Individuals with avoidant personality disorder (APD) exhibit excessive shyness over the course of their entire lives. Moreover, they are very sensitive to rejection and feel insufficient. APD can produce psychiatric symptoms that generate major problems with relationships and jobs. Feelings of severe social inhibition, inadequacy,  psychologist near me, and sensitivity to unfavorable criticism and rejection are characteristics of avoidant personality disorder. Nevertheless, the signs entail more than just being reticent or uneasy in social situations. Significant issues with avoidant personality disorder limit one’s capacity to interact with others and uphold relationships in day-to-day living. In the general psychologist near me  population, avoidant personality disorder affects about 1% of people.

Signs and symptoms of Avoidant Personality disorder psychologist  help 

You can find it challenging to interact in social and professional contexts if you have APD. You might be afraid of any of the following, which is why:

• Rejection
• Disapproval
• Embarrassment
• Criticism
• Interacting with new individuals
• Mocking intimate relationships
• Low self-esteem
• Self-isolation

You can also have a hard time accepting that other people like you. When you are easily offended or criticized, you could mistakenly interpret positive remarks or acts as negative ones. A person with avoidant personality disorder could be reluctant to speak up in social settings for fear of saying the wrong thing, blushing, stammering, or otherwise embarrassing themselves. You can also spend a lot of time carefully observing those close to you for cues that they are accepting or rejecting you.

A person with an avoidant personality disorder is aware of feeling awkward in social settings and frequently believes they lack social skills. Despite your self-awareness, remarks made by others concerning your shyness or anxiety in social situations may come across as rejection or judgment. This is particularly true if you are made fun of, even in good fun, for avoiding social situations.

Who runs the risk of developing an avoidant personality?

There is no way to tell who will develop APD. As children, those who have the disease are frequently quite shy. Nevertheless, not all shy kids go on to have the disease. Similarly, not all shy adults have the disease. If you have APD, it’s likely that your shyness grew as you aged. You might have reached a breaking point when you started to shun other people and specific situations.

Diagnosis of avoidant personality disorder

Your doctor could suggest that you seek the help of a mental health specialist, who will interview you to see whether you have APD. Your symptoms must start no later than early adulthood in order to be classified as having APD. Moreover, you must exhibit at least four of the following traits:

• You steer clear of any work tasks that require interaction with people. Fear of judgment, condemnation, or rejection is the cause of this.
• You’re hesitant to commit to others unless you’re certain that they like you.
• Due to your concern that you may be mocked or embarrassed, you hold back in relationships.
• Your thoughts are dominated by the worry of receiving feedback or rejection in social situations.
• You withdraw or shun social situations entirely because you feel unworthy.
• You believe you lack talent, are unattractive, and are inferior to others.
• When you’re worried about seeming foolish, you’re not inclined to engage in novel activities or take personal risks.

Treatment of avoidant personality disorder

The best treatment for APD is psychotherapy. Your therapist might employ cognitive behavioral therapy or psychodynamic psychotherapy. Therapy aims to assist you in identifying your unconscious self and other-perceived belief systems. Also, it seeks to improve your social and professional functioning.

Psychodynamic therapy

A type of talk therapy is psychodynamic therapy. It aids in making unconscious thoughts more conscious. It can help you understand how past events influence your current behavior. This enables you to reflect on and settle emotional disputes from the past. After that, you can proceed with a more positive perspective on who you are and what other people think of you. Psychodynamic psychotherapy has benefits that endure after treatment and yield long-lasting outcomes.

Cognitive behavior therapy

Another type of talk therapy is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). With CBT, a therapist helps you recognize and replace problematic ideas and cognitive processes. Your therapist will advise you to investigate and challenge your thoughts and beliefs to determine their veracity. They’ll also aid in the development of more positive, alternative ideas.

Medication

No drugs to treat personality disorders have received FDA approval. But, if you also suffer from anxiety or sadness, your doctor might recommend antidepressant medication.

If you need help finding a qualified therapist, get in touch with TalktoAngel, a website that connects people with therapists. The best psychologist near me” online therapists with online therapist India.