Avoidant personality disorder

Avoidant personality disorder (AVPD) is a 'Cluster C' personality disorder. People with AVPD often have a long history of feeling inadequate (not enough or inferior to others). They are very sensitive to what others think about them.

If you have AVPD you may avoid people because you feel inferior, even though you really want company. You can be very sensitive to perceived judgement by others and fear rejection. Your feelings about this are chronic (long term) and intense. These fears may not be based in reality, but are your impressions.

Someone with an avoidant personality disorder will appear shy and timid. But it's much more than being 'shy'. Your intense emotions and different behaviours are distressing. They happen in many areas of your life such as:

• at school
• at home
• with friends
• at work

Signs of AVPD might first be noticed in adolescents and continue in adults. If you have AVPD it can make it very difficult to engage and function well in your life.

A personality disorder is a long-term pattern of behaviour, thinking and emotions. It causes distress and makes it difficult to function to your potential in everyday life. The feelings and behaviours form part of your normal self and are there all the time.

People with personality disorders find it hard to change their behaviour or adapt to different situations without awareness and support

You may:

• fear rejection
• have trouble forming positive relationships with others
• be anxious in social situations
• have difficulty finding or keeping a job
• have feelings of emptiness
• become obsessed with your identity
• self-harm

Many people have some of these traits but can still function normally. These people do not have a personality disorder.

The cause of AVPD is not known. It might be a mix of genetics (passed down through the family) and environmental (things that have happened to you).

Some people with avoidant personality disorder:

• come from families where personality disorders are common
• had childhoods that involved abuse, trauma or neglect
• come from normal and happy families

If you are in distress or finding it difficult to function, talk to your doctor. They can refer you to a counsellor, psychologist or psychiatrist for more support.

You can also try the healthdirect Symptom Checker to get advice on when to seek help. This tool can help you decide if you should try self-care, talking to a health professional, going to a hospital or calling triple zero (000).

A psychiatrist or clinical psychologist can find out if you have AVPD. They will talk to you and ask questions about how you:

• think
• feel
• behave

They may ask to talk to previous doctors or to members of your family. This is to find out more about how long you've had your symptoms. They will also consider how severe your symptoms are.

Your doctor or psychologist will need to rule out other mental health problems such as:

• depression
• anxiety
• social anxiety disorder
• drug abuse
• misuse of alcohol
• schizophrenia

Is there a test for avoidant personality disorder?

If you search for personality disorder tests online you might find some quizzes that seem helpful. However, these screening tests should not replace a thorough assessment.

You will need to see your doctor or another mental health professional to understand whether you have a personality disorder.

The main form of treatment for avoidant personality disorder is psychological therapy.

Most people can be treated by their usual doctor or a psychologist and won't need to go to hospital.

Treatment can include psychodynamic therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy.

This therapy covers:

• education
• social and communication skills training
• relaxation techniques
• slow exposure to feared situations

Interpersonal therapy is another type of treatment for AVPD.

You might need to try a few approaches to find the treatment that is right for you. The treatment will work best if you and the people caring for you can build a good relationship.

Medicines for AVPD

No medicines have been approved to treat avoidant personality disorder.

Your psychiatrist is a mental health specialist. They are the best person to talk to about medicines for avoidant personality disorder.

If you have a personality disorder you might find it harder to fully function in your life. You might come across stigma and discrimination.

You might find it helps to work on your coping skills. Here are some things you can try.

• Set up a healthy daily routine for eating, sleeping and exercise.
• Write a few words about your thoughts and feelings each day.
• Do small things that help you feel good — self-care can be as simple as a walk around the block or singing along to your favourite song.
• Remember, it's OK to take a break if a situation or conversation is making you feel stressed,
• Focus on 1 or 2 goals at a time — there's no need to try to do it all at once!
• Break down what you need to do into small steps and congratulate yourself for finishing a task.
• Find someone you can talk to — this might be a friend or family member, or a counsellor.

Without treatment you may end up living a life quite isolated from other people and therefore miss out on doing many things you would like to – in work and pleasure.

You may be more likely to have another mental health disorder such as substance abuse or depression.

It's harder to live to your full potential with AVPD.

AVPD can't be prevented as the cause is unknown. However, it's best to get treatment as soon as possible.

Visit Medicare Mental Health (Opens in new tab) for information about your condition. This free service can help connect you with a mental health professional. You can call them on 1800 595 212.

For advice outside business hours try one of these support groups.

• Lifeline (Opens in new tab) 13 11 14 — for anyone in crisis.
• ReachOut.com (Opens in new tab) is a youth mental health service providing information and an online forum.
• SANE Australia (Opens in new tab) has information on personality disorders including information for carers.
• Black Dog Institute (Opens in new tab) strives for better mental health and has information to support the emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (Opens in new tab) people.

Where to find a mental health professional

• Find a psychiatrist (Opens in new tab)
• Find a psychologist (Opens in new tab)
• Find a Clinical Psychologist (Opens in new tab)

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.