By: Christine Hammond, LMHC
Pop quiz: what word is similar to “schizotypal”?If you said “schizophrenia,” then you are
right.Schizotypal is derived from the
two words schizophrenia and genotype.Schizophrenias see, hear and believe things that aren’t really there.Genotype is the genetic makeup of an
individual, think DNA.So putting the
two together a Schizotypal Personality Disorder (SPD) is someone who has may
seem schizophrenic but is not a full-blown schizophrenic.Confused yet?Good because that is precisely what it feels like to speak to a
SPD.
So what is SPD?Here
is the technical DSM-V definition:
·Identity:Confused boundaries between self and
others
·Self-direction:Incoherent goals, no clear set of
standards
·Empathy:Difficulty understanding impact of
behavior on others
·Intimacy:Mistrust and anxiety with close
relationships
·Eccentricity:Odd, unusual, or bizarre behavior and
appearance
·Cognitive
and perceptual dysregulation:Odd
or unusual thought processes, over-elaborate speech
·Unusual…
