[Kendyll]

Apparently that's what I am, and I'm not really sure what it is! Anyone else here with Schizotypal PD in their list of Dx's? Most people I find are Schizoid and I don't think it's the same thing.

I read about it, and it sure seems to make sense to me on the screen, but I can't put it together out in the RW. I mean I know I'm weird and people don't understand me or give me funny looks but I don't know...I've learned how to not be so weird, at least when I'm around people. I've got a T and he's helping me with a lot of stuff but I don't know what to ask him about this because I don't really grasp how I'm sick.

I quit drinking a while back, and that taught me that it's all a system. Recovering isn't just about fixing this bit and that bit, because it's all related. That helps me a lot because then I can make the connections between today's problems and last week's problems. Pretty cool. But if it's all a system, then where are these dots? I can't unlearn whatever I'm doing wrong if I don't know what it is. Sometimes I'll realize something and that helps, but usually it just feels like "don't talk about electrical fields and ESP" and "don't do this" and "don't do that". If I understood how all those things fit together, then I'd know the system and I could get better.

But the depression doesn't help. On top of that i feel like I'm the only person out there with this disorder, so I can't even ask questions. Not a lot of stuff on the WEB that doesn't just quote the DSM.

Thanks

[FnordianSlip]

from what i can tell, someone diagnosed schizotypal is a psychic schizoid with a flair for creativity. this is a 'sickness' because individuality, though idealized, is largely unacceptable to human society. if we can't all be psychics, then none of us can be psychics. and creative people are just plain weird. how dare they think and/or behave any differently from the rest of the herd?

can you detect my sarcasm? anyhoo, i'd prolly be diagnosed schizotypal cuz i'm fairly schizoid, i've got a diverse wardrobe, and i have some beliefs that are anything but mainstream, but aside from my unrelated panic problem, i feel fine.

if your depression doesn't stem from being a social misfit, i'd say get help for the depression and forget about the schizotypal dx.

[Rapunzel]

I have met people with schizotypal personality disorder IRL. The struggle concerning not fitting in, not being like others, not being understood, and not understanding, is a pretty major theme. I'm not sure that the label is particularly helpful, no matter which disorder you are labeled with. You are an individual, and a person, before anything else.

I'm also not sure that the list of don'ts is helpful either. It's hard, or impossible, to just stop saying or doing something without having something to replace it with. I'd try to get the T to focus on what to do instead, and give you a chance to practice social skills until you can manage them effectively. Maybe you could join conversations, listen to what others are talking about, and try to talk about those topics.