Anxiety personality disorder: causes, symptoms and treatment

Many people do not even realize that they suffer from anxiety personality disorder, because this disorder is well "disguised" as character traits. Therefore, there is no official data on the spread of pathology. Unofficial statistics show that more often this violation is characteristic of women, and at a fairly young age - from 20 to 29 years. At the same time, the disease is characteristic of other age groups, many have lived with it for decades. In this article, we'll explain what causes anxiety disorder and how to identify and treat it.

Man is created by a social being. This means that a healthy person needs communication, positive emotions from this communication. The person suffering from anxiety disorder experiences a deep sense of his own inferiority, he does not love himself, he is ashamed of himself, painfully perceives even the slightest criticism and tries to avoid social contact. Therefore, anxiety disorder is often referred to as persistent avoidant or avoidant disorder.

Such a person believes that his actions cannot be approved by someone. And he is often afraid to do something just because of the prospect of being ridiculed. He himself sincerely believes that his isolation comes from the inability to communicate. Most often, he is in an anxious-depressive mood. Such a disorder usually develops in adolescence and persists throughout life.

Previously, it was not considered a separate ailment and was described only as a symptom in certain mental disorders.

In the classification of psychotypes, created in the middle of the last century by the German scientist Karl Leonhard, those suffering from such a disorder belong to pathological psychotypes... According to Leonhard, such people are of the anxious type and often suffer from compulsive-anxiety syndrome, psychoasthenia (neurotic state). The doubting psychasthenic quite often not only experiences difficulties in relationships with people, but also suffers from real phobic disorders - fears of society, etc.

Psychiatrists, psychotherapists and clinical psychologists are involved in the treatment of anxiety disorder. In the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), the corresponding number is assigned to pathology - F 60.6.

Why such a disorder develops is difficult to answer unequivocally. Despite all the efforts and efforts of doctors and scientists, it has not yet been possible to establish where this pathology comes from. It is believed that a combination of unfavorable social and psychological factors can affect the human psyche during adolescence. At the same time, not the last place is given to genetically determined mechanisms of development.

Very often, the appearance of the disorder is associated with a person's temperament, and he is always congenital. To a greater extent, melancholic people are susceptible to the disease, who, even in childhood, demonstrate excessive shyness, fearfulness and withdrawal in behavior, especially in situations where a child or adolescent finds himself in a new environment for himself, to which he has yet to get used to and adapt.

Not the last place is given to the style of education. - if in childhood a child with a melancholic type of temperament often hears criticism from adults, if his actions are rarely approved, if adults and peers sharply criticize him as a person, then a person gradually forms a “cocoon” in which he hides from society and criticism emanating from him. And such a "cocoon" is anxiety disorder.

At the same time, a shy and fearful child will not necessarily get sick, moreover, at a certain age, some alertness during social contacts is completely normal and natural, this is just a stage in the development of the child's psyche, and manifestations of shyness and insecurity gradually pass as the teenager becomes an adult.

Someone who suffers from an anxiety disorder of personality, for the most part "bifurcates" between strong feelings - on the one hand, he needs communication, he feels the need for it, but on the other hand, he is afraid of criticism, and therefore tries to distance himself, to stay away from people.

People with anxiety disorder should not be considered social anxiety disorders. Social anxiety, which is characteristic of such a violation, makes them more closely monitor their inner feelings when there is a need to contact someone, while a social anxiety person cannot be lured into contact with even an urgent need.

Sociophobes are not interested in people, and people with anxiety disorder, on the contrary, are very attentive to the reaction of others to themselves. At the same time, they are incredibly tense, they are very afraid to provoke criticism or do something wrong. At the physical level, such tension is accompanied by either confused speech, or reticence and taciturnity. The deeper a person, at the moment of communication with someone, plunges into his own feelings, the harder it is for him to have fluent free speech.

Anxiety disorder is very often combined with other fears. Almost half of people with this disorder are afraid of spiders and tend to panic, every third has signs of social phobia.

In childhood, with developing anxiety disorder of personality, the child is very afraid to go to the blackboard, to speak in front of a group of people. He tries to avoid situations in which he may suddenly find himself in the center of attention of others, and is also afraid of all new situations, previously unknown. As the child grows, the disorder progresses. For example, adolescents with anxiety disorder do not want to participate in competitions, refuse to take part in holidays at school, and diligently avoid communicating with peers. Often they have no friends at all, they try to spend their free time alone, reading a book or listening to music.

If such a person finds himself in a team, then he tries to physically take a position in which he and other people are separated by a solid distance. People with such a violation are characterized by increased suspiciousness - even ordinary words of those around them, which do not contain offensive or critical overtones, they often take at their own expense, begin "self-digging" and search for reasons for the invented dissatisfaction of others.

They have a need for communication, and it is quite high. But they can communicate only where they are completely sure that they are loved and accepted. If something goes wrong in the usual atmosphere, they "close" and refuse to communicate. It is difficult for them to find "their own person", to start a family, and therefore such people very often remain lonely in life. But if you still manage to get married or get married, then all communication for those who suffer from anxiety disorder is concentrated only with his soul mate. Outsiders in this family will be prohibited from entering. If, over time, a partner leaves or dies, then the rest of his days, the person with an anxiety disorder is usually left alone. No one else can compensate him for the loss.

From the outside, people with anxiety disorder look ridiculous, awkward, often misunderstood and truly rejected. Then the sufferer begins to curry favor with people, which causes even more rejection.

It is difficult for them to achieve success in their studies, in the profession, since both training and work, in one way or another, are connected with social contacts. They never become leaders, teachers, politicians, artists, deliberately avoiding professions that involve public speaking. Most often, anxious asthenics remain "supporting roles"preferring a quiet place, individual work, in which there is no place for the collective performance of any task. It is difficult for them to quit, they are afraid to be left without work at all. If it becomes necessary to move to another place, this transition for a person will always be a big personal misfortune, and he will always go through it very hard.

These people cannot relax in communication even with a very close person., because they constantly monitor the reaction - whether they like what they say, whether the interlocutor approves of what they said. Therefore, it can be very difficult for psychologists to work with people with anxiety disorder.

People with anxiety disorder are afraid of rumors, gossip, ridicule, they are very dependent on public opinion, on what others say or can say about them. Unfortunately, there are a lot of alcoholics among adults with such a mental disorder, since alcohol at first helps them relieve emotional stress in communication, and then sooner or later leads to serious addiction.

Psychiatrists and psychotherapists are involved in diagnostics. It is very important not to confuse anxiety disorder with antisocial personality disorder, also called sociopathy. The sociopath denies society not only in itself, but also all social norms, principles and morals. It is important for the doctor to distinguish between anxiety disorder and schizoid. Schizoid types, in principle, do not want to communicate with anyone, while anxious ones want, but are afraid, and therefore tense.

There is also addictive personality disorder, in which people are painfully afraid of separation, with all their might cling to the object of communication or love.

A specialist should understand all these nuances. Self-diagnosis and attempts of relatives to "diagnose" a person in this case are unacceptable. In psychotherapy and psychiatry, there is a system of tests to identify signs of anxiety disorder. It is with them that diagnostics begins in the office of a specialist. At the same time, the doctor talks, observes, notes changes in the characteristics of the patient's speech skills.

Important diagnostic signs based on the results of the initial examination are constant tension, lack of confidence in one's own strengths and abilities, in oneself, obsessive devaluation of one's own personality in comparison with others (“they can, but I have somewhere ...”), unwillingness start communication if guarantees are not received that criticism will not follow, a painful reaction to criticism, fear of disapproval. If a specialist confirms at least four signs by tests, he may talk about the presence of an anxiety disorder.

Such patients are most often treated not in a hospital, where the situation is new for them, and therefore potentially provoking new attacks, but at home, where everything is familiar and understandable. There are special programs that include behavioral psychotherapy in combination with psychoanalysis.

Reevaluating past experiences is a very effective method. Together with a specialist, the patient examines situations from childhood, adolescence, recent events. The task of the doctor is to help the patient to form a new view of old events, at parents and former classmates, at colleagues and neighbors, at acquaintances and strangers.

All this is from the field of psychoanalysis. As for behavioral therapy, it includes techniques for creating new mental attitudes, patterns, as well as teaching free communication in special groups.

It is very important that a person receives not only individual home treatment, but also attends group trainings and classes. It is there that he will be able to test, apply, improve new attitudes that the psychoanalyst helps to form, it is there that new techniques are fixed in communication with other people. Those who refuse group activities usually do not get any significant effect from the treatment. On the basis of psychoanalysis alone, the pathology is not corrected.

At the final stage of treatment, the acquired attitudes and skills are applied by a person in his daily life. Here, the main thing is not to break loose and not go back to the "cocoon", because certain failures and mistakes happen to everyone. Gradually, from new attitudes and patterns, a stable habit is formed to communicate normally and adequately respond to others.

The prognosis for such a violation is usually very, very favorable, but only on the condition that the person still agrees to therapy. The disorder does not go away on its own. If the disorder is accompanied by other mental disorders, then the treatment is more difficult, longer, and it does not always give the desired effect.

Sometimes, in combination with psychotherapeutic programs, the patient is advised to take medications. Of course, there is no "magic pill" for the disorder, and drug treatment alone does not give any pronounced effect.But there can be a place for medication as part of a treatment program, especially when it comes to a serious disorder. In this case, it is recommended to take tranquilizers and antidepressants. Medicines can help relieve stress and reduce symptoms of depression. Such drugs belong to the group of prescription drugs and are sold in pharmacies exclusively with a doctor's prescription. From non-prescription drugs are recommended sedatives, sedatives ("Novo-Passit", etc.).

Since it is difficult to do this on your own, you must definitely decide to contact a specialist. This will be the beginning of the path to changes that will benefit everyone, and first of all, the person himself. When carrying out the program recommended by the doctor, you need to remember that at any time you may need the support and help of a loved one or a psychologist. Do not hesitate to contact if something seems wrong, something does not correspond to the ideas of life.

A person who is determined to defeat an anxiety disorder needs to be mindful of what needs to be done to promote an effective treatment. First of all, the regime of the day is important, you need to go to bed on time, avoiding insomnia or working at night. The rest of the night should be adequate.

It will be useful to master some techniques of relaxation, meditation, breathing exercises in order to learn how to relax. If attending a yoga group is still difficult due to the existing problem, it is worth practicing independent classes.

A person struggling with anxiety disorder needs to learn not to focus too much on one thing., getting hung up on something is harmful and dangerous in this situation. But an activity in which it will be possible to arbitrarily switch attention from one object to another will be beneficial.

No matter how much you want to relax with alcohol, you should exclude the intake of alcoholic beverages, especially in order to become more liberated in communication with someone in a natural state.

For more on anxiety disorder, see the following video.