Differences Between Schizoid Disorder And Schizotypal Disorder

In society there are all types of people and, therefore, personality is something that occurs in a very variable way presenting all types of traits with greater or lesser intensity in the population.

However, there are some people whose personality stands out above what is considered normal and even causes them some type of harm, bordering on or fully entering into psychopathology.

There are several personality disorders, being divided into three clusters: A, B and C. In this article we are going to differentiate two of those found in cluster A, which are schizoid disorder and schizotypal personality disorder. .

Due to their name, it is easy to confuse them, in addition to assuming that they have some relationship with schizophrenia.

Although in both disorders those who suffer from it are characterized by not being very socially adapted, in addition to drawing attention above the rest, The truth is that they have several fundamental differences Let’s see what they are.

Schizoid disorder and schizotypal disorder, what are they?

Schizoid disorder and schizotypal disorder are two disorders included within the group of personality disorders. These two disorders are included within cluster A of personality disorders, along with paranoid disorder, characterized by presenting a strange and eccentric pattern of thought and behavior.

Schizoid and schizotypal disorders are characterized by progressive social detachment , in addition to problems when establishing and maintaining relationships with other people. They also share the fact of presenting an enormous lack of interaction with others, although, it should be noted that both disorders manifest them in the form of differentiated symptoms.

In both disorders, the person has an appearance that stands out above others, especially this being the case of schizotypal people, who tend to dress in a more striking way.

Differences between these two personality disorders

Next, we are going to learn how schizoid disorder and schizotypal disorder differ.

1. Sociability

In schizoid personality disorder, the person has little interest in establishing social and sexual relationships with other individuals.

These types of people prefer solitude rather than the company of others Because of this, they don’t usually have many friends, with the only people they interact with being their closest family members.

This can also be observed by the fact that schizoid people usually work in jobs that do not require much human interaction, such as computer scientists, programmers, mathematicians, among others.

On the other hand, people who suffer from schizotypal personality disorder, the reason why they do not have a correct social relationship is not that they do not want to have friends, but that they feel afraid of interacting with others.

They are people who are very susceptible to possible criticism that others may make of them, causing them to enter a spiral of suspicion that others do not love them, which generates fear and a high level of anxiety.

2. Paranoia

Related to the previous point, Schizoid people are indifferent to the opinions of others and their criticism, even if they are positive

Because of this, they are not prone to paranoia, since, since they do not care what others say or do, they simply see it as something that does not concern them nor should they care.

On the other hand, schizotypal people may think that others are talking about them.

Paranoia and suspicions that others do not stop criticizing her, or that the world thinks bad things about her, cause them to suffer, as we have already mentioned in the previous point, high levels of social anxiety.

3. Seeking help

Once we have seen the first two differences, It is easy to understand why schizotypal people choose to go to therapy voluntarily more often than those who suffer from schizotypal personality disorder

Wanting to have healthy social relationships but not being able to establish or maintain them over time makes people with schizotypal personality disorder feel terribly bad, and may develop depressive symptoms.

Social anxiety is experienced in a way that can even be paralyzing, with its very noticeable impact on the patient’s daily life.

These two points mean that, sooner or later, the person realizes that they need help, or at least that those closest to them are aware that a visit to a professional is necessary.

On the other hand, schizoid people, not wanting to have more social relationships than those they have already established or those that are strictly necessary, do not see their personality type as something that poses any type of problem.

They do not take the first steps to improve the quality of their relationships with other people, with the family environment usually deciding to make this decision, forcing them to go to a psychologist or psychiatrist.

4. Fantasy and magical thinking

In both disorders there is a tendency to take refuge in a world in your mind Both schizoids and schizotypals use imagination as a mechanism to escape reality, and go to a place that they control and that is safe for them.

The difference lies in the fact to what extent the patient knows that this world is not real. Schizoid people, although they use fantasy to escape from reality, are aware that the world in their mind is not real.

This, however, does not have to be so clear to a schizotypal person. They may even hear voices and be convinced that they are real.

They also tend to have magical beliefs, such as that they may have psychic powers and believe in superstitions.

5. Relationship with schizophrenia

Although schizophrenia and schizoid and schizotypal disorders are etymologically related, starting with the Greek particle ‘skhizo’ (‘split into, divide’), it could be said that that is the little they share.

The three disorders imply different symptomatology schizophrenia being a serious mental health disorder, while schizoid and schizotypal personality disorders involve behavioral and thought patterns differentiated between them.

However, these two personality disorders differ in their relationship with schizophrenia. Specifically, schizotypal personality disorder presents certain symptoms that are related to severe mental disorder, especially in relation to its psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations, delusions and paranoia.

Although in schizotypal disorder fantastic ideas, magical thinking and paranoia are considered milder than in schizophrenia, they are related.

In fact, there is a real risk that a person with schizotypal personality disorder will end up getting worse and developing full-blown schizophrenia.

Some experts have even defended the idea that schizotypal personality disorder could be considered a milder type of schizophrenia.