Understanding Avoidant Personality Disorder

Who does AVPD affect?

AVPD is slightly more common in women than men. People who are naturally shy or uncomfortable around others may be more likely to have it.

People with AVPD often have another personality disorder, depression, or a substance-abuse problem. A family history of AVPD can also increase the odds of having the disorder.

AVPD has been linked to early childhood experiences. People with AVPD may have been:

• Raised without much love or care

• Abused or neglected

• Unable to trust or rely on their parents

How is AVPD diagnosed?

Symptoms of AVPD begin by adulthood, but it usually isn’t diagnosed in people under age 18. Someone must have at least four of these symptoms for a diagnosis:

• Avoid activities or meetings at work involving contact with others

• Make friends with people only when they’re sure they’ll be liked

• Distant in romantic relationships and friendships

• Overly worried about being criticized or rejected

• Stay quiet and distant in new social situations

• Feel awkward or inferior to others

• Avoid taking risks or trying new activities

Treatment for AVPD

While there is no cure for AVPD, it can be managed with the following types of treatment.

Therapy. Certain kinds of therapy can be effective for treating personality disorders. Therapy can help people with AVPD cope. It can teach them how to move past their fears. The type of therapy someone needs depends on how severe their disorder is. They may also prefer one type of therapy over another. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one common treatment for AVPD. CBT can help people see patterns of harmful thoughts and behaviors and replace them with more positive ones. Other types of psychotherapy or talk therapy can work, too. Group therapy also may be helpful for some people with AVPD.

Medicines. Prescription medicines may help if therapy alone isn’t working. These are usually medicines for depression or anxiety. There are no medicines specifically for AVPD.

Self-care. Some lifestyle choices can make symptoms better. These include:

• Exercising regularly

• Eating healthy foods

• Avoiding drugs and alcohol

If you think you may have AVPD, talk with your health care provider. AVPD can affect nearly every aspect of life, so it’s important to seek help. A mental health provider can perform a mental health evaluation and work with you to find treatment options that are effective. To find support in your area, call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or visit https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline for free and confidential information.

If additional support is needed, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline . You will be connected to trained crisis counselors. Support is available 24/7 at no cost. There are several reasons to connect with 988 Lifeline. Some reasons include:

• Loneliness

• Trauma

• Relationships

• Economic worries

• Feeling depressed or having severe anxiety

• Mental or physical illness

• Drinking too much or substance abuse or use

• Sexual orientation concerns

• Suicidal thoughts or mental crisis