Man Kills Wife, Then Self

How many times, have we seen this headline? What causes a person to murder the person they love? Doctors have been debating the issue for years. Schizoid personality disorder is sometimes blamed for such actions. Schizoid personality disorder is a disease where patients avoid any social situation and reject interaction with others. Patients with schizoid personality disorders frequently are reclusive and cannot seem to bond with others or maintain a personal relationship.

You can recognize a patient with schizoid personality disorder by their bland or passive demeanor and are left alone at social settings. They are usually tagged with the name "wall flower" or "loner". No one really knows why they behave this way. Doctors even have trouble diagnosing since they do not welcome treatment and consider therapy or medication invasive. It is believed that neglectful upbringing or genetics is the cause of this disease.

Symptoms are fairly common and classify this disorder as mysterious. Patients with the disorder suffer from being unable to carry on a normal conversation without getting anxious, appear to be bland or dead pan, have no sexual desire, and covet their privacy. Sometimes these symptoms can pop up during childhood and will stay with them into their adult lives. Therapy can be helpful, and has been successful with many patients.

However the disorder sometimes works against them as they cannot accept help, because of their disorder. Patients with schizoid personality disorders can also suffer with avoidance personality disorder. Self help is available for borderline personality disorders since many will not see a doctor. Low levels of serotonin are believed to have a great deal to do with the disease and medication can increase this hormone thereby helping the patient manage a better life.

Schizoid personality disorder will interfere with the life of the person who has it as well as any relationship. If they work, they choose jobs that will keep them in the background, such as midnight shifts, or back offices where they are away from interacting with people. Many homeless people suffer with schizoid personality disorders and almost always refusing help.

If confronted or pressed to be more sociable they can become violent so as to remove the obstacle that is threatening their privacy or reclusive behavior. As explained earlier, therapy can help but often is avoided because of embarrassment or the inability to express their feelings. They will avoid at any cost intimacy or closeness, resulting in failed relationships, careers, and life situations.

People with schizoid personality disorders are difficult to treat and usually are not pressed to seek treatment since they keep to themselves and do not involve themselves in social situations. Unfortunately, this behavior is frequently overlooked as the patient themselves and can result in tragic headlines as above.