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Avoidant Personality Disorder

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Avoidant Personality Disorder
Avoidant personality disorder is a subtype of the anxious personality disorders. It is characterized by feelings of inadequacy, sensitivity to negative evaluation and irrational fear of social relationships, as well as depression and anxiety. Many individuals with avoidant personality disorder have an inner world of fantasy and pretend relationships. “They are so fearful of being rejected that they give no one an opportunity to reject them—or accept them” (Comer, 416). Avoidant personality disorder can have a physical effect on the body system. A patient may experience headaches, indigestion, constipation, appetite disturbances, and sleep disturbances. From a biochemical perspective, a patient may have low norepinephrine …show more content…
Psychodynamic theorists have traced the disorder to early childhood. For example, if a child is punished or teased by a parent for having bladder or bowel accidents, the child may develop a negative self-image. Cognitive theorists focus on the patient’s thoughts and emotions. Those with avoidant personality disorder “come to expect rejection, misinterpret the reactions of others to fit that expectation, discount positive feedback and generally fear social involvements” (Comer, 417). Lastly, behavior theorists suggest that avoidant personality disorder is caused by a failure to develop normal social skills. However, most behavior theorists agree that the lack of social skills is a symptom of avoidant personality disorder, not a …show more content…
However, these medications are not a cure and it is recommended they only be used short term as a crutch alongside therapy. Some examples of antidepressants that may be prescribed are fluoxetine, sertraline, and venlafaxine. Some examples of antianxiety medications are buspirone, diazepam, and lorazepam. The dosing regimen for sertraline, also known as Zoloft, is initially a low dose of twenty-five milligrams per day. The dose may increase by fifty milligrams at seven day intervals. Frequent side effects include headache, nausea, diarrhea, insomnia, somnolence, dizziness, fatigue, rash, and dry mouth. Patients taking sertraline should be monitored for suicidal thinking, mood swings, or unusual behaviors (Horchadel, 1462). When taking sertraline, it is important to comply with the prescription because it may take weeks or months for the medication to have a therapeutic

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