SPS is characterized by aloofness and an emotionless appearance. Everyone feels the need to be alone sometimes and not everyone makes friends easily. However, as soon as someone structurally distances themselves from others and prefers to live alone in his or her own world, this can become a problem. Someone with SPS shows no interest in his fellow man and he or she does not care what anyone else thinks of him or her.
Characteristics
According to the DSM, someone has a schizoid personality disorder when they meet four or more of the following criteria.
- No need for close relationships, not even with relatives
- Preference for activities that have to be done alone
- No interest in sharing sexual experiences
- No need for activities
- At most, first-degree relatives are taken into confidence
- Seems indifferent to praise or criticism from others
- Reacts cold, distant and emotionless.
Typing
There are 2 types of SPS
- Type 1 has no need for contact with others. They have a flattened emotional life and often a peculiar way of thinking and behaving.
- Type 2 avoids contact because of a traumatic past. They often live in a fantasy world of their own creation, although they do not lose touch with reality and do not suffer from delusions.
General
Schizoid personality disorder occurs in about 7 percent of people. This is a rough estimate because the actual number is not exactly known. The exact distribution between men and women is not yet known, but it probably occurs twice as often in men.
People with SPS always look for situations in which they can be alone . They usually live alone and have a job where they have little interaction with others. Their thinking is often very unconventional, they sometimes adhere to very strict, self-imposed rules, but they can also be very genius.
Because someone with SPS has no need for contacts, those around them will experience more inconvenience than they will. The need to seek professional help will therefore not easily occur to them.
Relationships with other people
Schizoid personalities are not very social and it is not easy to get in touch with them. They are hardly interested in other people’s opinions and therefore often listen very poorly. They adhere to their own principles and if you do not share these, you are of no value to them. They often have a complete lack of empathy and therefore do not take other people’s feelings into account. Although they are usually very self-critical, they seem insensitive to criticism and compliments, it is unimportant to them what others think of them. They appear humorless, cold, serious and uninterested, avoid eye contact and are poor conversation partners (questions are only answered briefly and concisely). They do not have intimate relationships, at most a first-degree relative. However, they can sometimes have a close bond with a pet.
Relationship with a partner
Someone with SPS is a real loner and will not easily enter into a relationship. Their individuality means security to them and they do not want to give that up. They have no need to share their sexuality, intimacy is something they prefer to avoid anyway.
SPS in combination with other personality disorders
Schizotypal Personality Disorder (STPS)
- SPS: cold and distant
- STPS: delusional thinking
- Similarity: little contact with others and isolated living (38% of people with STPS also appear to have SPS)
Paranoid Personality Disorders (PPD)
- SPS: emotionless
- PSP: strong feelings
- Similarity: little contact with others and isolated living
Schizophrenia
- SPS: fantasy world
- Schizophrenia: persecutory delusions, hallucinations and psychotic
- Similarity: not feeling like doing anything, indifferent to others
Avoidant Personality Disorder (OPD)
- SPS: no need for contacts
- OPS: difficult contact due to fear of rejection
- Similarity: little contact with others and isolated living (53% of people with OPS also have SPS).