .

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is the most widely used to treat personality disorders, including schizotypal disorder. This therapy can be very effective; it seeks to identify the focus that causes the disorder and distorts the individual’s thought patterns. It also helps the patient begin to trust others by building a trusting relationship with a therapist.

Drugs may be prescribed to control impulses and decrease symptoms generated by schizotypal disorder. Some mental health professionals may prescribe antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, antidepressants, or anxiolytics to help relieve some symptoms, such as hallucinations , thought distortion, depression, or anxiety .