Schizotypal Personality Disorder (SPD) is an abnormal mental disability that manifests in odd behaviors and beliefs that become the main focus. Consequently, the patient is unable to establish meaningful relationships with others. As a result, patients may find it difficult to establish positive relationships at home and in their communities, which, in turn, can make employment challenging and make it more challenging to function effectively in day-to-day life.
A Number of Disorders Co-Occur with Schizotypal Personality Disorder. SPD Is Commonly Associated with The Following Conditions:
- Suffering from depression
- Personality disorder characterized by paranoia
- Abuse of substances
- Addictive behavior
When mental health issues make it difficult for a patient to function effectively with others, treatment can be helpful.
A treatment program must include services that actively direct specific treatment assistance to both disorders simultaneously when these mental health symptoms are combined with another disorder, such as substance use disorders or addiction.
Contact us at the phone number shown above to learn more about Dual Diagnosis treatment today.
Schizotypal Personality Disorder: Signs and Symptoms
There Are a Variety of Indications of Schizotypal Disorder, Including:
- A strange belief
- Speaking in a strange way or using unusual language
- Unusual behavior
- Dressing abnormally and appearing abnormal
- Demonstrating excessive emotions or feelings
- Uncomfortable social situations
- The belief in conspiracy theories, UFOs, or aliens (e.g., conspiracy theories) is abnormal.
- Relationships with no closeness
Patients who exhibit odd thought patterns, beliefs, or behaviors find themselves incapable of forming normal relationships with others.
Individuals with STPD will, in general, have single existences. You may think it is not easy to assemble connections on the off chance that you have extreme social uneasiness. You may censure others for your distress in social circumstances. Individuals with STPD do not generally have crazy symptoms. Visualizations, dreams, and loss of touch with the truth are signs of psychosis. Daydreams are fixed and deceptions.
Nonetheless, they do frequently have thoughts of reference. A thought of reference is a wrong understanding of easygoing occurrences and outside occasions that the individual accepts to have a specific and abnormal significance. This importance can either be by and large or for the individual encountering reference.
Not Everything About Schizotypal Personality Disorder
Schizophrenia is not schizophrenic personality disorder. According to a recent study published in Schizophrenia Bulletin, even though it occurs more often in families with a member who has schizophrenia, the two conditions are very different.
A Person Who Has Schizophrenia Does Not:
- Feel detached from reality
- Have a hallucination
- Have delusional thoughts
SPD Can Be Confused with Other Disorders
A study reported in the journal Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry also found that not only are schizophrenia and schizotypal personality disorder commonly confused, but there are also several disorders that are similar to schizophrenia in terms of their symptoms.
There are several disorders that are commonly misdiagnosed as SPD, including:
- Personality disorders bordering on borderline
- A condition characterized by a narcissistic personality
- Avoidant personality disorder
- Illness caused by a dependent personality
The possibility of misdiagnosis highlights the importance of an in-depth evaluation and diagnostic process before beginning a treatment plan.
An intensive initial evaluation of your loved one will increase the chances of identifying the correct diagnosis and implementing evidence-based treatment methods resulting in symptoms being eradicated, mitigated or managed for the long term.
Schizotypal personality disorder can, without much of a stretch, be mistaken for schizophrenia, a severe mental ailment wherein individuals lose contact with the natural world (psychosis). While individuals with a SPD may encounter brief crazy scenes with dreams or pipedreams, the scenes are not as regular, delayed, or extreme as schizophrenia. Another key difference is that individuals with SPD typically can be mindful of the effect between their misshaped thoughts and reality. Those with schizophrenia, for the most part, cannot be influenced away from their daydreams. Regardless of the distinctions, individuals with SPD can profit from medicines like schizophrenia. A SPD is viewed as on a range with schizophrenia, with schizotypal personality disorder seen as less severe.
Disorders Usually Confused with Or Mistook for SPD Include:
- Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder (EUPD)
- Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD)
- Cluster C Personality Disorder (CCPD)
- Dependent personality disorder (DPD)
The over diagnosed danger features the treatment requirement, which starts with an exhaustive and broad assessment and analytic interaction. The more escalated the underlying assessment of your cherished one, the more probable it is that the clinical and restorative group will precisely distinguish the right judgments and afterward carry out proof-based medicines demonstrated to help annihilate, alleviate or oversee indications as long as possible.
Medical Treatment of SPD
Medications are often prescribed to patients with schizotypal personality disorder in order to manage its symptoms. Patients will receive different medications, doses, and combinations of medications depending on their condition. You can choose from:
- The drug Risperidone. A study in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that risperidone is generally effective in treating schizotypal personality disorder. The reduction of negative symptoms and the increase in positive symptoms, for example.
- Haloperidol. The Psychopharmacology Bulletin published a study in which haloperidol was found to be effective for SPD therapy.
- Thiothixene. An article published in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry suggests those with certain symptoms of SPD may benefit from thiothixene treatment.
- Olanzapine. In a study published in Schizophrenia Research, researchers found that preliminary research was conducted to determine whether olanzapine could be effective in treating patients with schizotypal personality disorder. Nevertheless, it may be an effective treatment option in some cases, especially for mental health issues such as depression and psychosis.
- Aripiprazole. Several studies have examined the use of aripiprazole as a treatment for schizotypal personality disorder in a publication in the Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. More research is required.
SPD cannot be treated with medication alone. Psychotherapy and training in social skills is recommended.
Advantages of The Integrated Treatment
- Specialists working together to ensure the patient’s overall wellbeing and progress
- All of the major barriers to wellness can be addressed simultaneously
- Achieved physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing through improved coping skills
- Supporting the patient from multiple angles to help him or her recover
Schizotypal Personality Disorder is often co-occurring with other anxiety conditions such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Panic Disorders.
When treating people with SPD, it is essential to recognize and treat the disorder’s root cause so that the patient may not suffer unnecessarily. For this condition, there are three primary therapies available. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and medicine are examples of these.
One of the most common therapies for Schizotypal Personality Disorder is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It aims to help patients better understand their minds so that they can learn to deal with them. Cognitive-behavioral therapy teaches patients how to understand their own cognitive biases and how they impact their actions. They are also taught how to control their thoughts and alter their thinking if they discover anything is incorrect. This type of therapy supports the client in being conscious of what is causing them anxiety and changing their actions to escape the pain.
The other primary treatment choice for SPD is Interpersonal Therapy. Patients in this type of care can interact more openly with one another, and they are given opportunities to convey their thoughts and emotions in a non-stressful manner. Interpersonal therapy helps the patients and the family members of those suffering from Schizotypal Personality Disorder. The advantage of this therapy is that it allows the patient’s family to get to know and understand their loved one better and offer support during treatment.
Medication is another form of treatment. Medication can be used to treat Schizotypal Personality Disorder, but only by trained practitioners. While medication can be used to treat SPD, it does not always function. Some drugs can exacerbate the condition and have severe side effects. If the doctor believes that cognitive-behavioral therapy or interpersonal therapy is not helping the patient, medication may be prescribed.
SPD can be particularly traumatic for those who suffer from it. Even though it is often an incurable condition, there are medications available to benefit those who suffer from it. This condition is considered to cause people to have skewed perceptions of themselves and others. The good news is that care services are available. You must be mindful of your care choices to make an educated decision about your mental health.
Alcoholism and Schizophrenia Are Commonly Co-Occurring Disorders
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) estimates that 6 out of 10 people who have substance abuse or addiction issues also struggle with mental health disorders.
The results suggest that more than 60% of people in drug and alcohol rehab will also require support to manage mental health symptoms, such as those exhibiting schizotypal personality disorder.
What Causes This to Happen? According to NIDA, This Phenomenon May Be Caused by A Mix of Factors, Including:
- Genetics. Genetic factors are believed to be involved in developing mental health disorders such as schizophrenia. There are genetic vulnerabilities associated with co-occurring mental health and drug use disorders. so it is possible to develop a dual diagnosis. If the patient comes from a family where at least one family member suffers from personality disorder, this could serve as a warning sign.
- Environment. Environment exposure can lead to a variety of issues, including substance abuse disorders and mental health issues. The effects of assaults, abuse, permissive attitudes towards drugs and alcohol, and easy access to drugs and alcohol, together with lengthy periods of stress, may play a role in drug dependency. If genetic predispositions to development of these disorders are also present, environmental exposure increases the likelihood of developing these conditions.
- Connections in the brain. The brain can be affected in similar ways by mental health disorders and substance abuse disorders. As a result, certain mental health issues may raise the risk of developing alcohol or drug abuse and drug use may raise the risk of mental health problems in certain people.
- Developmental issues. During adolescence, when the brain is still developing, both mental health disorders and substance abuse and addiction begin manifesting. The effects of early drug use on the brain can be profound and this increases the probability of drug abuse becoming an addiction and/or mental illness developing. Similar to early mental health issues, the risk of substance abuse may increase as the patient’s mental health declines.
Treatment for Dual Diagnosis
It is recommended to use Dual Diagnosis treatment for individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia or alcohol addiction along with mental health disorders.
Patients in Dual Diagnosis Rehabilitation Programs Are Guaranteed:
- A thorough evaluation is required to determine the correct diagnosis
- Teamwork is key to both treatment and recovery
- Medical care in combination with pharmacological treatment if required
- The mental health condition required intensive treatment
- Addiction treatment in intensive care
- Recovery that combines both factors is dependent upon integrated care
- Follow-up therapy after treatment
Treatment in Multiple Levels: A Step-By-Step Approach
There are certain treatments that are effective in treating SPD.
Additional medications and treatments may be effective depending on your loved one’s drug-of-choice and other issues that may be problematic in their lives; however, multilayered care is likely to make the most progress in all problems.
The Following Treatment Options May Be Recommended for Patients with Schizophrenia and Addiction:
- One-on-one therapy. Patients planning their treatment programs and identifying obstacles as they arise benefit from personal therapy, an essential component of mental health and substance abuse treatment.
- Group therapy. Patients can benefit from listening to other people who are struggling with substance abuse, learning from their mistakes, and offering support to others who are in the same boat as them. The benefits of group therapy for SPD patients can include learning how to communicate effectively and how to develop bonds with others.
- Social skills groups. For people living with SPD, these group sessions provide individualized instruction on how to communicate and interact appropriately.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. In SPD, recognizing and changing behavior and thought patterns that cause people to make harmful choices can greatly benefit SPD patients and addicts in recovery.
- Holistic treatment. The treatment program can be more effective when holistic treatment options are combined with stress reduction techniques like yoga, meditation, massage, and bodywork and healthy lifestyle programs such as nutrition counseling.
Take the First Step Now
You may also need to assist your loved one in finding the appropriate treatment program if they suffer from schizotypal personality disorder or substance abuse. The process does not need to be undertaken alone.
Reach out to our admissions coordinator by calling the number listed above. Our staff will be able to answer your questions regarding Dual Diagnosis treatment and assist with decisions regarding treatment for your loved one. You may enroll in dual diagnosis rehabilitation programs that will provide you with the specialized care necessary to begin the healing process as soon as possible.
We are here to help your family member be connected with information that will make a real difference. You can help your family member recover by calling now and get assistance regarding Schizotypal Personality Disorder.
Ben Lesser is one of the most sought-after experts in health, fitness and medicine. His articles impress with unique research work as well as field-tested skills. He is a freelance medical writer specializing in creating content to improve public awareness of health topics. We are honored to have Ben writing exclusively for Dualdiagnosis.org.