Schizoid Personality Disorder (SPD) remains a serious condition that affects a small percentage of the population. In order to provide an accurate diagnosis of the condition, it is important to identify those factors that indicate SPD while making a proper differential diagnosis so as to avoid a misdiagnosis. It is critical to stress here that a differential diagnosis provides for a clear understanding of what the actual condition is by eliminating the “confusion factor”.
That is, it is not impossible or without precedence that symptoms of SPD overlap with other conditions. This can lead to the wrong diagnosis and such an inaccurate diagnosis will yield the wrong treatment. Obviously, this does not help the patient and that is why a clear understanding of that is and what isn’t SPD is necessary for arriving at the correct assessment. Those who suffer from SPF are extremely adverse to social interactions and have no emotional expressions within social interactions.
Such attitudes develop in early adulthood and are quite pronounced.Those with SPD can be identified by the following traits: lack of enjoyment or desire to take part in social relationships; exclusive desire for solitary activities; virtually no interest in sexual activities; no confidents other than close relatives; indifference to praise or criticism; and emotional coldness or detachment. The differential diagnosis of this disorder attempts to place a clear understanding of the condition so as to avoid a misdiagnosis. Since SPD can overlap with other conditions, it is important to clearly identify it as opposed claiming it is another condition.
This is why it is important to look for the different symptoms as opposed to those that overlap. Delusional Disorders, for example, are similar to SPD but possess psychotic episodes; drug abuse can often be the root causes of symptoms similar to SPD; Paranoid Disorders contain excess suspiciousness; and Avoidant Personality Disorders possess feelings of inadequacy. Comparing both the proper diagnosis and the differential diagnosis provides the ability to arrive at a proper diagnosis. This is critical to achieve because without the proper diagnosis, the ability to provide an appropriate treatment will be non-existent.
