When the schizoid type of personality becomes a pathology of development

Perhaps the most interesting section of the psychology of personality - psychopathy and accentuation of character, since it was in this sphere of psychic manifestations that researchers were able to distinguish between pathology and norm. The theoretical information of this section is related to two well-known names - Lichko and Leonhard. These psychologists, independently of each other, distinguished types of personality. The essence of each of them is determined by the dominant character trait.

Explaining the phenomenon of accentuation (dominance in the character of one trait), the authors of the typology succeeded in determining the age limit when one can declare a pathology: after adolescence.

The strangest

The most acute issue of diagnosing pathology arose in relation to people who have a schizoid personality type. Those. Fenced off from the environment. It is peculiar mainly to the lack of desire to establish contacts, to communicate as such. What for a person, as a part of society, is a "deviation from the norm" (after all, communication is part of the basic social needs). Freakish behavior, disinhibition - are concomitant characteristics of this type. Such people are fascinated and lead away from the world of fantasy world, in which they are comfortable, like anywhere else in the "real" world.

Therefore, they say that this character trait is in itself characterized by pathological manifestations that affect behavior, determine a kind of thinking.

Doubling behavior

Almost every characteristic of the type has its own antipode, hence the opinion about the instability of this type of person, the lack of internal unity.

Mainly this double expression of oneself, its place in the world is reduced to such a psychic characteristic: the rich inner world and the poverty of its external manifestations.

It is the schizoid type of personality that begins to manifest before other accentuations of character, long before adolescence. And it does not always stabilize to maturity.

Sometimes a schizoid child shows intrusiveness in relation to a certain person - this can not always be interpreted as a "gleam" in his psychic picture. On the contrary - the reluctance to communicate, contact and importunity are just manifestations of one characteristic. Both determine the schizoid personality type. After all, intrusiveness is also a mismatch with normal behavior (no one would be forced to impose upon another person, since everyone is aware of when to stop, due to the ability to interpret non-verbal signals). Obtrusiveness means the same inability of a person to communicate, which is a complete closure from the environment.

Another such manifestation is a resolute protest against social norms and principles, sometimes to achieve their goals (to shake the established order of things), the schizoid type of personality can make a bright speech with a huge crowd of people.

Misunderstanding of social traditions and rules is also a feature of this type, sometimes manifesting itself beyond the bounds of normal (law-abiding) behavior. However, representatives of this type rarely have a predilection for alcohol, suicides, delinquent behavior (group offenses).

Prospects for personal development

Schizoid accentuation does not always come to normal, giving way to other important qualities. On the contrary, this feature firmly occupies its dominant position in character, suppressing the development of man as an individual in general, and especially his socially important qualities.

For normal development, it is important to learn to feel others, to learn to empathize, to use "social" intuition. It is these skills that lack schizoid adolescents, and then their characteristics begin to manifest so brightly that it is impossible not to cause a wave of outrage and resentment from peers, teachers and even parents.

To help the schizoid type, all efforts should be directed to its social adaptation, he can not help himself in this, because he does not notice contradictory manifestations of personal qualities. With proper education (without extremes: hyperopeak, connivance) schizoid adolescents come out in the period of adulthood with a set of other highly developed qualities, and the schizoid accentuation hides behind them, but does not disappear at all. It remains part of the character of a person and it is good, because in this desire to close from the world there is hidden a large inner peace, independence, the ability to create without boundaries. It is not for nothing that many geniuses of mankind were considered to be of the schizoid type (Einstein, Van Gogh).