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Schizoid personality disorder - Overview

Alternative Names

Personality disorder - schizoid

Definition of Schizoid personality disorder:

Schizoid personality disorder is a psychiatric condition in which a person has a lifelong pattern of indifference to others and social isolation.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

The causes of schizoid personality disorder are unknown. This disorder may be related to schizophrenia and it shares many of the same risk factors.

However, schizoid personality disorder is not as disabling as schizophrenia. It does not cause hallucinations, delusions, or the complete disconnection from reality that occurs in untreated (or treatment-resistant) schizophrenia.

Reviewed last on: 11/14/2010
Linda Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine; and David B. Merrill, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiary, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Blais MA, Smallwood P, Groves JE, Rivas-Vazquez RA. Personality and personality disorders. In: Stern TA, Rosenbaum JF, Fava M, Biederman J, Rauch SL, eds. Massachusetts General Hospital Comprehensive Clinical Psyhchiatry. 1st ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier;2008:chap 39.

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