I know I have "avoidant personality disorder." Now what?

Question

I was reading a well known book about it, everything described in the book I have 99% of it and the book is over 300 pages long! Now what? I would like to reduce the disorder, I dont have financial means to afford a psychatrist so what?

Answer 1

Use the book as a stepping stone to understanding yourself. Avoidant personality disorder really should be defined by a professional. Maybe there is something else going on in your life - diet, chemical imbalance, bad home life - that is contributing to it?

My son is autistic. Was misdiagnosed for years by both the "special" school he is at and his psychiatrist. My husband and I researched his symptoms and found a counselor who (while she legally couldn't diagnose it) helped us find a good psychiatrist for him. It was like a whole new life opening up for him. You won't regret spending the money to help yourself. Trust me on this one!

Blessings to you!

Answer 2

Okay, first of all, you have to make sure you have the disorder. You don't really know you have it since it's self-diagnosed because you read all these things in a book. But think about it.. All people have a lot of the symptoms of disorders but are not considered to have the disorder. You may just be panicking about having a disorder. Are you normally a hypocondriac?

Okay, after you've found out whether or not you actually are avoidant (by asking a doctor, a school counselor, etc.), and it turns out you are, try to not do the things you normally do. People who are avoidant tend to stay away from bad situations; face them, confront your fears, talk to the people you have problems with.

But hey, there's no real harm in being avoidant, except perhaps not as good relationships with people.

Answer 3

The general goal of treatment in Avoidant Personality Disorder is improvement of self-esteem, social skills, and confidence. The overall prognosis for persons with APD remain at the low end or below normative levels social functioning even after treatment. This suggests that such individuals may require a longer course of treatment or that biological factors or early trauma may limit change. Due to the significant social fear and deep-seated feelings of inferiority, these patterns usually do not change dramatically. Lower-functioning people with APD are likely to drop out of treatment if they become too anxious. The treatment of Psychotherapy alone works best with the higher functioning APDs, but combined treatment of psychotherapy and medications seems to provide the best results for moderate and more severely disordered patients.
Therapies used to treat APD include:
¨ Psychodynamic therapy
¨ Cognitive-behavioral therapy
¨ Group therapy
¨ Interpersonal therapy
¨ Self-hypnosis
¨ Meditation
¨ Support groups
¨ Medications

¨ Medications:
A major problem with many patients is fear of the medications and their side effects just as they fear any other new experience. The monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), particularly phenelzine, and the selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are considered to be the most effective pharmacological interventions presently available (Liebowitz 1992). Other medications include:

§ Anafranil (Tricyclic)
§ Luvox (SSRI)
§ Marplan (MAOI)
§ Nardil (MAOI)
§ Parnate (MAOI)
§ Paxil (SSRI)
§ Prozac (SSRI)

Answer 4

Do you go to school? If so, see your school nurse or a teacher. Or, (trust me on this one) go to your public library and ask for suggestions. The librarians are always too glad to help you, no matter the problem, and they know just the right resources to tap into.

Final note - Length and fame of books have nothing to do with the accuracy of medical diagnoses. You want an expert's opinion on this one, so really. Try the public library.

Good luck!

Answer 5

calling something a disorder makes it seem harder to control, it's just another way for people to label you. don't give over control to someone else. to have to be in tune with your own thoughts and open to advice. what works for you may not work for someone else. the book helps you relate, that's good but don't let it box you in, talk about your feeling or write it down, just get it out there in a way that helps you.