Healing Trauma: Perspectives And Attitudes, 57

Yesterday my physician at the Three Bridges Clinic gave me a transcript of a letter from the endocrinologist who is currently attending me. I read it later, after I came home. A rather interesting bit of information, with a compendium of my diagnostic history from care providers in my past. Among other things was a surprise I had not been counting on. I was diagnosed with having a schizotypal personality. I am assuming that this is from the psychiatrist I was seeing from 2002 to 2006, a pivotal time in my life. Before I go on, here is some information I have just lifted from Psychology Today (In advance, let me apologize again, Gentle Reader, for the lack of formatting. Windows 10 screwed up royally in some areas and thanks to their beneficence, the ability to format on this website remains paralyzed : "Schizotypal personality disorder is a psychiatric condition marked by disturbed thoughts and behavior, unusual beliefs and fears, and difficulty with forming and maintaining relationships. Definition The word personality describes deeply ingrained patterns of behavior and the manner in which individuals think about themselves and their world. Personality traits are conspicuous features of behavior and are not necessarily pathological, although certain ones may encourage social problems. Personality disorders are enduring, persistent behavior patterns severe enough to cause significant impairment in functioning as well as internal distress. Schizotypal personality disorder is a pattern of social and interpersonal difficulties that includes a sense of discomfort with close relationships, eccentric behavior, and unusual thoughts and perceptions of reality. Speech may include digressions, odd use of words or display "magical thinking," such as a belief in clairvoyance and bizarre fantasies. Patients usually experience distorted thinking, behave strangely, and avoid intimacy. They typically have few, if any, close friends, and feel nervous around strangers although they may marry and maintain jobs. The disorder, which may appear more frequently in males, surfaces by early adulthood and can exacerbate anxiety and depression. Symptoms People with this disorder may be severely disturbed and might appear schizophrenic. More commonly, however, patient beliefs (aliens, witchcraft, possessing a "sixth sense") are stranger than their behavior, and may often keep them isolated from normal relationships. Hallucinations, however, are not a common symptom. Other symptoms include: Discomfort in social situations Odd beliefs, fantasies or preoccupations Odd behavior or appearance Odd speech Difficulty making/keeping friendships Inappropriate display of feelings Suspiciousness or paranoia Causes The cause of schizotypal personality disorder is unknown, but there is an increased incidence among relatives of those with the condition. Awareness of risk, such as a family history of schizophrenia, may allow early diagnosis. Treatments Schizotypal patients rarely initiate treatment for their disorder, tending to seek relief from depressive problems instead. Some people may be helped by antipsychotic medications, but therapy is preferable in many situations. Patients severely afflicted with the disorder may require hospitalization to provide therapy and improve socialization. Schizotypal personality disorder patients do not often demonstrate significant progress. Treatment should therefore help patients establish a satisfying solitary existence. The social consequences of serious mental disorders—those that affect a person's ability to function in social and occupational settings—can be calamitous. Comprehensive treatment is crucial to the alleviation of symptoms and finding a path toward recovery. Consumer self-help programs, family self-help, advocacy, and services for housing and vocational assistance complement and supplement the formal treatment system. Many of these services are operated by people who use mental health services themselves. The logic behind their leadership in delivery of these services is that those using the system might be especially effective in reaching out to those in need. Psychotherapy Behavioral modification, a cognitive-behavioral treatment approach, can allow schizotypal personality disorder patients to remedy some of their bizarre thoughts and behaviors. Recognizing abnormalities by watching videotapes and meeting with a therapist to improve speech habits are two effective methods of treatment. Prognosis The outcome varies with the severity of this typically chronic disorder." I have almost exhausted my five minutes on today's post, Gentle Reader, and tomorrow I plan to expand further on this topic. Led me conclude with this statement: No one at any time in my medical history ever informed me that I was diagnosed with this syndrome. In fact, until yesterday, I have never heard of it. I do believe that with the emphasis of pathology being placed on "Odd beliefs, fantasies or preoccupations; odd behaviour or appearance, etc., as opposed to actual dysfunctional behaviours, there is a valid concern here that this is a bogus mental health diagnosis that pathologizes the individual, promotes social conformity and social control, and exists simply to make the Diagnostic Statistical Manual, aka the Psychiatrists' Bible, yet bigger, fatter, heavier and more unwieldy. More tomorrow, Gentle Reader.