In everyday life, we often meet people with "strange" behavior, but their "peculiar" features do not take on the nature of the disease, and they are not mentally ill.

How to distinguish a deviation (originality) of character - schizoid personality traits, schizoid personality disorder (psychopathy) - from a serious pathology, schizophrenia?

Schizoid personality type (schizoid personality traits)

Schizoid personality traits persist throughout life. But favorable life circumstances and environment can enable such a person to be adapted in the family and society, develop professionally and be fully socialized.

The schizoid personality type is characterized by the predominance of mental capabilities over emotional ones. Hence, a personality is formed that is guided by ideas, not feelings. Emotionally, they are vulnerable, sensitive and not syntonic, which gives rise to their clumsiness in communication. And using their intellectual abilities, they tend to move away from the social circle. They are characterized by hobbies for unusual, rare hobbies, sports, they study the rarest languages. Hence the nickname for schizoids - "eccentrics." Outwardly cold in communication, they describe themselves as follows: "I am like a drop of hot wine in a glass of ice."

All schizoid personalities are characterized by social avoidance, which manifests itself already at the age of 4-5 years. Such children do not play with their peers, they prefer solitude, their parents do not evoke the proper emotional response in them. At school age, unusual intellectual abilities often manifest themselves. The thinking of schizoid natures is introverted, non-standard, original, they have their own idea of ​​the world, and their answers are often discouraging. At the same time, the movements of such children are rough, constrained, clumsy. This does not apply to fine manual skills such as playing the piano, making handicrafts, or drawing. Therefore, individuals with a schizoid bias can become brilliant musicians or artists.

By the age of 10-11, children gradually adapt to the external environment. They find a small number of friends with whom they communicate. There may be formal relationships with other people without emotional attachment. However, any possibility of communication or access to the team is associated with tension, a feeling of discomfort.

The schizoid personality type is often combined with a characteristic somatotype - these people, as a rule, are tall, clumsy, guided in life by their intellectual constructions, and are capable of extreme devotion to any idea. There is evidence that Hitler's guards were recruited according to the criterion for the presence of schizoid features. Signs such as bizarre hobbies and emotional non-syntonality give them a formal resemblance to patients with schizophrenia, although in fact, the schizoid personality type has nothing in common with schizophrenic illness. And in premorbid (the period before the onset / debut of the disease) among patients with schizophrenia, a schizoid character is rarely found.

Schizoid personality disorder (schizoid psychopathy)

One can talk about schizoid psychopathy (schizoid personality disorder) in cases where the pointed character traits are so pronounced that they meet the criteria of totality, i.e. manifest themselves in any life situation, not being adequate to it, and, as a result, social maladjustment occurs.

Schizophrenia

If we talk about such a disease as schizophrenia, it should be noted that this mental pathology is accompanied by:

• negative symptoms (apathy, dissociation, autism),
• positive symptoms (hallucinations, delusions, catatonic symptoms),
• proceeds with the formation of an apatho-dissociative personality defect,
• requires medical treatment.

Patients suffering from schizophrenia are immersed in their unhealthy inner world. They live in their own experiences while ignoring reality, which has nothing to do with the outside world. Their thinking is not only autistic, but also paralogical, and then it becomes divorced from reality, and judgments are not amenable to any correction and logical arguments.

Often in patients with schizophrenia in thinking there are " blockages "and breaks in thoughts (sperrungs). He notes that "in the head he feels emptiness and the absence of thoughts." There may also be “thought flow (mentism), where there are many uncontrolled thoughts that do not meet the given needs and situation (“off topic”).

With impaired thinking in schizophrenic patients, a phenomenon is characteristic "slipping thoughts". The patient talks about one situation, and a moment later describes a completely different one. For example, to the question: “What is the difference between a doll and a woman?”, the patient answers: “The doll is made of plastic, but it is alive. Everything in the world is alive. If the stone were dead, it would have disintegrated long ago.”

People with schizophrenia are characterized by disorders of thinking (delusions) and perception (hallucinations), motor catatonic disorders that never occur in individuals with schizoid psychopathy.

Delusion is when a patient with schizophrenia is convinced that it does not correspond to reality, and it is impossible to dissuade him of this. This is nonsense of jealousy, persecution, relationship, damage, influence, greatness, etc.

Hallucinations can be visual, auditory, tactile, etc.

A schizophrenic patient perceives these images as truth. He integrates them into the framework of his delusional musings. If an ordinary person can believe in magic, aliens and the paranormal, then when he really sees, hears and touches them, this already speaks of illness.

With the progression of the disease, such people become apathetic, it is difficult for them to study, work, and communicate. They lose their professional skills, there is an increase in their failure, although formally the intellect is not violated.

With the right approach and medication correction, a patient with schizophrenia can return to normal life, continue to work or study. He may have criticism of painful experiences and illness, he can establish contacts with others.

Schizoid personality disorder or schizoid psychopathy are behavioral characteristics of a person that manifest themselves in avoiding relationships that can be saturated with emotions and experiences. And both negative and positive. Warm feelings or experiences are replaced by fantasies, unnecessarily “thought out”, rethought and theorized. This kind of substitution and avoidance occurs due to the fact that real relationships and emotional connections with other people bring fatigue and discomfort.

Speaking of the schizoid personality type, it is worth saying that the most noticeable signs may be precisely this disinterest in any contacts with others and a clear disregard for social norms. Such people may not respond to greetings, dress “strangely” even for the current very tolerant time, do not observe subordination, from which they have constant problems in socialization, both at the stage of training and in the process of trying to get a job. They often have an attitude towards society as a "herd", which adjusts them to its own laws, and therefore - a dismissive attitude towards the majority of people, above whom they feel themselves.

It is believed that in general there are eight types of character: narcissistic, paranoid, obsessive-compulsive, psychopathic, hysterical, depressive-manic, masochistic and schizoid.

The schizoid type of character is caused by some discrepancy between the feeling of oneself and the outside world, a feeling of detachment.

Many famous geniuses were schizoids: Albert Einstein, Van Gogh, Kant, Hegel, Archimedes, Newton, Bach ... Of the living people, these include the intellectual Anatoly Wasserman and the mathematician Grigory Perelman, who refused the Prize of the European Mathematical Society in 1996, in 2006 the Fields Medal and, in 2010, the Clay Mathematics Institute Millennium Prize.

In addition, the schizoid type of character is attributed even to fictional characters: Don Quixote and the Hedgehog in the Fog.

People with a schizoid type of character tend to:

How and why is this type formed?

There are a large number of theories on this. From a physiological point of view, the nerve endings of schizoids are more sensitive. Even at a very young age, such children may show irritation or oppression from the strong illumination of the room or the constant hubbub. It's no secret that many babies, on the contrary, love the constant presence of adults, it calms them down and gives them a sense of security. In schizoids, on the contrary, “extra people and movements” are tiring.

Other theories explain development in connection with the specifics of upbringing: a tough, nervous, explosive, critical father and a "loving", violating personal boundaries mother. In addition, of the significant factors for the formation of this type are called:

The childhood of such a baby passes alone and often in a hunted state. He is better alone, alone with books, fantasies and conclusions. But, despite their erudition and calmness, teachers also do not like such a child: they do not participate in amateur performances, they cannot explain or write anything beautifully, and “too much” knowledge in narrow areas can generally cause a feeling of competition and a desire to “punish an upstart who undermines authority teacher".

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of schizoid psychopathy can be made by a specialist in the presence of four or more symptoms:

However, the schizoid personality is not always the same in behavior when observed. Manifestations can be both of the autistic type with all additional features (including the extreme degree of problems with socialization), and of the type of sthenic schizoidness with high success in narrowly focused areas of activity in which extreme forms of pragmatism, coldness and emotionlessness in decision making are needed.

One example describes an HR advisor to a large enterprise who became "famous" for his absolutely "impersonal" approach to evaluating the significance of an employee for the overall success of the enterprise, regardless of the employee's length of service, his prior contribution, current family circumstances, health status and other additional nuances that emotionally responsive people always “look back” at. As a result, he fired workers who had devoted their entire lives to this production and were currently experiencing some kind of life difficulties. And the case gained fame due to several suicides that were committed by dismissed people and which did not cause any emotional reaction in the described adviser at all.

However, schizoid personality disorder is never diagnosed in the presence of schizophrenia, Asperger's syndrome, and delusional disorders.

According to Theodore Millon, there are four subtypes of this disorder:

• exhausted, lethargic type, which is characterized by chronic exhaustion, fatigue, lethargy, slowness, apathy;
• an anxious, distant type, which is characterized by isolation and isolation from the realities of life, isolation, wandering, the inability to stay long at one job and find a job at all;
• depersonalized type, the main specificity of which is the feeling of disunity of one's body and consciousness, preoccupation with fantasizing;
• unemotional type, sullen and the most emotionally unperturbed.

According to the classification, schizoid disorder belongs to the cluster of unusual and eccentric disorders. The manifestations that were described earlier should be observed from the period of early maturity, that is, from eighteen years of age and older.

It should also focus on the fact that some signs should be correlated with age criteria, physiological characteristics and moments of education. For example, the need for sexual contacts may fade with age or be suppressed by a certain upbringing, and the lack of friends may be due to negative life experiences or a physical feature that becomes a psychological barrier. However, in these cases, a person does not lose the emotional assessment of this fact: he complains, worries, gets angry, sneers, makes excuses. In a word, it shows emotions.

In psychoanalysis, such problems are interpreted from the point of view of the presence of a borderline level of development of a personal organization in a schizoid personality type. The schizoid type has a tendency to "protective fantasy". Another of his defense mechanisms is intellectualization, which allows him to lower the emotional significance of events, while not avoiding the events themselves.

Moreover, his necessary support is sublimation, which relies on his fantasies. With the help of it, internal tension is removed, and the energy is redistributed into another channel, which is more acceptable for such a person: drawing, sculpture, solving incredible problems.

The main meaning of this approach is that the primary conflict that forms schizoidness is the problem of rapprochement and distance. Such a person constantly keeps a distance from other people, from which he wants rapprochement. However, his rapprochement is regarded as a violation of personal boundaries and absorption, which makes the schizoid zealously maintain this very distance, in order to preserve personal space in his concept. This explains the eccentricity and dissimilarity of many such personalities: following generally accepted norms is also regarded as “absorption”. Therefore, the schizoid clearly disregards the laws of society and social norms.

However, this type of personality does not always act independently. Most often, we are faced with a schizoid-hysteroid personality type, in which schizoid personality disorder adds the symptoms of an hysteroid: suggestibility, inadequate demonstration of one's sexual and external attractiveness, posturing and "window dressing" are added.

Moreover, it should be noted that since it demonstrates this very “attractiveness”, such a person often fits into public opinion: “you won’t look without tears.” Too bright combinations of colors, frank underlining of their forms. In a word, a red skirt, green tights, an incomprehensible, old-fashioned, but frank top and at the same time unwashed hair is a completely normal picture of such a girl. Remarks about the absurdity of her appearance are surprising and can be considered envy.

Many relatives whose loved ones suffer from schizoid personality disorder are interested in: is it dangerous? As can be seen from the previously stated, such people are characterized by isolation and focus on their inner world. They do not show aggression, on the contrary, they try in every possible way to reduce the number of contacts. So they are absolutely safe for others.

In addition, their emotional alienation from the suffering of others is absolutely not tantamount to a lack of understanding of what is happening, because the intellect does not suffer. As a consequence, the schizoid psychopath, in the event of the commission of offenses, are completely cognizable, because they are not mentally ill. But for the person himself, such a disorder can turn into trouble, both in the form of employment problems, and in the form of ridicule and bullying, which start from the school bench and are due to some detachment, extravagance and the inability to join the company.

But in the case of a confirmed diagnosis in people with schizoid personality disorder, the army is most likely excluded.

Treatment

In the case of classic schizoid personality disorder, treatment is extremely difficult, not because these cases are not amenable to therapy, but because the patients themselves do not consider their condition to be a problem. They cannot understand why they are forced to "adjust to the herd." Therefore, they come to the appointment either under pressure from relatives, or with other complaints, for example, with the problem of addiction. The problem of socialization is perfectly solved with the help of role-playing games. Schizoids literally have to: what people feel and what they are offended by.

A frequent problem is the selection of the necessary psychologist, who is able to extremely reasonably make contact without violating the boundaries of the schizoid and, at the same time, without being carried away by his philosophizing and reasoning that is not the essence of the problem.

With regard to drug treatment, recently the feasibility of its use has been questioned.

But who definitely needs a psychologist is the relatives of such a person, because it is the isolation and alienation of the child that causes panic in them, they worry about his future and suffer from his coldness. All this accumulates in a big lump of inexpressibility, which can subsequently result in personal health problems: diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, heart disease, diabetes, and so on. Working with relatives is aimed at relieving anxiety, tension, “recharging with love and warmth” in the form of supportive sessions. And most importantly, the opening of the opportunity to accept such a child as he is.

The schizoid personality type occurs in people suffering from such an eccentric schizophrenia spectrum disorder as schizoid personality disorder. This means that the behavior and mannerisms of such a person are always very different from the behavior of the people around them.

Although schizoid personality disorder is classified by psychiatrists as part of the schizophrenic spectrum of mental illness, however, unlike schizophrenia or schizotypal personality disorder, people with this disorder generally do not experience psychosis.

Characteristic

A person of the schizoid type is always taken out of the context of social relations. The schizoid typical person has great difficulty in expressing any of his emotions, or does so in a very limited range. This is especially evident when interacting with other people. Some people with this mental disorder also have cognitive impairment (their thinking is schizoid), distortions of perception, as well as a pronounced originality of behavior in everyday life (the so-called schizoid-hysteroid personality type).

A person with this disorder does not desire intimacy with other people. He tends to avoid any close relationship, usually not able to experience love. The schizoid typical personality prefers to spend time alone with his thoughts, rather than communicate with others or be in a group of people. Under normal conditions, a person with a schizoid personality type is perceived as a typical "loner".

In addition, the typical schizoid personality has particular difficulty expressing his anger, even in response to direct provocations. This forms an erroneous opinion among others that such people are cold and insensitive. Often their life seems to be an outside aimless existence. Usually the schizoid typical personality pursues specific life goals that are incomprehensible to other people. Such people often react passively to adverse situations, it is difficult for them to give an adequate assessment and determine the significance of the most important events in their lives.

Insufficient social skills and a lack of desire for sexual experiences lead people with this disorder to have very few friends and rarely marry. It is very difficult for them to work for hire or engage in intensive work, especially if their work activity involves constant interpersonal interaction. But the schizoid typical personality perfectly manifests itself in conditions of social isolation and where remarkable intelligence is required. The examples of many famous scientists, such as Albert Einstein or Isaac Newton, clearly convince us of this.

The schizoid typical personality is formed on the basis of an eccentric pattern of inner experience and behavior that goes against the cultural norms of humanity. As a rule, signs of eccentric behavior are observed in such people in two or more of the following areas: cognition, managing people, interpersonal interaction, managing their emotions. Their picture of the world is not flexible enough, and schizoid character traits appear in a wide range of personal and social situations.

The schizoid typical personality is stable in its manifestations throughout life, and the first signs of a schizoid personality disorder usually appear as early as adolescence or adolescence. The schizoid type of character is more common among men than among women. Its prevalence in the general population ranges from 3.1 to 4.9 percent.

The reasons

Researchers still don't know for sure what causes schizoid personality disorder. Different theories name different reasons for the development of a schizoid personality.

A person's personality is the combination of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that makes each person unique. These features are manifested in our attitude to the outside world, as well as in how we see ourselves. Any personality is formed in childhood due to the interaction of heredity and environmental factors.

In normal personal development, children learn over time to accurately interpret social demands and respond to them appropriately. What goes wrong in schizoid children is not exactly known, but it is possible that some factors cause certain problems of personality formation. Features of the functioning of the brain and genetics also play an important role.

Most specialists adhere to the biopsychosocial model of causation. In their opinion, the reasons due to which a schizoid typical personality is formed in a person is a combination of such factors: biological, genetic, social (for example, the interaction of a child with family and other children) and psychological (character and temperament, skills to withstand stressful situations). This suggests that no single factor can be considered the leading one - the formation of one or another personality type is a very complex process, which is influenced by all of the above factors. However, studies have shown that there is an increased risk of transmission of the disease from parents to children.

Who is at risk? The schizoid personality type is often observed in members of the same family. You may be at risk if you have or have had relatives with schizophrenia, schizotypal disorder, or any other personality disorder.

Childhood experiences also play a significant role in the development of this disease. Such factors include:

• emotional and physical abuse;
• neglect;
• psychological trauma or constant stress;
• emotional coldness of parents.

Symptoms

Schizoid personality disorder is characterized by social distancing and a limited range of emotional expression in interpersonal contacts. These personality traits appear from early childhood and come in many variations. Typically, the schizoid personality type includes four (or more) of the following:

Because this personality disorder relies on resilient behavior patterns, it is most often diagnosed in adulthood. It is quite difficult to diagnose in childhood or adolescence because the child or adolescent is constantly developing. If this does happen, the above symptoms should be observed in the child for at least one year.

However, the early symptoms of schizoid personality disorder, such as an increased interest in individual activities or a high level of social anxiety, are already prominent in adolescence. The child may be a school outcast, or lag behind in his social development from his peers, which is why he often becomes the subject of bullying or ridicule.

As with most other personality disorders, the manifestations of the schizoid personality type become more intense with age, so the most pronounced symptoms of this mental disorder appear at the age of 40-50 years.

Diagnostics

Schizoid personality disorder is diagnosed by mental health professionals such as a psychologist or psychiatrist. Ordinary therapists do not have sufficient skills and tools for psychological diagnosis.

Unfortunately, many people with schizoid personality disorder do not seek treatment. Typically, people with personality disorders do not seek treatment until their illness begins to have a significant impact on their lives.

The diagnosis of a schizoid personality type is made only by a specialist (psychotherapist or psychiatrist), while he relies on anamnesis and symptoms. It is he who decides whether your symptoms meet the criteria for schizoid personality disorder. In addition, there are a number of specific medical tests (MMPI, TAT, Rorschach test) that make the diagnosis even more accurate.

Therapy

People with this disorder are often at high risk of developing anxiety or depression. They also have poor social skills and do not have meaningful relationships with people. Without treatment, people with this disorder become increasingly uncomfortable in social situations, leading to even greater isolation.

Therapy for schizoid personality disorder usually involves long-term psychotherapy with a specialist who has sufficient experience in treating this personality disorder. Some types of psychotherapy have proven to be very effective in the treatment of schizoid personality disorder.

Psychological counseling helps the patient to form the "right" relationship. Often used in conjunction with social skills training to make the person feel more comfortable in social situations.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps to deal with eccentric and socially undesirable behavior. A person is taught how to act in social situations, how to respond to explicit and hidden social signals. CBT also teaches you to recognize unusual or harmful thoughts so that you can reformulate them later.

People with this type of personality are not uncommon. Among them there are geniuses who are the driving force behind the development of civilization, and types who are completely fenced off from the world (a form of schizophrenia).

We will leave psychiatric patients outside the scope of this article, and give information about healthy people. We will also talk a little about the borderline state between the norm and pathology, that is, about a personality disorder of the schizoid type.

What is it

The main psychological characteristic of such a person is complete or partial isolation from the real world, closing in on oneself and underdevelopment of the emotional sphere.

Experiences and feelings of people of this type are multifaceted. There are too many of them, they overwhelm a person, but he does not let them out and does not show emotions. Usually people with such an organization of the psyche are convinced that they are completely free from the conventions and traditions of society.

They try to isolate themselves from society and are arrogant towards others. Their usual position is “no one orders me”, “I myself am God and the master of life”, etc.

People of this type are poor comforters and not sensitive listeners. It is difficult for them to sympathize with others or be happy for someone.

Often, epithets are used for a person with such an organization of personality: eccentric, strange, withdrawn.

The reasons

Often the reason for the formation of a personality according to the schizoid type is mental trauma (a threat to the danger of life or a loss of a sense of security) received at different stages of development.

In the intrauterine period

1. Example (A). The mother of the child, his father and other relatives want to terminate the pregnancy, that is, they want this child not to be born. The energy of anger and rejection comes from them. And the fetus perceives these energy flows that affect him negatively. As a result, blockages appear that interrupt the interconnection of organs.
2. Example (B). The mother is not going to deprive the child of life, but is constantly in a stressful situation (moral and physical violence in the family). This also threatens the life of the fetus, and he, trying to save it, calms down and hides. Figuratively speaking, he splits himself into pieces. All of the above is a prerequisite for the negative feelings that a born toddler begins to experience for others.

Immediately after childbirth

If a newborn is immediately taken away from the mother, then he may perceive this as a threat to life - he was left alone in an unfamiliar world, abandoned.

With the wrong upbringing in the family

Conclusion: the alienation of parents or guardians from the child, as well as the unceremonious imposition of their opinions, often contributes to the fact that the personality begins to develop along the "schizoid" path.

After all, adults are obliged not only to formally take care of their sons or daughters, but also to communicate with them, giving affection and warmth, instill in children a sense of confidence and security, and try to understand them.

A child who does not have virtues and friends in the person of his parents begins to look for such a patron and intercessor within himself. Thus he protects individuality so that it is not swallowed up and crushed.

Stages of formation

PRESCHOOL YEARS

The first features of a schizoid character can be seen in a child already at preschool age (at 3 or 4 years old).

SCHOOL YEARS

In school years, such a child does not change much. He does not try to establish contact with classmates and make friends. The child's self-esteem is high and the opinions of those around him are of little concern.

Most often, he likes purely intellectual communication, the exchange of information, without any emotions. Quite often, such students discover extraordinary abilities for mathematics or literary writing.

Sometimes it seems that the child knows a lot. Only one thing he can not do - the language of human relationships.

The child himself, of course, notices that it is difficult for him to establish contacts with other children. Therefore, he does not seek to walk.

A child with such an organization of personality is completely unemotional and does not show violent joy, sadness or anger. Communicating with him, it is difficult to understand how he perceives your impact on him. Parents often experience childhood coldness (unless they themselves are of the schizoid type).

Such children do not like to kiss and hug their parents and do not tolerate such caresses in relation to themselves (it is unpleasant for them).

Non-standard character traits of schizoid personalities and their inability to communicate with peers often provoke conflicts with classmates. Usually, these eccentrics are destined for the position of outcasts.

Such children do not know how to defend themselves and manipulate others. The role of the leader for him will be alien and little understood in the future.

TEENAGE YEARS

This is the most difficult period for closed children. Intellectual superiority over classmates is good. Constant rejection by peers and the inability to establish relationships with them is bad.

A teenager's self-esteem begins to change constantly. It can rise to megalomania or plummet down when the child feels worthless and engages in self-flagellation.

Attempts by parents to invade his inner world sometimes meet with violent protest.

A schizoid teenager will be annoyed by many things:

• The parents entered the room and did not knock.
• They touched his things.
• Control learning.
• Interested in his life.

Very often, loneliness does not bother teenagers with this type of personality, but their isolation and constant isolation from their peers attracts attention.
Sports activities are not alien to such children. But, they will prefer not team sports, but single sports.

What to do and how to treat a closed child

Schizoid personality type

Peculiarities

Adult individuals already have an established character. It is full of contradictions. And to understand their inner world is almost impossible. What worries such a person, what feelings overwhelm him, what hurts him a lot?

It is difficult to say, because outwardly he looks mentally indifferent and cold. It is extremely difficult to understand and imagine how the schizoid type perceives the world.

A minor detail, which most people will not pay attention to, is very significant for him. And, on the contrary, very important facts will have no meaning for him.

Behavior

The person is ambivalent about himself. He is aware of his high intellectual potential. This instills in him feelings of pride and superiority, and sometimes contempt for others.

However, an absolute lack of understanding of the social relations in which other people are involved greatly reduces the self-esteem of schizoids.

Their behavior is characterized by the following features:

• Inability to behave even in the simplest situations.
• If a person almost openly shows their dislike, it is difficult for them to assess and understand the situation.
• Their intuition is undeveloped and they cannot resist intrigues and ill-wishers. And if they are treated with sympathy and love, this also goes unnoticed until they are told about it directly and openly.

The art of communication for people with a schizoid character is a Chinese literacy that they cannot master.

Their antipathy to communication manifests itself in a variety of ways: from timidity and shyness to rude irony and cruelty (if only they would leave them alone as soon as possible). Mutually exclusive traits coexist in a person: stubbornness with pliability, coldness and indifference with vulnerability.

They are characterized by love at first sight. However, in family life, they are characterized by everyday ineptitude and indifference to small children, adultery. They are difficult partners.

An ideal partner for a schizoid is one who will constantly clean up after him, free him from everyday worries: paying bills, planning a budget, raising children.

Appearance

People of the schizoid type are perceived by others as eccentrics and eccentrics.

Their behavior, gait, facial expressions, mannerisms, feelings - everything looks bizarre:

Negative Traits

1. Excessive closure.
2. Inability to empathize and care for others (selfishness).
3. Displayed arrogance.
4. Idealization of your ideas and desires.
5. Inability to compromise.
6. Thirst for personal freedom, but the denial of it to their loved ones.
7. Overestimated suspicion.
8. Tendency to drug addiction and alcoholism.

Positive features

1. Curiosity, erudition, high intellectual potential.
2. A rich inner world, in which there are many ideas and fantasies.
3. Perseverance in solving complex problems.
4. permanent preferences.
5. Respect for the boundaries of someone else's personal space.
6. Commitment to the put forward idea and perseverance in the implementation of the planned project.

fears

• On a subconscious level, it seems to the schizoid that he will be denied the opportunity to exist, that he will be destroyed, absorbed.
• A feeling of anxiety and a feeling that everyone and everywhere is a stranger.
• These negative emotions can give rise to feelings of anger, and stress can trigger a personality disorder.

Signs of a disorder

Psychoanalysts consider such a disorder as a borderline state between the schizoid personality type and schizophrenia. This disorder is not classified as a psychotic level (the individual distinguishes between the imaginary world and the real one).

It is believed that with a schizoid disorder, it is common for a person to go into a fantasy world and thus protect himself from the outside world. Moreover, the characteristic features of the individual remain intact.

General criteria for a personality disorder:

It is difficult to meet a person with an absolutely “pure” type of character. As a rule, mixed types are more common. For example, schizoid-hysterical personality type.

In this case, some features characteristic of hysteroids will be added to the pronounced features:

• suggestibility,
• inadequate demonstration of one's sexuality in behavior and appearance,
• ostentatious character,
• excessive preoccupation with their attractiveness.

If a person has a paranoid-schizoid personality type, then the features characteristic of paranoid types will be added:

• Constant suspicion and distrust.
• The tendency to shift responsibility from oneself to others.
• Contempt for everything weak and flawed.
• Increased sensitivity to failure and rejection.
• Overestimation of self-importance.

Professions

Schizoids can engage in various activities that do not involve intense communication. They are found among doctors, scientists, poets, philosophers, as well as eccentric collectors and vagabonds who do not consider life's values.

Examples from history

People with this character often achieve unprecedented success in their professional activities due to their intelligence and concentration on the tasks that they set for themselves. There are many historical confirmations of this.

Artists Van Gogh and Salvador Dali. Philosophers Kant and Hegel. Scientists A. Einstein, Mendeleev, Newton. Composers Bach and Beethoven. Poet B. Pasternak. Psychoanalyst Z. Freud.

Treatment

People with schizoid disorder rarely seek medical help. And those who nevertheless decided to come to the doctor are afraid of a conversation. After all, I don’t really want to open my inner world to an outsider.

However, there is nothing to fear. A qualified specialist will never put pressure on you. He is clearly aware that without demand it is impossible to invade the personal space and individual thoughts of a person. Communicating with an experienced doctor, people achieve a tangible improvement in their condition.

Medications. There are no specific drugs for the treatment of such disorders. However, a doctor may recommend medications to relieve the symptoms of anxiety and depression associated with the disorder.

Psychotherapy. Apply cognitive behavioral therapy. It is she who helps the patient to change their behavior and beliefs that caused the problem. By resorting to such therapy, a person is taught adequate ways to respond to various situations, they help to cope with the anxiety that appears when it is necessary to communicate with people.

group therapy. Treatment is most effective in psychotherapeutic groups. Group sessions support the patient and increase social motivation.

For those who realize that their character is close to the schizoid type, psychotherapists recommend:

• Learn to show positive emotions.
• Pay attention to the style of communication with loved ones and relatives.
• Remember that moderate restraint is perceived by people positively, but its excessive manifestation is perceived as detachment.
• If you feel that it is difficult to cope with the problem yourself, then do not be afraid to seek help from specialists.

Video: Schizoid type

The schizoid personality type, as a rule, is expressed by introversion, which manifests itself in an enhanced mode. The individual creates an imaginary "dome of comfort", being in which gives peace and measured perception of the realities of life. Interpersonal relationships are usually poor or non-existent. There is a contrast of perception in relation to other people and animals, that is, a close attachment to representatives of the animal world and alienation in human relationships. Any sphere of life is associated with loneliness and unwillingness to change, compete, and ambitiously achieve something. Even the sexual aspect of life is expressed either in the complete absence of real sexual contact, or in the presence of a short-term relationship, but only in adulthood. This type of personality is not subject to fashion trends. In work, their choice falls on overwhelming, difficult activities that an ordinary person would refuse.

Examples of "schizoids" among prominent figures

If we consider the statistical data on individuals with a schizoid personality type, which are found among the entire population in 7.5% of cases, then we can conclude that a significant proportion of mentally unstable people. Gender separation in identifying the frequency of manifestation of schizoid personalities is not particularly observed, but, according to some reports, the ratio tends to be 2: 1, where the preponderance will be on the side of men.

Surprisingly often among famous figures there are those who have a schizoid personality type. Examples? A lot of them. These are outstanding scientists - Albert Einstein, Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev, Isaac Newton, and famous philosophers - Immanuel Kant, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Arthur Schopenhauer, and brilliant composers - Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, and the famous artist Salvador Dali, and many other.

The schizoid type of character is not always the prerequisite for the disease

Any person has inherent traits that determine the schizoid type of character. Thanks to them, an individual can manifest himself as an innovator, a thinker or a person with creative potential. The schizoid type of character, as the predominant trait of a person, can result in the fact that he will be more devoted to theory than to the emotional aspects of real life. Average people do not always understand the hobbies of schizoid personalities, sometimes these hobbies even seem bizarre to them.

The main nuance of such behavior is the futility of theoretical ideas. Emotional satisfaction is achieved in the process of solving a problem, and not in its practical implementation. On the contrary, there is a conscious departure from transferring the idea to the commercial sphere. An interesting feature is the schizoid personality type. She expresses her steadfastness about her popularity among the masses or the influence of money.

What is a schizoid in childhood?

Every parent worries about their child from the moment of his birth and, as they say, to gray hair. The schizoid personality type is subject to certain disorders. Treatment is more effective if the deviations appear at an early age, starting from 3-4 years. The child unconsciously withdraws from parental affection and prefers to engage in solitary activities alone. There is an interest in everything philosophical - these can be eternal questions about life and death, and about the emergence of everything that exists, etc.

How does the schizoid position himself in his youth?

At a later age, people with a schizoid personality type can observe a tendency to complex mathematical calculations, but at the same time, a complete inability to solve elementary problems in everyday life. The schizoid personality type, which manifests itself at an early age, usually leads to a progressive form of autism.

As for the drug treatment of the disorder, an ineffective result can be noted. According to statistics, schizoid individuals do not seek treatment for this disease, but are treated for other diseases, in particular, alcoholism. If, nevertheless, a schizoid personality type was diagnosed - what to do in this case, a specialist in the field of psychiatry will advise.

Psychotherapy as the main treatment for schizoids

An effective method of treating a patient with a schizoid personality type is psychotherapy, during which the doctor offers a list of standard emotions that the patient must get to know and try to survive. Role-playing games within the framework of social life can also be offered, the essence of which is to instill generally accepted social behavior that is acceptable in certain situations.

Causes of disorder in schizoids

A pronounced personality disorder of the schizoid type manifests itself in the first years of an individual's life. The period of development of this type of disorder is very long.

There is no genetic predisposition to schizoid disorder. Even, for example, at work, the patient can achieve significant success, but only in an isolated area. At the same time, others may not be aware of his illness.

Symptoms of schizoid disorder include:

1. Emotional indifference or mild emotion in relation to the events taking place around.
2. A constant state of isolation, thoughtfulness, seriousness and aloofness.
3. The almost complete absence of the need for interpersonal relationships.
4. No need to defend your opinion.
5. Recognition of the truth of information only if it comes from trusted sources, for example, is presented from the words of honored scientists.
6. Non-standard thought processes, especially in the analytical field.
7. Helplessness in everyday life.

The most important factor on the way to the relative stability of schizoid personalities throughout life is the correct choice of profession and periodic diagnostics by a psychotherapist.

The result of crossing two radical types

Along with the four dominant personality types, there are also smoothly flowing ones, namely:

I. Schizoid-hysterical personality type.

II. Hystero-schizoid personality type.

Despite the fact that these psychotypes come from the main categories, they are fundamentally different from them. These are self-existing personality types.

The reason for the appearance of such a combination may be the crossing of different personality types of one and the second parent in their child, but only under the condition of clearly defined initial types that have equal strength and do not drown out each other. Most often, in this combination, the schizoid type takes the primary position, and not the hysteroid type, because it is more stable.

Summarizing the above information, we can talk about the separation of the main and secondary types, but without completely suppressing the second. In particular, the individual's need for introversion, which is understood both as isolation, from the point of view of the schizoid, and as the presence of deep contact from the point of view of the need for society, is already a feature of the hysterical personality type.

If you are a schizoid, the test will definitely show it

R. Cattell's personal questionnaire, which is able to conduct both a quick diagnosis of a personality type and an in-depth study of it, has received extensive demand among psychologists. It will allow you to recognize, if any,
schizoid personality type. The test characterizes personality with 16 factors that allow predicting behavioral actions in projection on the real world. This technique can be carried out both individually and in groups, capturing various areas of application: personnel, professionally oriented, consulting, etc.

What is the final result of diagnostics according to R. Cattell's method?

The methodology is represented by 105 professional questions. The questionnaire makes it possible to diagnose with high accuracy the individual traits of a particular person, which are called "constitutional factors", according to the method of R. Cattell. A prerequisite for diagnosing a patient is the limited time. The technique allows to identify emotional, intellectual, communicative properties, including the ability to self-regulate the diagnosed individual.

Thus, the psychologist receives the final result in the form of a psychographic personality profile.

This professional program is used in the work of various specialists: psychologists, teachers, doctors, personnel specialists, psychotherapists.

The practical significance of the results of diagnostics according to the MMPI2 questionnaire

The second modern method of psychodiagnostics, which is no less important and popular than R. Cattell's questionnaire, is the MMPI2 questionnaire.

Its use greatly simplifies the procedure for selecting applicants, based on the required personal characteristics. Further use of the methodology will help to track and identify employees engaged in professional activities that do not correspond to their psychographic personality profile, which will subsequently lead to an increase in productivity and minimization of risks. Programs allow you to establish personal characteristics, the level of intellectual and professional training, the main motivational impulses for activity, competencies, development potential, etc.

The areas of application can be various types of psychological counseling, career guidance, career selection, harmonization of relationships in teams, and much more.