Written by: Sarah Angelone
Edited by: Shivani Shah
Schizophrenia is a well-known disorder reportedly marked by delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, disorganized behavior, and negative symptoms. Many people are familiar with this disorder, however, it does not stand alone. Schizophrenia is one of the conditions that fall within the schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Many various disorders are members of this spectrum- schizophrenia, schizotypal personality disorder, delusional disorder, brief psychotic disorder, schizophreniform disorder, and schizoaffective disorder. These disorders are characterized by various ranges of schizophrenia symptoms. One condition in particular, schizotypal personality disorder, is marked by odd behavior, suspicions of others, “magical thinking”, and unusual speech patterns.
Schizotypal personality disorder can easily be confused with full-fledged schizophrenia, however, the two are most certainly different. Schizophrenia is marked by a detachment from reality, known as delusions. These delusions are typically fully believed by the person with schizophrenia. In schizophrenia, patients are convinced that their hallucinations and altered perceptions are reality. This characteristic symptom of schizophrenia is described as a “break in reality”, as the patient is unaware that the hallucinations are distinguished from reality. For instance, say a person with schizophrenia experiences auditory hallucinations. These “voices” could be telling this person that the government is going to find and kill them. The individual with schizophrenia will be unable to understand that this is just a hallucination and that the government isn’t after them. They will fully believe that the government is searching for them. On the other hand, schizotypal personality disorder is not characterized by delusions or states of Psychosis. Rather, those with schizotypal personality disorder may have unusual perceptual experiences, however a “grasp” on reality is still maintained. They experience suspicions rather than delusions, as they still question the reality of their perceptions.
Another characteristic symptom of schizotypal personality disorder includes “Ideas of Reference”. This refers to the belief that neutral occurrences have a personal relevance. For example, if a butterfly approaches someone who has schizotypal personality disorder, they might believe that the butterfly was trying to warn them or send them a message of some sort, despite it being a relatively meaningless occurrence. These ideas of reference aren’t complete delusions, however, they still represent unusual thoughts and distorted perceptions. Those with this disorder may also exhibit “magical thinking”, which describes the belief that they have powers such as telepathy or telekinesis. This symptom of schizotypal personality disorder demonstrates a close similarity to delusions, however, these beliefs remain distinct from schizophrenia.
Symptoms relating to scopes of reality aren’t the only hallmark traits of schizotypal personality disorder. This disorder also has many impacts on social interactions. One of the common experiences in schizotypal personality disorder is exhibiting a suspicion towards others. This induces excessive social anxiety and distrust in conjunction with paranoia, making relationships rare and difficult for those with this disorder. This reinforces an avoidance of social situations and furthers the lack of close relationships experienced by those with schizotypal. This cycle is often perpetuated by the eccentric views of those who have this disorder. The person with schizotypal is struggling with altered perceptions of reality, and other peers may view this as strange and unusual, which can create an environment where bullying is present.
Schizotypal personality disorder is swept under the rug in the media and is more unknown than its counterparts in schizophrenia spectrum disorders, such as schizophrenia and delusional disorder. The disorder is even frequently confused with schizophrenia, despite displaying its unique symptoms such as “magical” thinking and ideas of reference. It is especially important to note the distinctions between the two, as schizotypal can often progress into schizophrenia if early intervention is not taken.
References:
Mfa, J. H. M. M. (2022, April 21). Understanding schizophrenia as a spectrum disorder. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/schizophrenia/schizophrenia-spectrum#schizophrenia-spectrum
Schizotypal personality disorder - Symptoms and causes. (n.d.). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/schizotypal-personality-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353919
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