Schizoid personality disorder

Mayo Clinic Health Manager

Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.

Get Started

Free

E-Newsletter

Subscribe to receive the latest updates on health topics. View sample

Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

Schizoid personality disorder is a condition in which people avoid social activities and consistently shy away from interaction with others. People with the disorder are generally loners with a profound inability to connect with others and form personal relationships.

To others, people with schizoid personality disorder may appear aloof, dull or humorless, and they're often ignored in social settings. People with schizoid personality disorder show a flattened or restricted range of emotions, and can appear indifferent to what's going on around them. However, their inner life can be rife with a deep emotional need, sensitivity and confusion about the world around them.

The cause of schizoid personality disorder is unknown. Some therapeutic approaches and medications may help relieve some symptoms of schizoid personality disorder.

Symptoms
References
  1. 1. Pfohl B. Personality disorders. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Oct. 10, 2008.
  2. 2. Personality disorders. The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library: The Merck Manual for Patients and Caregivers. http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec07/ch105/ch105a.html. Accessed Aug. 1, 2008.
  3. 3. Skodol AE, et al. Positive childhood experiences: Resilience and recovery from personality disorder in early adulthood. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2007;68(7):1102-1108.
  4. 4. Schizoid personality disorder. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association Publishing; 2000.
  5. 5. Schizoid personality disorder. In: Sadock BJ, et al. Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2005:2081-2082.
  6. 6. Zanni GR. The graying of personality disorders: Persistent, but different. The Consultant Pharmacist. 2007: 22(12):995-1003.

DS00865

Dec. 9, 2008

© 1998-2009 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Reliable tools for healthier lives," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

Print Share Reprints

Text Size: smaller largerlarger