Avoidant Personality Disorder

Anyone have this? Would be interested as it's closely related to social anxiety but alot more extreme.

Avoidant Personality Disorder is a condition characterized by extreme shyness, feelings of inadequacy, and sensitivity to rejection. These individuals feel inferior to others. This disorder is only diagnosed when these behaviors become persistent and very disabling or distressing. This diagnosis should be used with great caution in children and adolescents for whom shy and avoidant behavior may be appropriate (e.g., new immigrants).

Similar to Social anxiety, but the difference being the avoidant will avoid and the anxious sufferer will endure. SA is very common but AVPD not so, but i have it.

Avoidant Personality Disorder is a condition characterized by extreme shyness, feelings of inadequacy, and sensitivity to rejection. These individuals feel inferior to others. This disorder is only diagnosed when these behaviors become persistent and very disabling or distressing. This diagnosis should be used with great caution in children and adolescents for whom shy and avoidant behavior may be appropriate (e.g., new immigrants).

Similar to Social anxiety, but the difference being the avoidant will avoid and the anxious sufferer will endure. SA is very common but AVPD not so, but i have it.

Yes it's that extreme fear that prevents a AVPD sufferer to engage in the first instance, so s/he will avoid at any cost due to past associated hurt/rejection. Consequences for doing so are high, a friendship may feel impossible while a relationship - well that's only for the films.

@M you are correct in your comment regarding being 'disabled' , in other words a prisoner of your own thoughts. There's a strong cycle within that was built when in my mid teens, to this day i've yet to recover, though CBT and psychological intervention has helped.

I think one of my old friends has this problem. I tried to be sensitive to it but it drove me nuts. The girl has zero self esteem/worth for no real reason except what she makes up in her head. She truly believes she is the scum of the earth. It sucks cuz she's really sweet. It hurt to see her so crippled by her problem.

Well i was diagnosed at a specialist anxiety and trauma clinic by a psychologist after a 5 hr assessment, though prior to going in i believed i had social anxiety disorder. Again closely related but slightly different.

I have tried many interventions as well as doing activities that would bring the 'fight or flight' mode in me, with success but ultimately AVPD is about EXTREME low self esteem/shyness and feeling inadequate amongst others to the point where it inhibits your everyday life.

Here's an example of how a AVPD sufferer thinks who may get asked by a collegue that they might want to join them for lunch at work/uni.

'she must have been pushed for company'; 'She prob jst felt sorry for me'; 'Maybe she wants me to do something 4 her'; 'Nobody wants me around' - as if the invitation had in fact never happened.

So if u think about friendships and perhaps relationships let alone work may all eventually be impacted and abandoned.

Massively affects me as job offers and promotions are turned down. Friendships cannot be made and relationship well that isn't really possible. But i have improved through specialist treatment i've had, it's just long intervention that is req. How about u?

"Aquagirl24 - Google it and you'll have your answer

Well i think they would behind closed doors - rather it's the process that frightens them. I am glad that i appears to be a more researched disorder.

Oh dear Aquagirl24 you appear to resemble the mindset of a 5 yr old, barely able to contribute anything with significance to this interesting discussion.