Schizotypal Personality Disorder
Schizotypal personality disorder (STPD) is a form of personality disorder that gives people significant distress in social situations and is seen in about 4 percent of the US population. Often, someone with STPD lacks the social skills necessary to participate in regular social activities. A person with STPD has a lot of difficulty establishing close relationships and holding on to them, partially due to a skewed interpretation of social interactions as well as odd social behavior. NURS 6640 wk 11 Essay Discussion
Specifics of Schizotypal Personality Disorder
People with schizotypal personality disorder often have misconstrued ideas of reference, or interpretations of daily events and their meanings. They may believe events have paranormal meanings, or they may be abnormally superstitious about everyday occurrences.
It is hard for people with STPD to connect with others because they are often thinking outside of cultural norms. The odd patterns of behavior that characterize a personality disorder may affect the individual’s cognition, emotions, interpersonal relationships, and impulse control.
A person with STPD generally lacks awareness about how their behaviors impact others. They often don’t understand how to form relationships with others and are quick to misinterpret and distrust other people’s motivations for trying to establish a connection. Because of this, people with STPD are often described as loners and quick to take personal offense to otherwise harmless interactions.
To diagnose a person with schizotypal personality disorder, they must demonstrate a consistent and inflexible pattern of odd behaviors and thinking over many years. Symptoms can often be traced back to adolescence or early adulthood. A diagnosis of a personality disorder is rarely made in childhood, as personalities grow, develop, and mature throughout childhood. If a diagnosis is made during childhood, symptoms must have been present for at least one year.NURS 6640 wk 11 Essay Discussion
While pharmaceutical medications can be useful in alleviating symptoms of STPD, their use must be monitored closely in individuals who also have a history of drug and/or alcohol addiction. Many prescription medications are habit-forming and can be risky for someone in recovery to start using.
When addiction and a mental health disorder are present, treatment for co-occurring disorders is necessary. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) almost eight million people in the US in 2014 experienced a mental health disorder and a co-occurring substance use disorder. Either disorder can develop first, but both must be treated simultaneously.
Integrated treatment begins detoxification. Being medically supervised throughout this process in an inpatient setting is usually the safest way to detox. Treatment staff may decide to provide medically assisted detox to manage severe withdrawal symptoms, or they may just keep a close watch on your medical condition.
Following detox, rehabilitation in an outpatient or inpatient setting can begin. Comprehensive treatment programs provide individual and group therapy, health education, family services, skill building, and ongoing community support. Toward the end of the program, an aftercare plan will be put into place to support ongoing sobriety, mental health, and relapse prevention. NURS 6640 wk 11 Essay Discussion