Schizotypal Personality Disorder (STPD)
« Back to Glossary IndexSchizotypal personality disorder (STPD), a Class A personality disorder, is characterized by odd appearance, behavior, and speech, unusual perceptual experiences, and anomalies of thinking similar to those seen in schizophrenia. People with SPD experience intense social discomfort, odd behaviors that prevent close relationships, and a restricted range of emotional expression. Unlike schizoid personality disorder/SPD (little desire for social contact), those with STPD may wish for relationships but struggle immensely due to social anxiety. Their symptoms may lead them to develop ideas of reference — beliefs or intuitions that events are somehow related to them. STPD has a higher-than-average probability of becoming schizophrenia, due to its “psychosis-like” features (but, unlike schizophrenia, not full psychosis). Those with a first-degree relative with schizophrenia may be at higher risk. With appropriate support and medication, individuals with STPD can learn to manage symptoms and improve quality of life, including relationships. The condition used to be called latent schizophrenia. Symptoms:
- Cognitive and perceptual distortions, odd beliefs, superstitions, or magical thinking, like having special powers (clairvoyance, telepathy).
- Unusual perceptual experiences and strange bodily sensations or illusions (feeling an absent person’s presence). Incorrectly interpret ordinary occurrences as having special, personal meaning (believing a TV character’s actions are a direct message to them).
- Odd, eccentric, or peculiar thinking, speech behavior, and appearance (speech that’s vague, overly elaborate, metaphorical, hard to follow; dressing in unusual/unkempt ways; strange mannerisms).
- Inappropriate or constricted emotions (affect) that’s unusual or out of place for the situation (laughing during a serious moment). Being suspicious or paranoid without sufficient reason
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