Without treatment people with avoidant personality disorder may end up living a life in near or total isolation. This can result in them getting a second psychiatric disorder such as substance abuse or depression. This can stop them living life to its full potential.
Avoidant personality disorder (AVPD) is a relatively common disorder that is associated with significant distress, impairment, and disability. It is a chronic disorder with an early age at onset and a lifelong impact.
Avoidant personality disorder is part of a group of personality disorders that can have a negative effect on your life. If you have avoidant personality disorder, you may be extremely shy, unlikely to speak up in a group, have trouble in school or relationships, have low self-esteem, and be very sensitive to criticism.
Some avoidant personality disorder symptoms can get worse when left untreated. Avoiding others may continue to seem like the only safe way to cope with intensifying fears of rejection and disapproval. Even work and everyday errands might become so overwhelming that you end up isolating yourself completely.
People with AVPD may show emotional unavailability and avoid conflict. And, if someone with the disorder gets hurt, they may distance themselves from the relationship. “AVPD can be a life-changing condition, and it can bring sorrow and struggle to the lives of those who are dealing with it on a daily basis,” she says.
And of course, some of you may be reading this and thinking, “I like being alone and being able to sleep with whoever I want. I wouldn't change a thing.” And it's true—many people lead happy, successful lives as avoidant or anxious types. Some even have successful long-term relationships as an anxious or avoidant.
Despite popular opinion, it's entirely possible to have a satisfying, fulfilling relationship with someone with an avoidant attachment style. Although we stated earlier that attachment styles are stable, they are not a life sentence. Your avoidant partner can become more secure in their actions.
But sadly, someone with an avoidant personality disorder, finds it very difficult to develop healthy relationships with boundaries. Individuals with this disorder also find it difficult to trust or express their deepest feelings for fear of abandonment, rejection, or loss.
Whoopi Goldberg, Donny Osmond and Kim Basinger have something in common other than fame it is avoidant personality disorder, or simply, AvPD.
Subconsciously, they will go on to seek partners with opposite attachment styles. Therefore, dismissive and fearful avoidants tend to settle down with anxious attachment types.
For instance, avoidant personality disorder is more common in people who are anxious and tend toward depression. Parental emotional neglect certainly can play a part in exacerbating these issues, and sexual and physical abuse also can give rise to the disorder.
People with avoidant personality disorder have chronic feelings of inadequacy and are highly sensitive to being negatively judged by others. Though they would like to interact with others, they tend to avoid social interaction due to the intense fear of being rejected by others.
Avoidant personality disorder is characterized by feelings of extreme social inhibition, inadequacy, and sensitivity to negative criticism and rejection.
However, most experts believe that AVPD is just a more severe and debilitating form of social anxiety, rather than a completely separate condition. Still, there are slight differences between the two, especially in how the symptoms show up and interfere with a person's ability to function.
As a general statement, all narcissists are love avoidant, but people can be love avoidant and not be narcissists. This can be confusing. Taking a closer look at each type of person will clarify the signs to watch for in any relationship.
Thus, the profile of an avoidant attachment style could possibly be aligned with a grandiose narcissistic personality, as they both: Hold a positive self-view and a negative view of others. Seek relationships on a superficial level.
Love Avoidants recognize and are attracted to the Love Addict's strong fear of being left because Love Avoidants know that all they have to do to trigger their partner's fear is threaten to leave.
As stated previously, most research indicates that roughly equal numbers of women and men develop AvPD. One prominent exception to these findings is a 2007 study published in the journal “Psychological Medicine,” which indicates that women can develop the disorder about 75 percent more frequently than men.
Experts haven't yet found a cure for avoidant personality disorder or any other personality disorder, but support from a trained therapist can make a difference. Therapy won't change your personality completely, so you might still hesitate before interacting with new people or situations.
Because people with an avoidant attachment style fear not being lovable or good enough, feeling criticized or judged by loved ones can be particularly painful. Especially when it comes to things that they are not so comfortable with, such as their emotions and feelings.
However, regardless of whether they are the instigator of a breakup or not, avoidant attachers tend to repress or avoid expression of their intense emotions in the aftermath. This response isn't to suggest that avoidant attachers don't feel the pain of a breakup – they do.
Instead, avoidant attachers often dissociate and “flee” from their fear of rejection and closeness. They typically develop a fierce sense of independence as they expect that others will let them down. So to avoid becoming a target, they learn to rely only on themselves.
Avoidant attachers are thus more susceptible to social loneliness and isolation. Even when avoidant attachers do engage in dating and relationships, those relationships are usually casual and short-lived. Avoidant attachers tend to feel threatened by emotional intimacy and use various defense mechanisms.
If you feel that your avoidant partner isn't recognizing your love or reciprocating your efforts, it's time to leave. While you might feel emotions like sadness, anger, fear, or grief, this is all part of the healing process.
Avoidant people may not realize how much their communication is avoidant as they may consciously want to have a companion.