Schizoid personality disorder: causes, symptoms and psychotherapeutic treatment. Schizoid personality type

Personality types and human character types

Everyone has their own individual pattern character and personal characteristics. Attempts to describe personality types created many classifications, starting from reliance on appearance and constitution, then based on temperament, ending with socionics and populist types for women (lover, mistress, etc.).

We suggest considering personality types, consisting of a configuration of innate data: the type of higher nervous activity (temperament), deep-seated drives, character traits and acquired traumas, thanks to which the unique personal style of each is finally formed.

Human character types have specific names, they correspond to the names of known mental illnesses. At the same time, this does not mean that the presented personality types are diseases, no. It's just a name that reflects a certain personality structure and certain human character types normal, not pathological.

It is interesting that the very concept of the boundaries of the norm is extremely conditional. There is most likely no such person who would embody the absolute norm, from whom we could base our descriptions of madness. Each person lives with his own “cockroaches”, quirks and characteristics that make him unique.

The most original, in my opinion, explanation of the boundaries of normality and pathology caught my eye on a social network:

“There are variants of pathology that, in a socially adapted form, correspond to mental types. Each of us, under certain conditions, will manifest the pathology to which we are prone. Can you imagine the layout of the Moscow metro? So, as long as we are within the ring, that is, we are socially adapted, we are conditionally normal, and then everyone goes along their own branch. The branches have become much longer since then, that’s what I’ll say, and soon there will be a second ring...”

There are several such “branches” or personality types: schizoid, narcissistic, paranoid, manic-depressive, hysterical, obsessive-compulsive, psychopathic, masochistic (according to N. McWilliams).

These personality types do not mean a diagnosis or a derogatory mood, they are simply designations of differences, a classification, like subway lines. In cases of acute or chronic stress, each person will regress along his own branch, according to the typology.

Human character types are almost never pure, just as there is no such thing as a pure norm. However, there may be a schizoid or narcissistic person living within us. depressive, hysterical, etc. a part of the personality that may be a greater or lesser part of our psychology.

Alice: I'm crazy, right?
Father: Yes. I'm nuts. I'm crazy. And I just went crazy. But I’ll tell you a secret: madmen are wiser than everyone else.
Alice in Wonderland

There are many books, studies, monographs and descriptions about schizophrenia as a clinical disease. At the same time, interest in her does not subside. This article will talk about the schizoid personality type, which is within the boundaries of the norm, and how a schizoid person can adapt to life while remaining in accordance with his nature.

With a schizoid personality type, at one end of the “branch” there are brilliant, highly effective, socially adapted people with a schizoid personality organization, and at the other end there are mental patients suffering from schizophrenia, incapable of independent social life.

Schizoid children are often described as particularly sensitive, receptive to both physical stimuli - light, touch, sounds, and emotional, displays of strong emotions makes them shrink, tense.

Adults schizoid people They also remain amazingly empathetic, sensitive, gifted with the ability to understand, perceive the world and other people with amazing accuracy and authenticity. People having schizoid personality type They acutely sense lies and falsity in others, like a radar, detecting any insincerity.

One of my colleagues, talented schizoid, interpreted what was happening with the client during training sessions so accurately that one could navigate using it like a tuning fork, tuning one’s professional “inner instrument” for sensitive perception of another person.

Such sensitivity makes the schizoid very vulnerable to external influences, stress, from which they escape into their inner world.

The tendency to withdraw into oneself can also be caused by growing up in the arms of a suffocating, overprotective mother. When teenage schizophrenia is suspected, a mother who violates personal boundaries is often found next to a teenage boy, dragging her obedient son to church, to constellations, or to healers.

If in a family where a sensitive child is growing up - schizoid, emotional insincerity, double messages are practiced, for example, praise and love in public on the one hand, indifference and criticism at home on the other, then sooner or later the child may begin to rely on withdrawal, isolation from others, in order to protect himself from lies, falsehood , causing deep confusion, anger and hopelessness.

At school, I asked awkward questions about the Soviet system, for which I was subjected to hidden aggression from teachers. I left these questions deep inside myself.

From a therapeutic conversation

The need to rely on one’s inner world can also arise as a result of the early isolation of a child who, from infancy, was left alone at home or in a crib, and was not approached at night when he cried, in order to foster “independence.”

As a result, the schizoid child tries to find a way to adapt to forced isolation and chooses “not to need” intimacy, looking more for support in himself and his inner world.

Something pushed me from bus to bus, where I could sit with schizophrenic apathy on my face, immersed in my inner world, and outwardly not stand out among the rest of the passengers busy with their own problems, who indifferently watch the landscapes flashing through the windows.

Barbara O'Brien. An extraordinary journey into madness and back: operators and things.

In general, adults invading the fine boundaries of an initially quite sensitive child, early isolation, loneliness and unempathetic parental care contribute to the emergence of an internal conflict between the desire for intimacy and avoidance of it, the desire to distance itself, which leads to the formation of a schizoid personality type.

A valuable adaptive ability of people with a schizoid personality organization is their creativity. It is only important to find a form for expressing a rich inner world. Most artists, sculptors, and musicians have a schizoid personality.

A healthy person of the schizoid type is able to direct his talents into art, philosophy, science, spiritual research, and some actions in the real world. A more deeply traumatized schizoid experiences enormous suffering from the inability to realize his abilities due to fear, alienation from society, and loneliness.

I found myself diving into the depths of sea life through diving classes. This is an action that I perform in the real world, and which symbolically reflects my habitual dives into the depths of myself.

From a personal conversation

Alienation and loneliness are frequent companions of a person with a schizoid personality type. Because the schizoid people ignore public expectations, are indifferent to the opinion of the majority, then more often suffer from boycott or aggression from this majority.

Therefore, such people often look outwardly dispassionate, contemptuous and ironic in relation to the surrounding mass of people. However, internally they acutely experience their own otherness, difference from others, incomprehensibility for others, and therefore some kind of deep internal irregularity.

For such a person it is vitally important to be understood and heard, but at the same time it may be unbearably scary for him to be too close to another. The schizoid is afraid that if a close loved one fully recognizes him, he will seem like a freak or an eccentric.

As a result, schizoid people often choose isolation and loneliness, avoiding communication with other people. If this happens, then it’s worth overcoming fear, return yourself to communication. Perhaps first in therapy, then in your personal life.

“Come closer, I’m lonely, but don’t come closer, I’m afraid of invasion,” A. Robbins gives an example of the unspoken message of a person of the schizoid type. The conflict between proximity and distance is central to the schizoid personality type.

The fear of invasion and absorption turns out to be stronger than the desire for intimacy. Often in families, when problems arise in relationships, a non-schizoid woman tries to get closer to her schizoid partner, “have a heart-to-heart talk,” and he responds, fearing absorption, by moving away.

In order to take this feature into account and ensure a comfortable existence, a schizoid needs his own safe space. There are people of a different type, other types of human character, who can be guided by the principle “a person really doesn’t need much - a roof over his head, and bread and butter.”

A person with a schizoid personality cannot survive like this, or rather, it is possible to survive, but he will have to constantly experience suffering, spiritual And physical pain. He needs space, distance, air.

Literally with my body I feel this urban closed space of the Khrushchev, the pain from the noise, burning, smells. Here I can’t pull myself together, I’m falling apart...

From a personal conversation

In order to stay in touch with his nature, it is important for a schizoid to find or organize his own place, home, space where he can feel calm and safe. Sometimes you have to work hard to secure such a place, but it's worth it.

At the same time, it is also important to have close relationships and not go into internal or external recluse.

According to my observations, for healthy schizoids, a distance of half a world when using modern technologies will not be an obstacle to a feeling of closeness. Highly functional person with schizoid personality type, can organize his work remotely in order to successfully resolve the internal conflict of distance-proximity.

Work at home in a safe, cozy and personal space, but with the help of modern technologies, keeping your finger on the pulse of the company in which he works. In this case, the person does not feel a great distance at all, since thanks to the sensitivity of the schizoid, it does not interfere with intimacy and maintaining contacts.

In addition, schizoid people experience obvious anxiety about basic safety. Since the world around them seems to be filled with threatening, cramped, noisy, destructive forces that are dangerous to individuality. Sometimes such anxiety may seem exaggerated to other people.

— In Russia you can survive, but truly live... no.
— I’ve lived in Russia all my life – until they killed me...

Overheard dialogue

This anxiety is difficult to deal with; you want to take care of safety, but it still won’t be completely safe. First you need to achieve a feeling of security and comfort in the space of your home and in your relationships with loved ones.

You can then gradually extend this feeling of stability and security to the outside world. There is no need to rush here; the acquisition of the inner promised land will smoothly and timely spread to the outside world.

— Was it good in Cambodia?
- Yes…
“Now find your inner Cambodia.”

From a therapeutic conversation

When there is no internal security, an external search for such a place on earth helps. If there is such a space, then it remains inside you. However, if the external search does not accompany the internal one, then it threatens with endless wanderings like downshifters who are looking for something through the external world, traveling, but as if they do not find the inner world. And vice versa, if there is an “inner Cambodia”, an internal point of balance and peace, then the external situation ceases to be threatening, alarming, destructive.

So, we have identified the following characteristics of a person with a schizoid personality type, and suggested ways to integrate them into life:

• A rich inner world, which it is important to learn to creatively express outside, overcoming the tendency to withdraw into oneself.
• Inner sensitivity, sensitivity, sensitivity, which requires psychological hygiene - creating a safe space, the ability to take care of oneself.
• A conflict between distance and intimacy, the resolution of which requires one’s own safe space, respect for personal boundaries in relationships with loved ones, and the experience of acceptance by another person.
• Neglect of conventions and social norms, which can provoke an attack by the majority on a schizoid, increasing his fear of absorption. As a result, a person chooses isolation and loneliness, avoiding communication with other people. In this case, it is worth overcoming fear and returning yourself to communication. Even if there are not many contacts, one or three people, this may be enough for a comfortable life.
• Anxiety about basic security, to extinguish which an internally safe space is created, which gradually spreads to the outside world.

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There are few such people, 1–2%. They do not like to be approached too closely and often scare people away with their particular behavior. Many people consider them “not like that.” But they are used to it.

After my book was published, readers often come up to me to thank me for information that has helped them or their work. But people with schizoid personality types send me emails saying, “thank you.” They thank me for the fact that my description contains no hint of their exaggerated oddities.

People with schizoid personality types use detachment as a defense mechanism. They leave - from people, into loneliness, into the world of their own fantasies. They always choose a distance, and they do not need other distorting defenses: denial, dissociation (separation of themselves from their unpleasant experiences), repression. Perhaps this is why they are often aware of processes that for others occur unconsciously.

Americans have a proverb: “The elephant is in the room, but no one notices it.” People with a schizoid personality type always see this elephant and are surprised that it is invisible to others. But when they try to talk about this elephant, they are looked at as crazy.

To avoid difficulties in communication, they prefer activities that they can indulge in alone. To not be in a group, a team. Many of them are busy with creativity, interested in philosophy, spiritual practices, meditation...

However, we are unlikely to meet a person with a schizoid personality type who does not have at least some degree of desire for attachment.

But there is a problem: while striving for intimacy, they experience an overload from excessive intimacy, it suppresses and oppresses them. As a rule, they feel better in the company of children and animals.

The child grows up to be extremely sensitive. He reacts to stimuli as if they hurt him

I was recently asked whether people with schizoid personality types and autistic people are similar. I think they have something in common. For example, both of them do not like excessive attention. But there is one significant difference - autistic people do not understand the feelings of other people. They don’t know that a child needs to be hugged... But they can be taught this. And a person with a schizoid personality type knows from the very beginning that the child must be picked up. But he cannot do this; he avoids contact in every possible way, since it is unbearable for him.

Their childhood

The child grows up to be extremely sensitive. He reacts to stimuli as if they were causing him pain. Moreover, to a variety of stimuli: sound, light, any changes, tactile sensations (like tags on clothes scratching the skin). When we take such a child in our arms, he does not cuddle, but moves away, his body becomes rigid.

Children with a schizoid personality type often refuse to breastfeed. They feel completely unprotected, and any contact is perceived by them as an invasion, a violation of their integrity. Even if this intrusion is the mother's nipple in her mouth. It can be assumed that their skin is too thin.

I once shared this observation with my patient: I said that it was as if I was sitting next to a person who had a burn. He needs help, he needs to be touched, but this cannot be done, because any touch is intolerable. This metaphor seemed true and appropriate to her.

I repeat: as a defense, a person with a schizoid personality type prefers care. But he also feels separation from someone very acutely. Why? The fact is that he is already willing to let only a few people close to him, and the loss of one of these people would mean the disappearance of a very significant part of the support system. Such people become attached to others, but in their company it is difficult not to feel lonely.

Schizoid and others

Schizoids cannot tolerate superficial communication. My husband was a person with a schizoid personality type. On those rare occasions when I managed to persuade him to go on a visit with me, he immediately found a child or a dog and spent the entire evening with them. Talking about nothing was killing him. He needed sincerity and honesty. That is why, from the point of view of a schizoid person, a hysterical person is simply... a liar.

The fact is that for a hysteric the main defense is exaggeration. Imagine with what intonation a woman can pronounce the phrase: “I’m sooooo angry with my husband!” For her, this method of communication is a defense, she wants what she says to be taken seriously, and it seems to her that if she says it more quietly, they will not believe her.

Schizoid men love hysterical women for their sensitivity, warmth, and emotionality.

The combination of people with schizoid and hysterical personality types is difficult. At the same time, there is a long love story between them. Hysterical women find schizoid men extremely attractive. They value honesty, integrity, self-sufficiency in them... And schizoid men love hysterical women for their sensitivity, warmth, and emotionality.

But together they can drive each other crazy. Because when she feels bad, she tries to move closer to him, and he moves away. When he sees that she is not well, he thinks that the best thing he can do for her is to leave her alone. And she feels abandoned.

Features of schizoids

There are many contradictions in people with a schizoid personality type. They appear distant and uninterested, but they themselves live with a deep desire for intimacy. They are self-sufficient, but need another person. Extremely absent-minded and extremely attentive.

They seem inactive and unemotional, but inside they are active and emotions are seething. They look asexual and ascetic, but they have a lot of impulsiveness and powerful sexual fantasies.

If a schizoid is sure that you will not consider him crazy, he will gradually tell you a lot of interesting things about the world of his fantasies

I once asked a psychoanalyst with a schizoid personality type why psychology doesn’t pay so much attention to schizoid dynamics. He replied: “Do you think WE can start some kind of social movement?” Sometimes I feel like I'm in some way an ambassador for a silent singles community... that doesn't do very well with PR! But I do it sincerely.

The inner life of a person with a schizoid personality type is very attractive. If he is sure that you will not consider him crazy, gradually, trusting you more and more, he will tell you a lot of interesting things about the world of his fantasies.

A schizoid friend of mine once admitted that she doesn’t eat raisins. I assumed she didn't like the taste. “No,” she replied, “you don’t understand, he could be a fly!” I told my other friend about this, whose husband is schizoid. She immediately said that her husband doesn’t eat raisins either. True, he argues differently: he does not trust the raisins that are hidden in the buns. Charming! The whole world seems animated to them. In this sense, they are like children.

How to behave with them?

• Such people avoid contact and are easily frightened. They need as much space as possible to feel safe. The therapist should avoid invading the patient's territory, I would not recommend moving forward too quickly, asking awkward questions - so that they do not feel like an "interesting clinical case." They cannot stand insincerity and lies; it is important to be absolutely truthful, real, and honest.
• One of the difficulties: often therapeutic relationships become more comfortable for them than relationships with real, ordinary people in everyday life. You may find that although the person came to you with the desire to become more sociable, during the course of treatment he did not achieve this. Towards the end of therapy, he needs to be pushed a little by asking whether he managed to solve the issue with which he came.
• It is important that a person with a schizoid personality type knows that you consider him normal.
• It is difficult for such people to talk about feelings. Even if they want it. The very act of speaking is painful for them. Try to find an indirect way to talk about what is important: discuss films, plays, music... My colleague has been talking to a patient for many weeks about... pizza. In details: where in the city they make the best one, why it is so good, and so on. At the same time, they both understood that they were not talking about pizza, but about internal hunger, about how to satisfy it. And what does a person feel when he needs one thing, but is offered something completely different?

about the author

Nancy McWilliams- psychoanalyst. Author of the book “Psychoanalytic Diagnostics,” which describes different personality types (narcissistic, hysterical, depressive, schizoid and others), shows their characteristics, similarities and differences, prevailing emotions and affects, drives and defenses; tells how a person perceives himself and how others see him.

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 calm 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, close attachment to representatives of the animal world and alienation in human relationships. Any area of ​​life is associated with loneliness and reluctance to change, compete, or ambitiously achieve anything. 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 exclusively in adulthood. This personality type is not susceptible to fashion trends. In work, their choice falls on backbreaking, difficult activities that an ordinary person would refuse.

Examples of “schizoids” among prominent figures

If we consider statistical data on individuals with a schizoid personality type, who are found among the entire population in 7.5% of cases, we can conclude that there is a significant proportion of mentally unstable people. There is no particular gender difference when identifying the frequency of manifestation of schizoid personalities, but, according to some data, the ratio tends to be 2:1, where the preponderance will be on the side of men.

It is amazingly common among famous figures to find 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.

Schizoid character type is not always a prerequisite for illness

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

The main nuance of this behavior is the ineffectiveness 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 move away from transferring the idea to the commercial sphere. The schizoid personality type has an interesting feature. She expresses her unwavering attitude towards her popularity among the masses or the influence of money.

What is a schizoid like in childhood?

Every parent worries about their child from the moment he is born and, as they say, until his gray hairs. The schizoid personality type is susceptible to certain disorders. Treatment is more effective if 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 origin of all things, etc.

How does a schizoid position himself in adolescence?

At a later age, in people with a schizoid personality type, one can observe a tendency to complex mathematical calculations, but at the same time a complete inability to solve basic 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 medicinal method of treating the disorder, one can note an ineffective result. According to statistics, schizoid individuals do not seek treatment for this disease, but undergo treatment for other diseases, in particular alcoholism. If, nevertheless, a schizoid personality type has been diagnosed, a specialist in the field of psychiatry will advise what to do in this case.

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 should become familiar with and try to experience. 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.

Preconditions causing disorder in schizoids

Severe 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 a patient can achieve significant success, but only in an isolated area. At the same time, those around him may not even know about his illness.

Symptoms of schizoid disorder include:

1. Emotional indifference or weakly expressed emotion in relation to events happening around.
2. A constant state of isolation, thoughtfulness, seriousness and aloofness.
3. Almost complete absence of need for interpersonal relationships.
4. No need to defend your opinion.
5. Recognition of the truth of information only if it comes from verified sources, for example, stated in the words of distinguished scientists.
6. Non-standard thought processes, especially in the analytical field.
7. Helplessness in everyday life.

The most important factor on the path to relative stability of schizoid personalities throughout life is the correct choice of profession and periodic diagnosis 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-hysteroid personality type.

II. Hysterical-schizoid personality type.

Despite the fact that these psychotypes come from the main categories, they are fundamentally different from them. These are independently 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 are of equal strength and do not drown out each other. Most often, in this combination, the schizoid type occupies the primary position, and not the hysterical one, because it is more stable.

Summarizing the above information, we can talk about identifying 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 a schizoid, and as the presence of deep contact from the point of view of necessity for society, is already a trait of a hysterical personality type.

If you are schizoid, the test will definitely show it

R. Cattell’s personality questionnaire, which is capable of both a quick diagnosis of a personality type and an in-depth study of it, has received widespread demand among psychologists. It will allow you to recognize, if present,
schizoid personality type. The test characterizes a personality with 16 factors that allow one to predict behavioral actions in projection onto the real world. This technique can be carried out both individually and in groups, covering various areas of application: personnel, professionally oriented, consulting, etc.

What is the final result of diagnostics using R. Cattell’s method?

The methodology is represented by 105 professional questions. The questionnaire allows you to accurately diagnose the individual traits of a particular person, called “constitutional factors,” according to the method of R. Cattell. A prerequisite for diagnosing a patient is limited time. The technique allows us to identify the emotional, intellectual, and communicative properties, including the ability to self-regulate, of the diagnosed individual.

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

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

Practical significance of diagnostic results using the MMPI2 questionnaire

The second modern psychodiagnostic method, 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 technique will help track and identify employees engaged in professional activities that do not correspond to their psychographic personality profile, which will subsequently lead to increased productivity and minimization of risks. The programs allow you to establish personal characteristics, the level of intellectual and professional training, the main motivational impulses for activity, competencies, development potential, etc.

Areas of application can be various types of psychological consultation, career guidance, professional selection, harmonization of relationships in teams and much more.

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 calm 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, close attachment to representatives of the animal world and alienation in human relationships. Any area of ​​life is associated with loneliness and reluctance to change, compete, or ambitiously achieve anything. 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 exclusively in adulthood. This personality type is not susceptible to fashion trends. In work, their choice falls on backbreaking, difficult activities that an ordinary person would refuse.

Examples of “schizoids” among prominent figures

If we consider statistical data on individuals with a schizoid personality type, who are found among the entire population in 7.5% of cases, we can conclude that there is a significant proportion of mentally unstable people. There is no particular gender difference when identifying the frequency of manifestation of schizoid personalities, but, according to some data, the ratio tends to be 2:1, where the preponderance will be on the side of men.

It is amazingly common among famous figures to find 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.

Schizoid character type is not always a prerequisite for illness

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

The main nuance of this behavior is the ineffectiveness 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 move away from transferring the idea to the commercial sphere. The schizoid personality type has an interesting feature. She expresses her unwavering attitude towards her popularity among the masses or the influence of money.

What is a schizoid like in childhood?

Every parent worries about their child from the moment he is born and, as they say, until his gray hairs. The schizoid personality type is susceptible to certain disorders. Treatment is more effective if 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 origin of all things, etc.

How does a schizoid position himself in adolescence?

At a later age, in people with a schizoid personality type, one can observe a tendency to complex mathematical calculations, but at the same time a complete inability to solve basic 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 medicinal method of treating the disorder, one can note an ineffective result. According to statistics, schizoid individuals do not seek treatment for this disease, but undergo treatment for other diseases, in particular alcoholism. If, nevertheless, a schizoid personality type has been diagnosed, a specialist in the field of psychiatry will advise what to do in this case.

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 should become familiar with and try to experience. 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.

Preconditions causing disorder in schizoids

Severe 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 a patient can achieve significant success, but only in an isolated area. At the same time, those around him may not even know about his illness.

Symptoms of schizoid disorder include:

1. Emotional indifference or weakly expressed emotion in relation to events happening around.
2. A constant state of isolation, thoughtfulness, seriousness and aloofness.
3. Almost complete absence of need for interpersonal relationships.
4. No need to defend your opinion.
5. Recognition of the truth of information only if it comes from verified sources, for example, stated in the words of distinguished scientists.
6. Non-standard thought processes, especially in the analytical field.
7. Helplessness in everyday life.

The most important factor on the path to relative stability of schizoid personalities throughout life is the correct choice of profession and periodic diagnosis 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-hysteroid personality type.

II. Hysterical-schizoid personality type.

Despite the fact that these psychotypes come from the main categories, they are fundamentally different from them. These are independently 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 are of equal strength and do not drown out each other. Most often, in this combination, the schizoid type occupies the primary position, and not the hysterical one, because it is more stable.

Summarizing the above information, we can talk about identifying 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 a schizoid, and as the presence of deep contact from the point of view of necessity for society, is already a trait of a hysterical personality type.

If you are schizoid, the test will definitely show it

R. Cattell’s personality questionnaire, which is capable of both a quick diagnosis of a personality type and an in-depth study of it, has received widespread demand among psychologists. It will allow you to recognize, if present,
schizoid personality type. The test characterizes a personality with 16 factors that allow one to predict behavioral actions in projection onto the real world. This technique can be carried out both individually and in groups, covering various areas of application: personnel, professionally oriented, consulting, etc.

What is the final result of diagnostics using R. Cattell’s method?

The methodology is represented by 105 professional questions. The questionnaire allows you to accurately diagnose the individual traits of a particular person, called “constitutional factors,” according to the method of R. Cattell. A prerequisite for diagnosing a patient is limited time. The technique allows us to identify the emotional, intellectual, and communicative properties, including the ability to self-regulate, of the diagnosed individual.

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

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

Practical significance of diagnostic results using the MMPI2 questionnaire

The second modern psychodiagnostic method, 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 technique will help track and identify employees engaged in professional activities that do not correspond to their psychographic personality profile, which will subsequently lead to increased productivity and minimization of risks. The programs allow you to establish personal characteristics, the level of intellectual and professional training, the main motivational impulses for activity, competencies, development potential, etc.

Areas of application can be various types of psychological consultation, career guidance, professional selection, harmonization of relationships in teams and much more.

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 manners of such a person are always very different from the behavior of the people around him.

Although psychiatrists classify schizoid personality disorder as part of the schizophrenic spectrum of mental illnesses, unlike schizophrenia or schizotypal personality disorder, people with this disease, as a rule, do not experience psychosis.

Characteristic

A person of the schizoid type is always taken out of the context of social relations. The typical schizoid personality experiences great difficulty in expressing any of his emotions, or does so in a very limited range. This is especially evident when communicating with other people. Some people with this mental disorder also experience cognitive impairment (their thinking is schizoid), distortions of perception, as well as 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 relationships and is usually unable to experience love. The typical schizoid 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 provocation. This gives others the erroneous opinion that such people are cold and insensitive. Often their life seems to outsiders to be a purposeless existence. Typically, a typical schizoid personality pursues specific life goals that are incomprehensible to other people. Such people often react passively to unfavorable situations; it is difficult for them to give an adequate assessment and determine the significance of the most important events in their lives.

Poor social skills and a lack of desire for sexual experiences mean that people with this disorder have very few friends and rarely get married. 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 typical schizoid personality manifests itself magnificently 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 internal experience and behavior that runs counter to the cultural norms of humanity. Typically, such people exhibit signs of eccentric behavior in two or more of the following areas: cognition, managing people, interpersonal interaction, and managing their emotions. Their picture of the world is not flexible enough, and schizoid character traits manifest themselves in a wide range of personal and social situations.

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

Causes

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 a combination of thoughts, emotions and behavior that makes each person unique. These characteristics are manifested in our attitude towards the outside world, as well as in the way we see ourselves. Any personality is formed in childhood due to the interaction of heredity and environmental factors.

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

Most experts adhere to the biopsychosocial model of causation. In their opinion, the reasons due to which a person develops a schizoid typical personality is a combination of such factors: biological, genetic, social (for example, the child’s interaction with family and other children) and psychological (character and temperament, skills to withstand stressful situations). This suggests that no single factor can be considered leading - 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 passing this disease from parents to children.

Who is at risk? The schizoid personality type is often observed among members of the same family. You may be at risk if you have had or have a family member 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 distance in social relationships and a limited range of emotional expression in interpersonal contacts. Such personality traits appear starting from early youth and are present in various variations. Typically, a schizoid personality type includes four (or more) of the following characteristics:

Because this personality disorder relies on persistent patterns of behavior, 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 happens, the above symptoms should be observed in the child for at least one year.

However, early symptoms of schizoid personality disorder, such as increased interest in individual activities or high levels of social anxiety, are already clearly noticeable in adolescence. The child may be an outcast at school, or lag behind his peers in social development, which is why he is often 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 symptoms of this mental disorder are most pronounced 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 disorder begins to have a significant impact on their life.

The diagnosis of a schizoid personality type is made only by a specialist (psychotherapist or psychiatrist), and it is based 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 lack meaningful relationships with people. Without treatment, people with this disorder become increasingly uncomfortable in social situations, leading to even greater isolation.

Treatment 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 form the “right” relationship. Often used in conjunction with social skills training to help a person feel more comfortable in social situations.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps address erratic and socially undesirable behavior. A person is taught how to act in social situations, how to respond to obvious and hidden social signals. CBT also teaches you to recognize unusual or harmful thoughts so you can reframe them.