Avoidant Personality Disorder Symptoms

Avoidant personality disorder (AvPD), also known as anxious personality disorder, is a personality disorder, where people become so preoccupied with their inadequacy or shortcomings that they develop a fear of negative assessment, criticism or rejection. In other words, such individuals become extremely sensitive to any negative evaluation and develop a fear of being ridiculed or rejected by others due to their inadequacies. This compels them to avoid social interaction. However, this does not mean that they do not want to establish social relationships, but they lack the skills required for this. Therefore, they feel themselves incapable of social interaction and withdraw from people around them. The people having avoidant personality disorder exhibit extreme shyness, social withdrawal and a very cautious behavior while speaking to others. Now let' have a look at the avoidant personality disorder symptoms and causes.

Avoidant Personality Disorder Causes
No clear definition regarding the causes of avoidant personality disorder can be found. But, it is thought that several factors such as social, psychological as well as genetic factors can have an important influence in the development of this personality disorder. It is suspected to have a close association with the temperament of an individual, which in turn can be inherited. AvDP is usually observed in childhood, which the young children usually overcome as they grow up. But, for some individuals, the condition may continue.

On the other hand, some social factors like parental or social criticism or rejection in the childhood can also contribute towards the development of avoidant personality disorder. It has been found that many people with this personality disorder have experienced criticism and rejection from their parents and peers. Such painful memories of rejection can leave a lasting impression in the mind of the children and make them very sensitive to such criticism and negative evaluation leading to a very low self-esteem. To avoid such embarrassing situations in the future, these people tend to avoid social interaction.

Avoidant Personality Disorder Signs and Symptoms
Social isolation (self-imposed) and withdrawal are the most common avoidant personality disorder symptoms. People with avoidant personality syndrome also exhibit symptoms like:

• Extreme shyness, especially while facing a new situation.
• Hypersensitivity to criticism, rejection and other negative assessment.
• Avoidance of social as well as occupational interaction and activities, especially if they require interpersonal contact.
• Low self-esteem, self loathing and a sense of inadequacy and inferiority.
• Fantasizing about the situations that they usually avoid in reality.
• Keeping a certain distance even in intimate relationship, for the fear of being ridiculed.
• Preoccupation with criticism and rejection, which induces them to spend a lot of time thinking about such painful situations.
• Reluctance to take up social risk, for which they usually interact only when they are sure of acceptance.
• A feeling of mistrust towards others.

There are several treatment options that can be employed to treat this personality disorder. Generally, psychotherapy is the most commonly used treatment option for several personality disorders, including avoidant personality disorder. Apart from psychotherapy, cognitive therapy, group therapy and behavior therapy can also be employed. Sometimes, medications are used along with these treatment options, to deal with the avoidant personality disorder symptoms. The individuals with this personality disorder often respond to antianxiety and antidepressant medications. However, medications alone are not recommended for avoidant personality disorder treatment. Instead, they can be used to increase the chances of success with other treatment options. The most important issue related with the treatment of avoidant personality disorder is that individuals with this disorder do not easily trust others. They develop a distrust towards others, for which the therapist has to win their confidence and trust, before initiating the treatment.