This research report discusses the Avoidant Personality Disorder. It discusses the inciting incident that may have given birth to the very development of this disorder. Furthermore the effects of the incident will be overviewed showing the varying aspects of an individual’s life that are directly affected.
I have included the various types of treatment and their effectiveness at attempting to help cope with this disorder. Avoidant Personality Disorder Avoidant Personality Disorder is a disorder in which a person is detached from interactions with others due to a fear.These fears often manifest into phobias causing characteristic damage which is seen as social awkward behavior. As an individual is suffering from Avoidant Personality Disorder there are many aspects that relate to the severity of the disorder.
There is the incident in which caused the disorder, the impact on quality of life and the way the disorder is handled. These three factors play the largest role in determining the severity and the effectiveness of treatment.“The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed. DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) reported that the prevalence of Avoidant Personality Disorder was between 0. 5% and 1. 0% in the general population”( KariAnne, V.
, et. , 2009, p. 1). This is a very alarming percentage given the size of the world’s population and that this disorder is the cause of other disorders. Avoidant Personality Disorder contributes 16%-27% of the eating disorder population (KariAnne, V.
, et. , 2009, p. 2). Often associated with a Personality Disorder there is an incident that impacts an individual causing the disorder.
It is the way the event is perceived that determines the level of damage caused.It is seen at a young age that socially timid children display a higher level of sympathetic reactions from different things within their environment. This change in the child’s reactions is a form a predisposition in which makes them more susceptible to developing a Personality disorder. Now not all Avoidant Personality Disorder patients start out at a younger age, sample groups have shown the mean ages of affected individuals being around the age of 16. 5 years old (Samuel, T.
, et, al. 1986, p. 7. ).
The general belief however is that this avoidant pattern began at an early age in life and results from innate biological factors (Lynn, A. 1989, p. 1). It is still uncertain though, that a biological predisposition is sufficient enough to account for the emergence of this condition and that environmental factors transform the predisposition into the long-standing behavior pattern (Lynn, A.
, 1989, p. 2). For instance at an early age if a child were to be laughed at or embarrassed the child might began to fear being around a group of others. This fear of being socially exploited can manifest into a phobia causing a feeling of rejection or feeling cast out of the crowd.Often as miniscule as the event is, the person experiencing the scenario will often have a perception that’s skewed from reality, where the event as a thought is much worst then it often truly is.
While the person may or may not be responsible for the event that has taken place the irrational fear has already made detrimental effects on the persons psyche. Experiencing this social out casting the individual may feel compelled to avoid a situation in which the individual may be exposed to scrutiny by others, due to a fear of humiliation or embarrassment (Samuel, T. et, al. 1986, p. 2. ).
As a person develops from this occurrence the initial fear of embarrassment can manifest into other Personality Disorders such as, anxiety, claustrophobia, social withdraw and even depression. During high school years acceptance is key in developing social networking and this is often why later development of the disorder is prevalent. It is this need to be socially accepted that make high school students more susceptible. There is a vast array of cascading effects that are directly associated with this first event.With all the opportunities taking place at a younger age there is going to be events in a person’s life where they misconstrue what is going on and how they perceive it is how the disorder can begin. Children through teens are very harsh on one another making this disorder unstoppable.
An act that was made for pure fun can influence a person for the rest of their life regardless of the harmless intent. The most detrimental outcome from the development of Avoidant Personality Disorder is the effect it has on a person’s quality of life. A person suffering from Avoidant Personality Disorder has already missed out on a lot of opportunity.The individual is often considered socially inept or a loner.
Where in reality are desperate for social interaction, but fear rejection to the point that they don’t allow themselves to partake in any event in which an incident may occur. The individual may be there, however they will not speak or even participate other than having a presence there. The lack of social interaction goes on further to affect the individual by having impairment in the ability to work, complete education and advance in career (Samuel, T. , et, al. 1986, p. 3.
). Individuals often base their life decisions on the basic principal of avoiding social interactions.The person will assume a job in which there is little to no social interaction as well as their living conditions. The person will often focus on finding a place quiet and away from the general population in attempts to avoid a social awkward moment. Individuals living in desolation with this disorder often have a strong presence of depression.
In a sample study done by Amies, gelder, and shaw (1983), as many as 45% of the group sampled had symptoms of depression, directly related to Avoidant Personality Disorder (Samuel, T. , et, al. 1986, p. 3. ).
The ability to establish an intimate long term relationship often is not thought possible by suffering individuals (Samuel, T. , et, al. 1986, p. 7. ). These thoughts of not being able to establish the relationship is often unbearable enough, but when the person does get involved, it can develop into a dependency disorder.
The significant other in this scenario can become what is known as a life line to the outside world, as though they are a tool to interact through to others with. The problem isn’t the extra interaction with others; it’s that now the suffering individual is now dependent on their partner to maintain that contact.The true problem is when there is a breakup in this relationship the person suffering from Avoidant Personality Disorder now becomes cut off from the world again, but even further because now the ability to get so close to another can develop into a phobia. The overall guidelines become a strewed where success leads to either further success or becomes a closed off option.
A usual routine is often established in which the individual will not stray away from because of the exaggerated difficulties of associated risk (Craig, H. , et. al, 1991, p. 3. ).
The direct ability to grow as a person is snuffed from the option of being able to exist.The only quality of life that is left is the ability to eat and sleep without worry. The established routine enables a peaceful lifestyle but with a hollow existence. All that’s left is a person with a desire to be intellectually open with society, but without the opportunity to do so. Finally the most overall determining factor of how a person is going to live with this disorder is how they handle it. There are many people out there with this disorder that don’t even understand the very notion of why they are this way and they are the ones who suffer the most.
They go on day in and day out avoiding the obvious problem just enough to be satisfied to go on living another day. In these types of individuals their natural defense mechanism that unconsciously operates alleviating stress and anxiety take into play (Michelle, P. , et, al. 2007, p. 2.
). The problem with these defense mechanisms are that they are over relied on and become age-inappropriate (Michelle, P. , et, al. 2007, p. 2.
). A direct example of this is a core defense associated with Avoidant Personality Disorder, which is fantasy.First recognized by Millon (1986), fantasy was used as a direct way to avoid social, occupational and interpersonal situations from emanating feelings of inadequacy and hypersensitivity to rejection and criticism (Michelle, P. , et, al.
2007, p. 2. ) A common everyday example of this is people who turn to books for comfort rather than family or friends. For others, the story doesn’t end as well. Some depression suicides are directly associated with Avoidant Personality Disorder. As the individual begin to fear others the fear of being alone often is associated.
The group of people who seek alternative help in adjusting their lifestyle so that they can operate and function as normal society does seek help. These individuals often seek medical or mental assistance. The effectiveness of each treatment is beneficial to specific cases. Some medicines have little or no effect while therapy has measurable outcomes and vice versa. Studies often aren’t an excellent model to fit because of enforcing a shared factor decreases relevance in a shape of form from other members of the groups (Thomas, R.
, et, al. 2009, p. 2. ).Often proscribed are the medications, Valium, Ativan and Xanax.
These medications help deter the feeling of anxiety and anxiousness, in hopes that a person can overcome what little obstacles that are left. Others turn to different crutches in place of proper medication. Avoidant Personalities often use alcohol and other anxiolytic drugs to help boast their courage or distract themselves from their fears. The substances that have been reportedly used are cannabis derivatives, amphetamines, cocaine, hallucinogens, and narcotics (Samuel, T. , et, al.
1986, p. 5. ).As the level of anxiety increased so did the desperation for other crutches to aid the individual. Other stimulants play a major part in the degrading of these conditions, due to yet another form of addiction. The other forms of psychological adjustments are treatment through therapy.
Often role playing is presented in group interaction sessions. These sessions give each member the opportunity to sharpen social interaction and to see how one anther perceives each other. During the role playing the individual speaking would record his or her level of anxiety and thoughts that were reached during the session.After the session as a group they would discuss their thoughts pertaining to the individual and work through the reasons why they might feel how they do. Only a handful of studies have moved beyond these group studies, due to the notion that peer report of Avoidant Personality Disorder traits relate to peer report of problems with no assertiveness (Thomas, R. , et, al.
2009, p. 2. ). Overall progression in coping with the disorder relates directly to the individual and how it is handled is going to have to correlate with the individual directly.In conclusion there are many variables that contribute to the development and progression of Avoidant Personality Disorder and hardly any direct forms of assistance through it.
The best effort to cope with the disorder is by means of determining the severity of it and approaching the very issue with assistance and education. The severity can impact a person’s life in many ways whether it’s the inciting incident, the everyday quality of life or the way it that is being treated. The one variable that remains constant is that an individual that seeks professional help can and will maintain a better life through assistance.
