# Schizoid Personality Disorder



## Marino (Jun 26, 2009)

*Schizoid personality disorder* (SPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a lack of interest in social relationships, a tendency towards a solitary lifestyle, secretiveness, and emotional coldness.[1] SPD is rare compared with other personality disorders. Its prevalence is estimated at less than 1% of the general population.[2] SZPD can be a precursor to schizophrenia, or delusional disorder. There is increased prevalence of the disorder in families with schizophrenia. SZPD is not the same as schizophrenia, although they share some similar characteristics such as detachment or flattened affect.*
*




Emotional coldness, detachment or reduced affection.
Limited capacity to express either positive or negative emotions towards others.
Consistent preference for solitary activities.
Very few, if any, close friends or relationships, and a lack of desire for such.
Indifference to either praise or criticism.
Taking pleasure in few, if any, activities.
Indifference to social norms and conventions.
Preoccupation with fantasy and introspection.
Lack of desire for sexual experiences with another person.

*Guntrip criteria*

Ralph Klein, Clinical Director of the Masterson Institute delineates the following nine characteristics of the schizoid personality as described by Harry Guntrip: introversion, withdrawnness, narcissism, self-sufficiency, a sense of superiority, loss of affect, loneliness, depersonalization, and regression.[10]

*Introversion*

According to Guntrip, "By the very meaning of the term the schizoid is described as cut off from the world of outer reality in an emotional sense. All this libidinal desire and striving is directed inward toward internal objects and he lives an intense inner life often revealed in an astonishing wealth and richness of fantasy and imaginative life whenever that becomes accessible to observation. Though mostly his varied fantasy life is carried on in secret, hidden away." The schizoid person is cut off from outer reality to such a degree that he or she experiences outer reality as dangerous. It is a natural human response to turn away from sources of danger and toward sources of safety. The schizoid individual, therefore, is primarily concerned with avoiding danger and ensuring safety.[10]

*Withdrawnness*

According to Guntrip, withdrawnness means detachment from the outer world, the other side of introversion. While there are many schizoid individuals who will present with obvious withdrawnness (a clear and obvious timidity, reluctance, or avoidance of the external world and interpersonal relationships), this defines only a portion of such individuals. Many fundamentally schizoid people present with an engaging, interactive personality style. Such a person can appear to be available, interested, engaged, and involved in interacting with others; however, in reality, he or she is emotionally withdrawn and sequestered in a safe place in an internal world. While withdrawnness or detachment from the outer world is a characteristic feature of schizoid pathology, it is sometimes overt and sometimes covert. When it is overt it matches the usual description of the schizoid personality. Just as often, it is a covert, hidden internal state of the patient.
Several points are important to review at this time. First, what meets the objective eye may not be what is present in the subjective, internal world of the patient. Second, one should not mistake introversion for indifference. Third, one should not miss identifying the schizoid patient because one cannot see the forest of the patient’s withdrawnness through the trees of the patient’s defensive, compensatory, engaging interaction with external reality.[10]

*Narcissism*

Guntrip: "Narcissism is a characteristic that arises out of the predominately interior life the schizoid lives. His love objects are all inside him and moreover he is greatly identified with them so that his libidinal attachments appear to be in himself. The question, however, is whether the intense inner life of the schizoid is due to a desire for hungry incorporation of external objects or due to withdrawal from the outer to a presumed safer inner world." The need for attachment as a primary motivational force is as strong in the schizoid person as in any other human being. However, because the schizoid's love objects are internal, he or she finds safety without connecting and attaching to objects in the real world.[10]

*Self-sufficiency*

Guntrip writes, "This introverted narcissistic self-sufficiency, which does without real external relationships while all emotional relations are carried on in the internal world, is a safeguard against anxiety breaking out in dealing with actual people." The more that schizoids can rely on themselves, the less they have to rely on other people and so expose themselves to the potential dangers and anxieties associated with that reliance or, even worse, dependence. The vast majority of schizoid individuals show an enormous capacity for self-sufficiency, for the ability to operate alone, independently and autonomously, in managing their worlds.[10]

*Sense of superiority*

Guntrip states, "a sense of superiority naturally goes with self-sufficiency. One has no need of other people, they can be dispensed with... There often goes with it a feeling of being different from other people." The sense of superiority of the schizoid has nothing to do with the grandiose self of the narcissistic disorder. It does not find expression in the schizoid through the need to devalue or annihilate others who are perceived as offending, criticizing, shaming, or humiliating. This type of superiority was described by a young schizoid man:
"If I am superior to others, if I am above others, then I do not need others. When I say that I am above others, it does not mean that I feel better than them, it means that I am at a distance from them, a safe distance." It is a feeling of being vertically displaced, rather than horizontally at a distance.[10]

*Loss of affect*

According to Guntrip, "Loss of affect in external situations is an inevitable part of the total picture." Because of the tremendous investment made in the self — the need to be self-contained, self-sufficient, and self-reliant — there is inevitable interference in the desire and ability to feel another person’s experience, to be empathic and sensitive. Often these things seem secondary, a luxury that has to await securing one's own defensive, safe position. The subjective experience is one of loss of affect. For some patients, the loss of affect is present to such a degree that the insensitivity becomes manifest in the extreme as cynicism, callousness, or even cruelty. The patient appears to have no awareness of how his or her comments or actions affect and hurt other people. More frequently, the loss of affect is manifest within the patient as genuine confusion, a sense of something missing in his or her emotional life.[10]

*Loneliness*

According to Guntrip, "Loneliness is an inescapable result of schizoid introversion and abolition of external relationships. It reveals itself in the intense longing for friendship and love which repeatedly break through. Loneliness in the midst of a crowd is the experience of the schizoid cut off from affective rapport." This is a central experience of the schizoid that is often lost to the observer. Contrary to the familiar caricature of the schizoid as uncaring and cold, the vast majority of schizoid persons who become patients express at some point in their treatment their longing for friendship and love. This is not the schizoid patient as described in the DSMs. Such longing, however, may not break through except in the schizoid’s fantasy life, to which the therapist may not be allowed access for quite a long period in treatment. If longing is immediately present, however, it is more likely avoidant personality disorder.
There is a very narrow range of schizoid individuals — the classic DSM-defined schizoid — for whom the hope of relationship is so minimal as to be almost extinct; therefore, the longing for closeness and attachment is almost unidentifiable to the schizoid themselves. These individuals will not become patients. The schizoid individual who becomes a patient does so often because of the twin motivations of loneliness and longing. This schizoid patient still believes that some kind of connection and attachment is possible and is well suited to psychotherapy. Yet the irony of the DSMs is that they may lead the psychotherapist to approach the schizoid patient with a sense of therapeutic pessimism, if not nihilism, misreading the patient by believing that the patient’s wariness is indifference and that caution is coldness.[10]

*Depersonalization*

Guntrip describes depersonalization as a loss of a sense of identity and individuality. Depersonalization is a dissociative defense. Depersonalization is often described by the schizoid patient as a tuning out or a turning off, or as the experience of a separation between the observing and the participating ego. It is experienced by those with schizoid personality disorder when anxieties seem overwhelming. It is a more extreme form of loss of affect than that described earlier. Whereas the loss of affect is a more chronic state in schizoid personality disorder, depersonalization is an acute defense against more immediate experiences of overwhelming anxiety or danger.[10]

* Regression*

Guntrip defined regression as "Representing the fact that the schizoid person at bottom feels overwhelmed by their external world and is in flight from it both inwards and as it were backwards to the safety of the metaphorical womb." Such a process of regression encompasses two different mechanisms: inward and backwards. Regression inward speaks to the magnitude of the reliance on primitive forms of fantasy and self-containment, often of an autoerotic or even objectless nature.... Regression backwards to the safety of the womb is a unique schizoid phenomenon and represents the most intense form of schizoid defensive withdrawal in an effort to find safety and to avoid destruction by external reality. The fantasy of regression to the womb is the fantasy of regression to a place of ultimate safety.[10]
The description of the nine characteristics first articulated by Guntrip should bring more clearly into focus some of the major differences that exist between the traditional descriptive (track 1, DSM) portrait of the schizoid disorder and the traditional psychoanalytically informed (track 2, object relations) view. All nine characteristics are internally consistent. Most, if not all, should be present in order to diagnose a schizoid disorder.[10]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schizoid_personality_disorder#cite_note-RK-9
Area Features Overt Covert Self-Concept 

compliant
stoic
noncompetitive
self-sufficient
lacking assertiveness
feeling inferior and an outsider in life
 

cynical
inauthentic
depersonalized
alternately feeling empty robot-like and full of omnipotent, vengeful fantasies
hidden grandiosity
 Interpersonal Relations 

withdrawn
aloof
have few close friends
impervious to others' emotions
afraid of intimacy
 

exquisitely sensitive
deeply curious about others
hungry for love
envious of others' spontaneity
intensely needy of involvement with others
capable of excitement with carefully selected intimates
 Social Adaptation 

prefer solitary occupational and recreational activities
marginal or eclectically sociable in groups
vulnerable to esoteric movements owing to a strong need to belong
tend to be lazy and indolent
 

lack clarity of goals
weak ethnic affiliation
usually capable of steady work
sometimes quite creative and may make unique and original contributions
capable of passionate endurance in certain spheres of interest
 Love and Sexuality 

asexual, sometimes celibate
free of romantic interests
averse to sexual gossip and innuendo
 

secret voyeuristic interests
vulnerable to erotomania
tendency towards compulsive perversions
 Ethics, Standards, and Ideals 

idiosyncratic moral and political beliefs
tendency towards spiritual, mystical and para-psychological interests
 

moral unevenness
occasionally strikingly amoral and vulnerable to odd crimes, at other times altruistically self sacrificing
 Cognitive Style 

absent-minded
engrossed in fantasy
vague and stilted speech
alternations between eloquence and inarticulateness
 

autistic thinking
fluctuations between sharp contact with external reality and hyperreflectiveness about the self
autocentric use of language.


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## monique (Mar 3, 2009)

I score highly Schizoid on online tests but I think that just points to my high Introversion. I would have thought that this so-called personality disorder was more prevalent in males than females? I don't know about you but I wouldn't say that having very few close personal relationships was necessarily a bad thing. I don't thrive on praise but I'll take it for what it's worth and I will take criticism on board if I believe it to be constructive. Fantasy and introspection; most definitely. Solitary activities; yes. I can live without sex but I still have the desire so no I am not agreeing with that one. Yes, I can't really think of any activities I take part in. Most of my fun happens in my imagination. Not sure what is meant by "limited capacity to express either positive or negative emotions towards others".Yes I can be detached and I am not overly affectionate.


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## Selene (Aug 2, 2009)

It's only a problem/disorder if it interferes with your functioning. You might be the next Euler for all I know.


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## Perseus (Mar 7, 2009)

*Viper*

All this *Wolfshit* is the Millon overlay program on to the basic Jungian 384 types. A Schizoid designation is used to malign your enemies. If you have been diagnosed schizoid the Psi Cops (called the Filth) and their agents will actually actively prevent you from getting girlfriends and work. To do otherwise would mean that their theory is all wrong! Do not invite these bastards into your home, unless you have a Cathouse for ISFP and other SFs.


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## skycloud86 (Jul 15, 2009)

I think SPD is similar to INTP, and that most INTPs have some schizoid features.



compliant -* I would say I'm no more compliant than the average person.*
stoic - *I can be quite stoic, but there have been many times when I have been anything but.*
noncompetitive - *I agree with this one, as I don't tend to be competitive at all.*
self-sufficient - *I like to be self-sufficient, and I try to be as self-sufficient as possible.*
lacking assertiveness - *I don't lack assertiveness, but I show it in a sort of passive way (not verbally/physically confrontational)*
feeling inferior and an outsider in life* - I disagree with this one. I don't think I've ever felt inferior, although there have been times when I've felt like an outside, but these are rare.*
 

cynical - *I can be quite cynical, but only when I'm annoyed by something.*
inauthentic -* I suppose I am inauthentic in that my internal personality is more emotional, but I'm also authentic in that I am a quiet person.*
depersonalized - *I think I have quite an individual personality. I'm not a stereotype of anything, and I don't try to fit one either.*
alternately feeling empty robot-like and full of omnipotent, vengeful fantasies - *I suppose I am a bit like this. There has been times when I've been near extroverted friends and felt as if my head was made of wood or that there was nothing inside my head. I do tend to fantasise, but these fantasies are rarely vengeful.*
hidden grandiosity -* I'm not like this. I don't think of myself as any better or worse than anyone else.*
 Interpersonal Relations 

withdrawn - *Yes.*
aloof - *Yes.*
have few close friends - *When I was in high school, I had quite a few. Now, the number is far smaller.*
impervious to others' emotions - *Sometimes people's emotions can affect me, and I've often gotten watery eyes when seeing someone cry, but often I won't be affected by someone's emotions at all.*
afraid of intimacy - *I'm not afraid of intimacy as far as I'm aware.*
 

exquisitely sensitive -* I'm not like this, although I can be sensitive, just not very sensitive.*
deeply curious about others -* In a way, I am, but only towards certain people.*
hungry for love - *Not really. I would like to be in love, adn enjoy love, but I don't have any real desire for love at the moment.*
envious of others' spontaneity - *Not really. I can be quite spontaneous myself from time to time.*
intensely needy of involvement with others - *No, I quite enjoy being by myself, although I do like to spend time with others sometimes.*
capable of excitement with carefully selected intimates -* I suppose so, yes.*
 Social Adaptation 

prefer solitary occupational and recreational activities - *Yes, very much.*
marginal or eclectically sociable in groups - *Yes. I'm far more sociable with family and close friends than I am with strangers.*
vulnerable to esoteric movements owing to a strong need to belong - *No, I don't really have a strong need to belong.*

tend to be lazy and indolent -* I tend to procrastinate and get bored easily, but I wouldn't call myself lazy, although first thing in the morning I cna be very lazy and want to stay in bed.*
 

lack clarity of goals -* I suppose so. I don't really have many goals though.*
weak ethnic affiliation - *Don't most people have this nowadays, especially if they are white or their country's ethnic majority? I'm not really attached to all English people simply because I'm English.*
usually capable of steady work - *I suppose so. If I know what to do and enjoy the work, I can do it for hours.*
sometimes quite creative and may make unique and original contributions - *Yes, I am a very creative person.*
capable of passionate endurance in certain spheres of interest - *Yes, certainly.*
 Love and Sexuality 

asexual, sometimes celibate - *Sometimes I think I might be asexual, although I have sexual fantasies and I masturbate, although asexuals most likely do those things as well.*
free of romantic interests - *Yes, although I think I could still be attracted to someone.*
averse to sexual gossip and innuendo - *No, not at all.*
 

secret voyeuristic interests - *No, not at all.*
vulnerable to erotomania *No, not at all.*

tendency towards compulsive perversions - *Nope.*
 Ethics, Standards, and Ideals 

idiosyncratic moral and political beliefs - *No, my political beliefs are socially acceptable and normal.*
tendency towards spiritual, mystical and para-psychological interests - *No.*
 

moral unevenness - *No, my morals tend to be mostly balanced.*
occasionally strikingly amoral and vulnerable to odd crimes, at other times altruistically self sacrificing - *No, neither of these describe me.*
 Cognitive Style 

absent-minded - *I can be absent-minded, but probably no more so than most people.*
engrossed in fantasy -* I daydream a lot.*
vague and stilted speech - *No. My speech tends to be quiet and mumbly a lot of the time, especially when talking to people I don't know very well.*
alternations between eloquence and inarticulateness - *No, I tend to be mostly in the middle of the two most of the time.*
 

autistic thinking - *No, I'm fairly neurotypical in my thinking.*
fluctuations between sharp contact with external reality and hyperreflectiveness about the self - *No.*
autocentric use of language. - *I don't know what this means, but looking at that word, I would say no.*


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## Perseus (Mar 7, 2009)

*Spinning Top*

The Millon overlay program differentiates between Narcissism and Schizoid tendencies. Then there is a rider that people can have two disorders. And then some people may have more than two, and eventually the whole diagnosis becomes a joke. I call it the Spinning Top.


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## Mutatio NOmenis (Jun 22, 2009)

SPD is just a metonymy for INTP.


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## Loke (Aug 10, 2009)

Hmm... While this might seem like your typical INTP, I don't think it is. I know several INTPs and when I'm making fun of their lives, I could describe them as Schizoids are described here. But it would be an extreme exageration.

I know one guy who actually fit the description. Well, I didn't know him, but we went to the same classes for a while. He was very solitary. Not because he was a creep that everyone hated, but because only spoke when spoken to and then only with short, monotone replies. I've met many nerds who were solitary, some of them probably had aspergers, but those people usually do seem to have some interest in expressing themselves but are afraid of doing it. This guy, it seemed like he enjoyed being left alone even though no one would have been mean to him if he opened up. He didn't actually seem that weird, from the few things he said. 

An INTP friend of mine said he was sort of friends with this guy when they were younger. Apparently he liked video games and weapons and explosives. I was sometimes a bit afraid that he'd suddenly go on a killing spree.


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## Marino (Jun 26, 2009)

As much as I wanted to think of myself as somehow "above" emotions, I'm really fucking not. Yeah, repressing emotions will cause you become like I was, extremely tense inside and eruptive. I am not a Schizoid, I was just idealizing the Schizoid personality. :tongue:


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## Mutatio NOmenis (Jun 22, 2009)

Loke said:


> He liked video games and weapons and explosives. I was sometimes a bit afraid that he'd suddenly go on a killing spree.


 A lot of people seem to beleive that of me.


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## Deagalman (Jul 3, 2009)

INTJ is more Schzotypal. Because INTJ's are awesome and it's only natural they have the more interesting personality disorder.


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## Mutatio NOmenis (Jun 22, 2009)

*Faceknife.*


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