STPS is characterized by bizarre and strange behavior and eccentric appearance. Many of us are superstitious, have a sixth sense or deviant beliefs. A few are or claim to be psychic. As soon as someone lets this completely dominate their life and it hinders their functioning in work and/or normal social interactions with others, there is a possibility of a schizotypal personality disorder. Children and adolescents often have bizarre fantasies.
Characteristics
According to the DSM, someone has a schizoid personality disorder when they meet five or more of the following criteria.
- Wrongly referring to oneself everything that happens and is said (relationship ideas)
- Peculiar beliefs that influence behavior (superstition, telepathy)
- Unusual observations
- Curious thoughts and speech (vague or very detailed, metaphorical, stereotypical)
- Suspicious or paranoid ideas
- Maladaptive or emotional responses
- Strange, eccentric and exceptional behavior and/or appearance
- No intimate friendships other than close family members
- Extreme social anxiety that does not decrease in familiar surroundings
General
Schizotypal traits are quite common, about 10 percent of people have a mild form of those traits in their personality. About 3 percent of the population suffers from it to such an extent that one can speak of a schizotypal personality disorder. In 1 percent, the characteristics are so intense and are accompanied by delusions and hallucinations that the diagnosis of schizophrenia can be made. Some call STPS a mild form or even a precursor of schizophrenia. Research has shown that a hereditary and genetic factor does indeed play a role. It is relatively more common when there is schizophrenia in the family. Identical twins are much more likely to have both than fraternal twins. In some cases it even turned out afterwards that the diagnosis had been made incorrectly (diagnosis of schizophrenia instead of STPS). The suicide rate is just as high as in people with schizophrenia, 10 percent. In many cases, people with STPS seek help from a practitioner or therapist themselves, in contrast to people with PPS and SPS.
Relationships with other people
People with STPS are often peculiar in their actions and thoughts. They sometimes look very eccentric, dress strikingly and strangely. Because of their unconventional and often peculiar ideas and beliefs (clairvoyance, telepathy, superstition, magical thinking), they are often looked at strangely. They often experience this as threatening, which makes them suspicious and distrustful, so that they are less likely to bond with others. Due to their strange mannerisms, talking to themselves and reserved attitude, they become increasingly isolated, which results in them behaving more and more strangely. By respecting their ideas and not mocking and/or condemning them, it is possible to reach them, but this requires a lot of patience. Communication is often made difficult because they express themselves incoherently or very verbosely. Nearly half of people with STPS are unable to work. A quarter work and a fifth are unemployed.
Relationship with a partner
People with STPS function, although not by much, slightly better than people with schizophrenia. Although some of them are reasonably able to build a normal life, they often have a distorted self-image and little self-confidence. Stress and tension can even cause (short-term) psychoses, which alienates them even more from their environment. More than 50 percent never marry and of those who do, about a quarter divorce. Only 17.4 percent live with a partner.
SPS compared to other personality disorders
Schizophrenia
- STPS: fantasy world, magical thinking and ideas of relationship.
- Schizophrenia : severe psychotic symptoms (delusions of persecution and hallucinations)
- Similarity: strange speech, social dysfunction, concentration problems, impaired memory function, strange ideas. STPS is genetically related to schizophrenia, but this genetic link was not found in every study.
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
- STPS: every contact with others or situations is experienced as stressful
- BPD: response to stressful events usually transient
- Similarity: psychotic symptoms and feelings of mistrust
Avoidant Personality Disorder (OPD)
- STPS: failure to reduce social anxiety, often in combination with paranoid anxiety
- OPS: Exaggerated fear of rejection
- Similarity: little contact with others