Husband Has Schizoid Personality and I need to see someone who treats this?

Question

After 2 days of neuropsychological testing my husband was diagnosed with a Schizoid Personality Disorder/SPD We have seen some counselors that "poo-poo" the diagnosis claiming that people should not be labeled I think they aren't really familiar with this diagnosis and that doesn't help AT ALL! We've been married for 24 years and I always felt that something was missing so far as his reactions to life situations he has always minimalized anythIng that happened whether big or small I thought he was just passive and before this he was dx'd with ADD/ anxiety The problem is that there is never any resolution to anything At times he believes the dx and sometimes he doesn't He sees a psychiatrist who thinks he may be Bipolar but doesn't remember to take his meds and so forgetful its like I'm talking to a different person at times. He says he loves me and wants to stay and finally called the therapist he was referred to His symptoms of SPD are getting worse. I have MS and I cant deal this!!!

Answer 1

Your husband needs to go back to a psychiatrist and stick to the medication. If he has trouble doing that, you need to help him. Learn when his doctor's appointments are, and make sure he goes. Learn when he is supposed to take his medication, make sure he takes it as directed, and make sure he gets the prescription filled when it runs out.

Forget about the neuropsychologist; see a psychiatrist.

I find it hard to believe he has Schizoid Personality Disorder simply because he is married--I never heard of anyone with that diagnosis who ever got close enough to anyone else to get married. I'm sorry to put down this psychologist, but I feel like he or she is more interested with what fancy diagnosis they can come up with than really helping anyone.

I know this is going to be hard for you with your own problem of MS--just try the best you can to encourage your husband to take his medication. Is there any way a case manager can be assigned to follow up with your husband to check on him? Ask the psychiatrist if any programs like that are available in your area.

These are the criteria for Schizoid Personality Disorder copied from a web site:


The DSM-IV-TR, a widely used manual for diagnosing mental disorders, defines schizoid personality disorder as:

A. A pervasive pattern of detachment from social relationships and a restricted range of expression of emotions in interpersonal settings, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by four (or more) of the following:
neither desires nor enjoys close relationships, including being part of a family
almost always chooses solitary activities
has little, if any, interest in having sexual experiences with another person
takes pleasure in few, if any, activities
lacks close friends or confidants other than first-degree relatives
appears indifferent to the praise or criticism of others
shows emotional coldness, detachment, or flattened affectivity
B. Does not occur exclusively during the course of schizophrenia, a mood disorder with psychotic features, another psychotic disorder, or a pervasive developmental disorder and is not due to the direct physiological effects of a general medical condition.
DSM-IV, which is an earlier version of DSM-IV-TR, does say that a person with Schizoid Personality Disorder may feel sensitive to the opinions of others and may even feel lonely but can not do anything about the loneliness due to the disorder.

Answer 2

Are his symptoms worse since he is seeing the doctors? Did they tell him he had Schizoid Personality Disorder? (Very unwise if they did). That would be upsetting to a patient and family members, to be labeled so negatively. I would try to seek out a different more compassionate therapist perhaps. Some of those doctors and medications can make a person worse.