It's normal to feel embarrassed every now and then. However, if the shyness is excessive and accompanied by a fear of rejection or criticism from others, you need to be aware of it. This condition may be a sign avoidant personality disorder.
Avoidant personality disorder (AVPD) or avoidant personality disorder is a personality disorder that causes sufferers to often avoid social interactions with other people.
People who have this personality disorder often feel embarrassed, anxious, and excessively afraid of rejection from others. In contrast to the usual shy nature, avoidant personality disorder This makes it difficult for sufferers to form close relationships with other people.
Reason avoidant personality disorder not known for sure. However, genetic or hereditary factors are thought to play a role in making a person experience AVPD.
In addition, AVPD can also occur because the sufferer has experienced a traumatic event, such as physical or emotional abuse, betrayed by loved ones, poor parenting, or lack of love from parents.
Symptom Avoidant Personality Disorder
Avoidant personality disorder often appears in childhood and the symptoms will be more visible when the sufferer is growing up. In addition to excessive shyness and fear, people who have AVPD personality disorder may also exhibit the following symptoms:
- Reluctant to do many things and try something new because they don't want to take risks and feel inadequate
- Too sensitive and easily offended when receiving criticism
- Anhedonia
- Often exaggerate things
- Tend to have a negative or overly pessimistic mindset
- Often feel anxious
- Often looks at him negatively or has self-esteem The low one
- Always avoid conflict and try to be obedient or pleasing to others
- Often avoids work or activities that involve contact or interaction with other people
- Hard to make a decision
- Difficult or completely unable to trust others
However, not all of these symptoms indicate that a person definitely has the AVPD personality disorder. Many people do have a shy nature and find it difficult to trust others, but not because of this disorder.
These various symptoms can only be said to lead to AVPD when it has occurred for a long time and makes it difficult for the sufferer to move and establish relationships with other people.
People who experience AVPD also usually find it difficult to change their behavior, have difficulty adapting and interacting with other people, quickly disconnect from other people, and tend to withdraw from the social environment.
Like This How To Overcome Avoidant Personality Disorder
As with other personality disorders, avoidant personality disorder is not an easy condition to treat. This is because people with AVPD have a mindset and behavior that has been ingrained for years.
Not a few sufferers avoidant personality disorder who feel that they do not need treatment.
In fact, if not treated properly, people with AVPD can be more at risk for various other psychological problems, such as depression, panic attacks, agoraphobia, or suicidal ideation.
Therefore, people with this personality disorder need to undergo treatment by consulting a psychologist or psychiatrist.
To treat this condition, psychiatrists and psychologists can perform psychotherapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy. By undergoing therapy, patients will be guided to change their mindset and behavior to be more positive, and learn to interact and accept others.
In addition to psychotherapy, AVPD patients may also need to take medications, such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications. These drugs are usually given if the patient already has other mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety disorders. The drug is also given to treat anhedonia, insomnia, and other disorders mood.
Recognize the symptoms that lead to avoidant personality disorder and undergo an examination to a psychologist or psychiatrist to be sure and find out the cause.
That way, this personality disorder can be treated immediately before it has a further impact on daily life and relationships with other people.
