Schizotypal Personality Disorder

Esthergirl · Apr 12, 2009 at 07:21 PM

My T said I have a Schizotypal Personality. I know it's not the same as Schizophrenia, but I didn't know where else to post this.

Has anyone else been told they have this? Do you know what the "symptoms" are? I'm still a bit confused about what this is. I do not have trouble in social situations, which many who are Schizotypal do. Anything anyone can say would be appreciated!

Rapunzel · Apr 17, 2009 at 10:43 PM

That is a complicated one to understand. The essence that I get from Schizotypal is feeling that you can't belong or fit in with others, with some connection to odd or unusual ideas (like feeling that you come from another world, or have magical abilities, etc.). It isn't Schizophrenia, and you aren't so disconnected from reality that you are out of touch with what is real - not psychotic, in other words.

That's how I understand the disorder, but I don't know you or how it applies to you. You should also ask your T what he or she sees that leads to this dx. He or she can explain it better than people that don't know you so well.

Maybe this description will help:

Schizotypal Personality Disorder

SYMPTOMS

A pervasive pattern of social and interpersonal deficits marked by acute discomfort with, and reduced capacity for, close relationships as well as by cognitive or perceptual distortions and eccentricities of behavior, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:
ideas of reference (excluding delusions of reference)

odd beliefs or magical thinking that influences behavior and is inconsistent with subcultural norms (e.g., superstitiousness, belief in clairvoyance, telepathy, or "sixth sense"; in children and adolescents, bizarre fantasies or preoccupations)

unusual perceptual experiences, including bodily illusions

odd thinking and speech (e.g., vague, circumstantial, metaphorical, overelaborate, or stereotyped)

suspiciousness or paranoid ideation

inappropriate or constricted affect

behavior or appearance that is odd, eccentric, or peculiar

lack of close friends or confidants other than first-degree relatives

excessive social anxiety that does not diminish with familiarity and tends to be associated with paranoid fears rather than negative judgments about self

Treatment

Criteria summarized from:
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fourth edition. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx33.htm

kameo1991 · Apr 18, 2009 at 12:49 AM

I think it has more to do with having the feeling you "never fit in" no matter how well others treat you. Or should I say "clicking" with others. See there is always that doubt in the back of my mind making me second guess peoples words/actions. I also can tell if I'll like someone even before I speak to them, just by seeing them in the same room and or area. They call it something like magical thinking.... I call it simply gut feeling. I just don't like fake people and those types are easy to pick up on. I can sense something about someone and dislike being around them before they ever get a word in. It's so natural... but that doesn't mean I'm judge mental. It's not my thoughts that are making me do that, its the feeling I get. Call it a vibe, karma, sensing things... whatever.

So its different for each person. You could have just a few of those symptoms listed above or almost all, and perhaps even just fragments of some of those.

reader1587 · Apr 28, 2009 at 09:48 AM

Are you sure it's the same thing as schizoid PD? My understanding is that there was some difference between schizoid and schizotypal but I can't remember what it was.

I'm not telling you to post elsewhere, just make sure you're in the right forum to increase your chances of getting helpful responses.

Rapunzel · Apr 28, 2009 at 12:25 PM

Schizoid and schizotypal are very similar. The difference is the magical thinking that is associated with schiotypal personality disorder.

kameo1991 · Apr 29, 2009 at 11:01 AM

I was told it goes like this "Schizoid, Schizotypal (middle), Schizophrenia" and to me again the very essence of Schizotypal Personality Disorder is the looking inward factor, not wanting human contact ect... so I personally believe the magical thinking thingie can be overblown somewhat when measuring this disorder.

I mean.. we all have a little magical thinking in us, right?

And I think she only posted here because there is no Schizotypal thread for talk on this certain personality disorder. Unless I'm missing something?

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Schizotypal Personality Disorder

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reader1587 Member Member Since Jan 2009 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 135 15 1 hugs given	Apr 28, 2009 at 09:48 AM #4 Are you sure it's the same thing as schizoid PD? My understanding is that there was some difference between schizoid and schizotypal but I can't remember what it was. I'm not telling you to post elsewhere, just make sure you're in the right forum to increase your chances of getting helpful responses.
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Rapunzel Legendary Member Since Jun 2003 Location: noplace Posts: 10,284 21 132 hugs given	Apr 28, 2009 at 12:25 PM #5 Schizoid and schizotypal are very similar. The difference is the magical thinking that is associated with schiotypal personality disorder. __________________ “We should always pray for help, but we should always listen for inspiration and impression to proceed in ways different from those we may have thought of.” – John H. Groberg
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