Personality disorder - schizoid

People with this disorder rarely seek treatment, and little is known about which treatments work. Talk therapy may not be effective, because people with schizoid personality disorder have difficulty relating well to others.

However, one approach that appears to help is to put fewer demands for emotional closeness or intimacy on the person with this condition.

People with schizoid personality disorder often do better in relationships that do not focus on emotional closeness. They are better at handling relationships that focus only on recreation, work, or intellectual activities and expectations.

Schizoid personality disorder is a long-term (chronic) illness that usually dos not improve much over time. Social isolation often prevents the person from seeking the help or support that might improve the outcome.

Limiting emotional intimacy may help people with this condition make and keep connections with other people.

Review Date: 11/14/2010
Reviewed By: Linda Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine; and David B. Merrill, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiary, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)