Schizoid personality disorder

[amastie]

I have been diagnosed with Schizoid PD but have also been told that it is a diagnosis used to describe my 'difficulties' with life, and that i move up and down the Schizophrenic spectrum according to stress and depressive episodes. ..........Even as a Schizoid i do want to be with people , in a limited way, but find it emotionally and physically knackering to do so even for an hour.I am about to have therapy as i have no wish to stay 'Schizoid' for the rest of my life and when i was younger i did enjoy others company, but also prized my time alone aswell.

Lottie

I have come to this thread very late but am very glad to have read the article which explains it. And I greatly admire the courage and fortitude it must take for you to proceed with your goals and aspirations.

Everyone with mental illness have it rough. It just seems to me that the nature of some forms of mental illness make it harder to break through, to be heard and to be supported. More power to you!

amastie added 22 Minutes and 19 Seconds later...

... I am just starting to go to a support group which will hopefully help with my terrible social anxiety and complete lack of people skills and i am just about to start therapy aswell. Both of these things should help with any luck, but the stress involved may also tip me over into worse illness, but that is a chance i have to take if i want my life to change. Needless to say i am scared witless that the 'voices' will take over again and start to convince me that i am supposed to hurt someone. I find that intolerable as i am a gentle pacifist. Hopefully they will leave me alone enough to connect to someone and even make friends.
Lottie

I hope that your therapy and your support group are going well for you. Again, I'm struck by the strength and quality of your character.
I also experience "people" insside me, but not in the same way I think, though they too bring to me thoughts that I often find very oppressive and living in the "real" world while trying to deal with them constantly is terribly hard. I also find relaxing techniques most helpful. And also anti-anxiety medication.
All the best

amastie added 6 Minutes and 10 Seconds later...

...I never feel more alone than when I am in overcrowded situations....

That part I can relate to as well. Though we don't share the same diagnosis, many things overlap

amastie added 7 Minutes and 9 Seconds later...

... I .. believe that Schizoids vary just as much as ''normal'' people do.lottie

In a real sense, being Schizoid, or having any other type of mental problem, is a variant of normal, isn't it? There cannot be one "normal". We are all variants of being human.

amastie added 6 Minutes and 36 Seconds later...

For 7 years I was hammered with "voices." The subject matter that one hears is some of the most horrible stuff you can imagine....Kaiser

While I can't definitely place other symptoms of this condition, this part of your experience is close to my own. Too close Anything resembling it would have to be too close and too painful.
And still I don't have those other debilitating symptoms that you experience.
You have my very best wishes for getting out of life every possible relief from your pain, and the most of every opportunity for ease, joy and fulfilment

 

[Celebrian]

I found this posting on SPD very, very interesting...

---------- Post added at 04:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:52 PM ----------

But how can you expect someone with SPD to get help since they don't want to connect emotionnaly with anyone, including a therapist? Do they even want help?