Avoidant Personality Disorder
A pervasive pattern of social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by four (or more) of the following:
- avoids occupational activities that involve significant interpersonal contact, because of fears of criticism, disapproval, or rejection
- is unwilling to get involved with people unless certain of being liked
- shows restraint within intimate relationships because of the fear of being shamed or ridiculed
- is preoccupied with being criticized or rejected in social situations
- is inhibited in new interpersonal situations because of feelings of inadequacy
- views self as socially inept, personally unappealing, or inferior to others
- is unusually reluctant to take personal risks or to engage in any new activities because they may prove embarrassing
- Depressed Mood
- Anxious or Fearful or Dependent Personality
Some disorders have similar or even overlapping symptoms. The clinician, therefore, in his diagnostic attempt has to differentiate against the following disorders which need to be ruled out to establish a precise diagnosis.
- Social Phobia, Generalized Type;
- Panic Disorder With Agoraphobia;
- Dependent Personality Disorder;
- Schizoid Personality Disorder;
- Schizotypal Personality Disorder;
- Paranoid Personality Disorder;
- Personality Change Due to a General Medical Condition;
- Symptoms that may develop in association with chronic substance use.