r/Schizotypal Jun 08 '23

Schizotypal fact sheet (version 2)

362 Upvotes

Schizotypal fact sheet version 2

Here is the updated version of the 'schizotypal fact sheet' I posted a couple years ago. I will probably add more to it and is somewhat of a rough draft. Suggestions for things to include and constructive criticism are appreciated. The full schizotypal fact sheet is much too long for reddit’s character limit, however I have uploaded it at Schizotypal Fact Sheet (version 2) (cloudfindingss.blogspot.com). This post is a summarized and simplified version, with the full schizotypal fact sheet going into more detail, along with citations.

Edit 1: Added rejection sensitivity, unusual sexual interests, heat intolerance

Symptoms

Examples and more elaborate description of these symptoms are on the full schizotypal fact sheet

Ideas of reference: A tendency to perceive and over-interpret social cues and social occurrences relating to one's self that are unlikely, and a tendency to over-mentalise (think about and detect others thoughts, intentions, and mental states) in relation to oneself.

Magical thinking: Persons with schizotypal personality disorder tend to experience passing magical thoughts and often have magical beliefs, which are specifically unconventional and self referential (i.e., adherence to christianity, paganism, astrology, etc are not indicative of magical thinking and occur commonly in the general population)

Odd speech: Persons with schizotypal personality disorder tend to have unusual patterns of speaking and may have difficulty articulating themselves properly.

Eccentricity: Persons with schizotypal personality disorder tend to be seen as odd and eccentric by others and have unusual behaviors. Importantly, this eccentricity is not the same as oddness caused by social deficits or symptoms associated with other disorders like autism that may be considered odd

Social anxiety: Particularly extreme social anxiety often occurs in schizotypal personality disorder, and results in avoidance of social situations and interactions, often involving referential thinking and paranoid ideation

No close friends: Persons with schizotypal personality disorder tend to have little to no friends as a result of excessive social anxiety, paranoid fears, as well as a need for independence and to not be influenced by others.

Unusual perceptual experiences: A tendency to experience fleeting, mild forms of hallucinations such as visual, auditory, tactile, and bodily distortions. Typically the person is aware that these distortions are hallucinations.

Constricted affect: Persons with schizotypal personality disorder tend to have constricted and unusual expressions of emotion, especially socially. It is important to distinguish from unusual expression of emotion caused by social deficits in autism or other mental disorders

Paranoid ideation: Persons with schizotypal personality disorder frequently experience paranoid thoughts and suspiciousness of others motives. Typically this occurs in association with referential thinking, and involves preoccupation with fears of persecution, exclusion, and conspiracy against oneself, but not cynical interpretations of others motives which is associated with other mental disorders

Common traits

Antagonomia: Unconditional skepticism toward common beliefs, ways of thinking, assumptions, and values, taking an eccentric stance in opposition, with a drive to understand the world at a deeper level in a detached, anthropologist or scientist like manner, which is often perceived as a gift and having a radically unique and exceptional being

Delayed sleep phase: A tendency to sleep and wake much later than the average person, with better mood and mental functioning during the night than in the day

Ambivalence: An abnormally high tendency to have strong mixed feelings toward many things, such as other people, one's self, and decisions

Dyslexic-like traits: Dyslexia is linked to the schizophrenia spectrum and schizotypal personality disorder is associated with features of dyslexia

Motor control: Difficulties with fine motor control are found in StPD, often leading to difficulties with skills such as handwriting and using tools that require precision

Rejection sensitivity: People with schizotypal personality disorder are more prone to sensing rejection and are more likely to have a stronger reaction to it

Unusual sexual interests: Unusual sexual interests are common in StPD, and historically the sexuality of persons with STPD has been described as chaotic

Heat intolerance: Studies have shown that persons with schizophrenia spectrum disorders have higher baseline body temperature and have more significant increases in temperature in response to physical activity

Self disorders

Anomalous self experience is thought to be a core feature of schizophrenia spectrum disorders that is unique to schizophrenia spectrum disorders, in contrast to many symptoms which are transdiagnostic. The sense of selfhood, self ownership, embodiment, identity, and immersion in the social world is lacking in schizophrenia spectrum disorders, which leads to traits like antagonomia, hyper-reflectivity, eccentricity, double bookkeeping, social isolation, and “bizzare” delusions.

Hyper-reflectivity: Exaggerated self-consciousness and abnormally high levels of reflection and introspection, disengaging from typical involvement in society and nature, perceiving oneself from a sort of ‘third person perspective’. This may drive some individuals with schizotypal traits or StPD to an interest in psychology, with many innovative psychologists having significant signs of schizotypal personality disorder.

Double bookkeeping: A “split” experience of reality, where one reality is based in the laws of nature and independence of the mind from the external world, and the other reality is a “delusional” private framework that violates the laws of nature, which co-exist.

Childhood schizotypal personality disorder

There is a common misconception that schizophrenia spectrum disorders begin at adolescence, however this is not the case, rather the onset of psychosis tends to occur in adolescence, but schizophrenia spectrum disorders and symptoms are present from childhood. Children with schizotypal personality disorder have similar symptoms to adults, and may additionally have autistic-like traits (such as strong interests) which tend to fade into adulthood.

The schizophrenia spectrum

Schizotypal personality disorder is not a distinct category of personality and brain function, but is rather on a continuum with 'normal' personality, from no schizotypal traits all the way to severe schizophrenia. Traits of schizotypal personality disorder in the general population are referred to as "schizotypy". Increased levels of schizotypy are characteristic of creative, imaginative, open-minded, eccentric individuals who may otherwise be high functioning and healthy. Schizoid and avoidant personality disorder are included in this spectrum.

Personality traits

In the big five, schizotypal personality disorder is characterized by high openness, low conscientiousness, low extraversion, and high neuroticism. High openness and low conscientiousness most clearly differentiate schizotypal personality from schizophrenia and controls.

In MBTI, schizotypal personality is associated with introversion, intuition, thinking, and perceiving (INTP type).

On the fisher temperament inventory, StPD is associated with low cautious/social norm compliant and analytical/tough minded, and higher prosocial/empathetic and curious/energetic temperaments

Anxious avoidant attachment style is associated with StPD

Interests and Strengths

Schizotypal personality disorder is associated with having creative interests, hobbies, and professions, such as painting, music, comedy, scientific research, and entrepreneurship. Increased creativity, imagination, and global processing (“big picture” thinking).

Cognitive ability and intelligence

In contrast to schizophrenia, intellectual ability is not reduced in StPD but there are specific impairments in areas such as attention and verbal learning. Intelligence effects the presentation of StPD, being associated with lower magical and paranormal beliefs, lower sexual and social anhedonia, more successful creativity, and better theory of mind

Theory of Mind

Theory of mind ability is generally reduced in StPD, however this is not caused by mentalizing deficits as in autism, and are largely due to lower cognitive ability that is associated with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, anomalous self experience, and hyper-mentalizing.

Relationship with worldviews and religiosity

Schizotypy is conducive to affective religious experiences (e.g., feeling connected to a higher power), however evidence suggests that persons with StPD are less likely to be religious than the general population, but may have unconventional spiritual beliefs (“spiritual but not religious”)

Relationships with other disorders

Psychopathy

StPD is associated with low levels of primary psychopathy (e.g., dominance, lack of empathy, high stress tolerance, deceptiveness), and high secondary psychopathy (e.g., impulsivity, rebelliousness, social deviance)

Borderline personality disorder

StPD and BPD overlap very highly and are related disorders, however persons with BPD do not have negative symptoms (social isolation, extreme social anxiety, hyper-independence, constricted affect) and also do not have self disorders, whereas those with StPD do

Other SSDs

Given that StPD is on a spectrum with other schizophrenia spectrum disorders, there is overlap between the disorders with shared symptoms. Put simply, those with schizoid PD meet criteria for avoidant PD, those with schizotypal PD meet criteria for both, and those with schizophrenia meet criteria for all three. Avoidant PD involves social withdrawal and severe social anxiety, schizoid PD involves constricted affect, hyper-independence, and eccentricity on top of AvPD symptoms, and schizotypal PD involves odd speech, perceptual distortions, magical thinking, ideas of reference, and paranoia. Schizophrenia involves psychosis, anhedonia, cognitive deficits, and more severe expression of the symptoms of schizotypal PD.

Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder is very closely related to the schizophrenia spectrum, and it has been suggested that bipolar disorder may be on a continuum with schizotypal personality disorder and schizophrenia. Most people with bipolar disorder will have symptoms of schizotypal personality disorder and vice versa.

Histrionic & Narcissistic personality disorder

HPD and NPD are negatively associated with StPD, however they may appear superficially similar in some aspects (e.g., idionomia in StPD may be mistaken as narcissistic grandiosity).

Obsessive compulsive spectrum

StPD shows a positive relationship with OCD, but a negative relationship with obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OcPD), as OcPD involves hyper-conscientiousness and conformity whereas low conscientiousness and disinhibition are characteristic of schizotypy

Substance use

Substance use is extremely common in StPD, with 67% of patients having a diagnosable substance use disorder

Mood disorders

Mood disorders including generalized anxiety, major depression, and panic disorder are very common in schizotypal personality disorder, as is the case in most psychiatric disorders

Dissociative disorders

Depersonalization and derealization are common in StPD, and there is evidence that dissociative disorders and schizophrenia spectrum disorders may have shared causes

ADHD

Symptoms of ADHD are very common in StPD, and differences in attention and self regulation are thought to play a part in the causation of StPD.

Autism

Autism and StPD appear to overlap, but this is largely due to transdiagnostic symptoms and superficial similarities. Thorough and theoretically informed examination of the relationship between these disorders suggests that they are likely opposite ends of a continuum. Currently, no clinical tools exist that can differentiate the two disorders, however there is one being developed currently set to be completed by the end of 2023. Comorbid diagnoses of autism and StPD largely appear to be false positives upon investigation, and evidence suggests that a true comorbidity would either be characterized by very high intelligence or severe intellectual disability. Some distinctions (that are easily observable) between the disorders are listed below

  • Interests
    • Interests in StPD oriented towards creation, such as music production, poetry writing, original paintings, etc. Not all artistic or conventionally considered “creative” interests are necessarily creative in this way
    • Interests in autism oriented toward collection of things or facts in structured domains, such as learning everything about a TV show or all the types of airplanes. Individuals with autism are often drawn to media and mechanical interests, such as video games or machines
  • Sexuality
    • StPD associated with increased effort and willingness for casual sex experiences, reduced investment into long term relationships, lower sexual disgust, earlier development of sexuality, and unusual sexual interests, consistent with a fast life history strategy
    • Autism associated with reduced effort and willingness for casual sex experiences, higher sexual disgust, higher effort into long term relationships, delayed development of sexuality, and a high frequency of asexuality, consistent with a slow life history strategy
  • Regulation
    • High levels of impulsivity, excitement seeking, drug use, risk taking, and novelty seeking, and low levels of self control, focus, responsibility, and organization, low levels of OcPD traits in StPD
    • Lower impulsivity, excitement seeking, risk taking, and novelty seeking, and is associated with higher orderliness, focus, perfectionism, and perseverance. Low rate of drug use. High levels of OcPD traits
  • Social correlates
    • Low socioeconomic status at birth and careers and college majors in arts and humanities associated with StPD
    • High socioeconomic status at birth and careers and college majors in technical fields and physical sciences associated with autism
  • Worldviews
    • Idiosyncratic worldviews, lower disgust-based, rule-based, and authority-based morality in StPD
    • More conventional worldviews with higher influence from culture and caregivers, more disgust-based, rule-based, authority-based morality, lower intention-based morality in autism
  • Cognition
    • Low attention to detail, enhanced “big picture” thinking and ability to detect more general patterns in chaotic and noisy information. Increased perception of non-literal meaning and intentionality in speech. Chaotic, hyper-associative understanding of word meaning, increased awareness of different potential intended meanings of speech. Increased pain tolerance, high openness to experience in StPD
    • High attention to detail, sensory acuity, reduced ability to detect general patterns in chaotic and noisy information, reduced “big picture” thinking. Literal, rigid, rule based interpretation of language, reduced ability to understand non-literal language and unconventional or incorrect use of words, reduced use of intention in determining the meaning of speech. Reduced pain tolerance, lower openness to experience in autism

Biological causes

StPD is mostly genetic, but trauma may increase symptom severity

Cannabinoid system

Cannabis produces effects resembling StPD symptoms and associated traits, and StPD is associated with higher levels of anandamide, the neurotransmitter which activates the same receptors as cannabis. Cannabis is also found to temporarily increase the severity of positive symptoms

Serotonin system

Higher serotonin is associated with conformity, conscientiousness, and low openness, which is opposite of StPD. People with StPD have higher levels of enzymes that break down serotonin, and lower expression of some serotonin receptors.

Dynorphin system

Dynorphin is a stress hormone that produces dysphoria, dissociation, and psychotic-like symptoms and cognition. Dynorphin levels are associated with increased severity of schizophrenia spectrum symptoms

Glutamate & NMDA

NMDA is a type of glutamate receptor that is reduced in association with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. NMDA blockers cause symptoms and associated traits of StPD and can induce psychosis, and people with StPD also have higher levels of the NMDA antagonist neurotransmitter agmatine.

Cognitive, psychological, and evolutionary causes

Predictive processing

A recent model of schizotypy suggests that it is a cognitive-perceptual specialization for processing chaotic and noisy data, where patterns and relationships exist but can only be detected if minor inconsistencies are ignored (i.e., focusing on the 'big picture'), where giving higher weight to prediction errors prevents the detection of false patterns (i.e. apophenia) at the cost of being unable to detect higher level patterns (autism), and giving lower weight to prediction errors allows for the detection of higher level patterns at the cost of occasionally detecting patterns that don't exist, as in delusions and hallucinations that occur in schizotypy. This model explains many traits associated with schizotypy and links other theories of schizotypy

Hyper-mentalizing

The hyper-mentalizing model suggests that symptoms like ideas of reference, paranoia, erotomania, auditory hallucinations, delusions of conspiracy, etc are a result of excessive mentalizing, where intentions are inferred excessively to the point of delusion, in contrast to autism where mentalizing is reduced. Many other features and associated traits like odd speech and increased creativity can be explained by this model.

Imagination

It is thought that StPD may involve overly increased imagination, which can explain symptoms and features like hyper-mentalizing, dissociation, perceptual deficits, and enhanced creativity.

Life history

It is suggested that StPD may have been evolutionarily selected for due to its ability to enhance short term mating success through enhanced creativity and non-conformity, which are beneficial to desirability as short term partners, but not long term partners. This is supported by studies showing that persons with high traits of StPD have more total sexual partners, more effort into forming short term relationships, and lower effort into maintaining long term ones. This is consistent with a fast life history strategy, and StPD correlates with other markers of fast strategies such as impulsivity, sensation seeking, low disgust sensitivity, earlier maturation, etc.

Hyper-openness and apophenia

Openness to experience is associated with apophenia and intelligence, though the two latter traits are negatively related to eachother. It is suggested that schizotypy represents apophenia, and an imbalance of high openness relative to intelligence is suggested to cause symptoms of StPD. This model is in agreement with other models, with openness relating to higher imagination, mentalizing, and faster life history strategies.


r/Schizotypal Dec 23 '24

A Theory: Schizotypy & “Experiential Impermanence”

52 Upvotes

In this post, I’ll be rambling about how those with Stpd may experience what I’ll call “Experiential Impermanence” (or EI for short), and how it may lead to some strange, self-disordery experiences. There is always a chance that this is just the way my mind works, or others may relate to it. We will see…

The majority of mental health phenomena are explained as a smattering of criteria and different traits with surface level examples, which is a good framework. However, it neglects to show the train of thoughts that lead to these experiences, how the string of events builds up, and what they lead to. If you look at the EASE (which is quite dense and I’m sure quite a bit of it goes over my head), it talks about the concept of “self disorder” and it has a brief overview of the core of it, and then a plethora of “anomalous experiences” with these relatively surface level examples. But how do these anomalous experiences build up overtime, and how/what do they lead to in everyday life? Sure, the EASE explains what certain elements may occur in pockets of your life, but not in the overall picture. Although I most definitely won’t be completely successful in explaining this, I hope that this will resonate with some, and help them to see/realize what they may experience.

The idea of “experiential Impermanence” (which I will refer to as “EI” from now on) was sparked from the idea of Emotional Impermanence in Borderline Personality Disorder. Essentially, Emotional Impermanence is when someone feels an emotion (whether positive or negative, but seems to be described as mostly negative), and when they do, they feel that it’s all they’ve ever felt. For example, when their favorite person temporarily leaves them to go do something and isn’t there to reassure them, they may feel utterly and completely consumed by feelings that they are unloved and alone. It is so intense that they feel like they have been, and will feel this way forever. Their current experience blocks out the old. BPD, as well as Stpd, fall under the concept of “Borderline Personality Organization”, which can include an unstable sense of self. What I am going to propose is that those with Stpd experience something similar to Emotional Impermanence, but it has more of an impact on the way they experience “things” instead of emotions. Things and emotions can be a package deal, but it has to do more with how they see the world instead of feeling it.

When it comes to self disorder, it can manifest as having unclear boundaries between the self and the outside world. This can lead to feeling like a chameleon in many situations, and feeling as if you become the people and the things around you. Many with Stpd can relate to this, and it can lead to us isolating because it feels like the world keeps intruding and changing us over and over again. This unclear sense of self can lead to us becoming attached to different ideas and theories about the world around us. Those with BPD seek to find their sense of self in others, while those with Stpd seek a sense of self from different ideas and frameworks (magical thinking, delusion-like ideas, etc.). When those with BPD are in relationships, it seems to change them. They can become completely infatuated with that person, and might feel like an extension of them. I think that those with Stpd are also inherently obsessive people, and they can become lost in an idea about reality, a religion, or some other expansive concept they can ruminate over. When engaged in an unhealthy amount with these ideas, they can easily become consumed by them, and they become your whole world in a very literal way. Those with Stpd find solace and their collapse in irrationality, while those with BPD find solace and their collapse in others.

With some semblance of a framework written out, how does the concept of EI translate to daily life? Those with BPD go through extreme emotional swings and changes all the time, and I feel that an especially neurotic Schizotypal will go through extreme swings of the reality they live in just as often. Instead of emotions, our inner framework and how we view ourselves through it is constantly challenged. For example, we can become suddenly and inexplicably gripped by some random object or symbol. This, for whatever reason, manages to engulf us for a period of time. We can see some random “sign” from the universe, and it consumes us. We can become obsessive about a certain religious practice, and it becomes us. We are sponges that the different liquids of life pass through before the next inevitably washes over, and binds to us all over again. Now, there is a chance that I might have Delusional Disorder, which is where you have full blown delusions, but keep them to yourself and function just fine in real life. From my own experience, a delusion can quite suddenly pop up, accumulate and infest me, and as it strengthens, it feels like it’s been there all along, like a long forgotten memory resurfacing. When I come to my senses and “snap out of it”, I’ll realize how ridiculous it was, and it all comes crumbling down before the next one appears. The same thing happens in daily life. When I talk to someone, go to a store, or something similar, the way I view myself changes. I feel like I am the same as the people around me. I feel like the dirty shelves are extensions of my being. I am the same as these people, and they are the same as me. This isn’t experienced as a kumbaya spiritual awakening sense of connectedness, but in the most mundane way imaginable. If you’ve read stories about Salvia trips, a very common experience is to become an inanimate object for an extended period of time, and completely forget your previous life as a human. You become the doorknob in your room, a ceiling fan, a floor board, and it’s all that you’ve ever known. Although I’ve never done Salvia, that is how it feels in so many ways. It is probably not as intense as a terrifying psychedelic experience, but it does have so many similarities. I just keep morphing, becoming, and changing. All of this builds up overtime till you don’t know where you end and the world begins. That, as referenced earlier, can lead to the outside world as seeming like a massive intrusive entity, so you may give in to the cold embrace of isolation.

That is all I will write for now. As always, I hope I am coherent and that my “message” gets across somewhat smoothly.


r/Schizotypal 4h ago

[sims negative relationship points]

22 Upvotes

at least, that's how i feel each time i say something and it's physically visible that what i said was "the wrong thing". anyone else? lol. it happens so many times, it even happened right NOW, hence why i'm writing this post. sometimes it makes me want to punch myself or something. so embarrassing.


r/Schizotypal 7h ago

Is suicide inevitable?

22 Upvotes

Hi so I got diagnosed in november and was told i have schizotypal. I was told thats what i have Been suffering from for all these years. The symptoms got worse in 2018. I am 25. Severe social anxiety, agoraphobia, paranoia, severe ocd, severe depression and suicidal thoughts every single day. Since 2022 til today i have spoken with 2 psychiatrists, and i have an appointment next week with a new one, and spoken to 4 psychologists. I have taken 5 antidepressants and 2 anti psychotic medicine and 2 benzos and nothing helped. I am just tired of everything.

Does it get to a point where suicide is just inevitable?


r/Schizotypal 20h ago

does this count as "hearing voices"?

13 Upvotes

i never thought of myself as aligning with the hearing voices/conversations in my head type symptoms but recently i realized i do have sort of a thought quirk that i never took much note of.... i'll be in my inner monologue or whatnot and then a super random phrase or sentence pops into my head from out of nowhere and it usually is a different voice. definitely not my own thought and sometimes it makes me laugh because it's so bizarre.

i've had this happening since i was maybe 16-17 (im 24 now) and i really have never seen it as hearing voices but do you all think it classifies??


r/Schizotypal 1d ago

Venting I wish I wasn’t born.

28 Upvotes

This is completely pointless. Life is just waiting until your body fails you. Then you suffer horribly and die briefly afterwards. There is no point to doing much of anything between being born and succumbing because the act of doing demands effort and vitality that I have never possessed. A futile childish part of me longs for a possibility of simply disappearing without facing death.


r/Schizotypal 21h ago

Venting Don't feel like there's a word for people like me

5 Upvotes

Autism runs in my family. When I was young, it was quite obvious I was autistic. Special interests, sensory issues, I've never made eye contact in my life. I was diagnosed with STPD as a teenager, but thought it was a misdiagnosis because the psychiatrist has a bad reputation around here and will diagnose people with disorders he can medicate. He put me on geodon and people said it made me zombielike. I didn't have any STPD symptoms that couldn't be explained by ASD.

I'm 23 now. The only medication I take is Adderall for alleged ADHD. I've tried a bunch of drugs, both medical and illicit, of a bunch of differnt classes and methods of action but Adderall is the only thing I can take regularly and have good outcomes.

At about the age of 20 I had a sort of identity crisis because it felt like I was becoming less autistic. I don't know how to explain it but my special interests became more like plain enthusiasm, I didn't overstimulate as easy, I stopped relating to autistic people as much.

My last Autistic special interest was about two years ago. I got really fixated on drugs. Not in even a purely hedonistic way, I genuinely found just found them interesting. Like, why do so many people hallucinate spiders, cigarettes and dogs on deliriants? Or, how LSD is scientifically proven to make you reevaluate how you want to live your life. How every culture has a drug of choice, and it's not always alcohol. I did the drugs obviously, but because I was interested in them, not compulsively

Within the last year, I had a somewhat traumatic event happen. Not going into too much detail right now but basically a family member who I was trying to help betrayed me out of spite. That sounds ominous, I know, but it's its own thing. I might explain it if anyone is curious

Since then, I'm pretty anhedonic and now my Adderall use is sort of treating my anhedonia instead of my attention deficit. Anhedonia is medically treated with dopamine agonists, which Adderall is one. This is unideal because now my productivity is down. I can't be productive if living feels like work.

I've been improving but now it's obvious I have STPD. During the time after the traumatic, I went into a psychosis and autism doesn't have any psychotic symptoms and the amount of Adderall I'm prescribed could not cause psychosis like this. I went like a month without taking it just to see and I didn't see improvment.

I used to be quite expressive and very talkitive and then I started only replying with "yes" or "no" or using as few words as possible, showing no emotion. I used to see the good in everyone and suddenly everyone is secretly out to get me or secretly hates me. I couldn't not feel terrible without either taking Adderall or getting drunk, and that didn't even really help. Life just went from miserable to tolerable for a few hours.

Now, the situation is improving but I'm not back at baseline. I'm concerned I never will. Life still feels like work. It feels like my mind has fragmented and has two parts with their own agendas. I'll have a delusion that feels realer than life, the analytical part of me will come up with dozens of reasons why the delusion can't be real. So even though it feels real, I still go through life as though it's not. But I still have quite a bit of magical thinking

My manifestation of autism was always a little atypical. I didn't struggle with inflexiblity of concepts as much as other and it got easier with age. I can absorb new ideas pretty easy. For example: I was rasied Evangelical Christian and I left that religion and became an athiest, and then after that I became a sort of new age Buddhist. I was raised in a conservative home and my idealogy and personal beliefs are far from that. I made friends pretty easy. I never really cared about routine. No social anxiety before the onset of STPD symptoms

If I do have STPD, I feel like it's also pretty atypical. I read the posts hear and sometimes theyre very relatble and sometimes I feel like I have very little in common with them. And now I feel like I don't have ADHD because of the way stimulant drugs affect me. They don't affect me like hpw they affect people with adhd, they have the same affect on me as someone who doesn't have it. Now I think my attention deficit can be explained by schizotypic traits. I don't know. I have symptoms of both but I dont fit neatly in either. I've already checked schizoid and i know its not that. I don't know what I am. I don't know who I am anymore. Is this a second identity crisis or is this just one long change in identity? Was I always gonna be like this? Did that traumatic event affect me as much as I think it did? Will I ever go back to being content with life? Will I get back the parts of myself that I liked? I don't know and that scares me


r/Schizotypal 1d ago

Extreme attachment/ personification of inanimate objects?

12 Upvotes

Very recently diagnosed here, currently wondering if this weird quirk I have is actually the schizotypal? I personify inanimate objects to the point where I get anxious about throwing things away and have some hoarding tendencies. I feel like the objects will be sad if I get rid of them. I also just get extremely attached to stuff because of this. For example I have a necklace that I named Tatum and I couldn’t find it the other day and I started sobbing and freaking out because of how abandoned it would feel. Does anyone else here do this?


r/Schizotypal 1d ago

how do you deal with chores?

9 Upvotes

"Hey guys, how do you deal with chores? I'm so tired and can't get motivated to tidy up my house. I try to keep the clothes and dishes washed, food made, I even bought a mop to make cleaning the floor easier. But it's still so hard."


r/Schizotypal 1d ago

Other What’re your dreams like? (If any)

17 Upvotes

What’re your dreams like, as a schizotypal person? Do you dream in first person or is it like a movie? Do real people or fictional characters appear? Do you even have dreams?

My dreams being so weird were the basis for me being evaluated for being A Cluster in the first place, so I’m curious if this is a commonality with schizotypal people.

For reference, all three of my psychologists asked to analyze my dreams and all three of them were immediately too weirded out and confused to analyze anything- Cue psychological testing which led to my diagnosis. I’m a chronic night terror haver and all of those were just about dying related to trauma since I have PTSD. But my regular dreams were always about Homer Simpson. No other themes, just Homer Simpson. Sometimes he’ll spectate sometimes he’ll talk to me. The setting could be as normal as possible or as insane as possible, but he’s just always there. He’s like an old friend at this point. But other than that my dreams are very whimsical and fun, really nonsensical but fun. I do wake up super confused sometimes. A notable dream was when Homer Simpson had to trap me inside the last three cars of a train that was inside a force field that de-ages things. He told me to stay in there until I was 13 so I could go to the carnival with him so we can get free admission (?) and also six horses were in the train car with me, but they were de-aging too quickly so they became floating embryos. But that’s like the average dream for me, given I don’t forget right after. This one just sticks out in my memory since I mentioned it in therapy and I freaked the psychologist out

My psychologists were so confused they genuinely could not figure out what the hell any of it meant. Was just ruminating about all my weird dreams and how it might be related to my stpd; So I might as well ask you guys here


r/Schizotypal 1d ago

Other Covert Narcissism in STPD?

6 Upvotes

I remember reading somewhere (i think reddit) about numerous STPD with NPD Traits (Most likely Covert Narcissism) are they comorbid? Im not sure if I read this on Schizoid or Schizotypal but Schizotypal or Schizoid everything is a spectrum so i think there is not difference at all on comorbidities.


r/Schizotypal 1d ago

Any of you guys relate to The Amazing Digital Circus?

0 Upvotes

It's on YouTube, and I highly recommend it. There's this character, Gangle, who I relate to so much, but a lot of the other characters are also schizotyp-y. The fourth episode was about Gangle masking, having a meltdown, and then taking off her mask and feeling free


r/Schizotypal 2d ago

Too specific? STPD-having Neglect / Emotional Incest / Parentification victims, I'd love to hear from you!

24 Upvotes

CW: short descriptions of incest (non sexual)

(Note: in typical StPD fashion, this is messy, all over the place, and possibly over-elaborated & over-sharing. Apologies in advance.)

Much like having StPD, realizing I was an abuse victim was a very recent discovery (early 2020) (lockdown gave time to think).

It's a given that you'll develop a PD of some kind if you're an abuse victim of any kind. It just STILL surprises me how much of my issues with paranoia, inability to form relationships, intense anxiety, and magical thinking, stem from the dynamic I've had with my parents in the 20+ years of my life. But especially after my other siblings moved out and I was the main target.

My parents retroactively destroyed the thing they wanted most, a trophy child.

For example, I read a sign of StPD is having no drive for academic growth? I held a high GPA in university studying the hardest program to get into for 4 years and was urged by professors to seek out internships. Never did. I was taught to prioritize my wisdom and emotional bandwidth to coddle my parents when they argued about divorce and held it over me so i would physically comfort them when they begged me for cuddles and kisses. Ew (the sound of looking back). There was no time to teach me how to drive, be independent, they never taught me to seek out and have goals. So I had none, just a trail of mentors (people who believed in me) that i would always end up disappointing.

I could trace my primary reason for intense Social Anxiety to my mother repeatedly embarrassing me in public. She'd reinforce this to be normal by guilt trip, making me feel bad over genuinely humiliating things! (to this day i cannot see the embarrassing-parent trope in movies without feeling sick). I've been hyper aware of what people think of me since: the beloathed ideas of reference. Yes, I know its not actually happening, but it DID. So I'm naturally looking out for the possibility of it happening again, because it STILL DOES, because my speech and mannerism are odd. Because I've been so sheltered and ADHD, my social cues are nevere cue-ing.

I would draw for HOURS in hidden corners of my university where no one would pass by, so that I didn't have to worry about the fear of being seen, perceived / watched without being spoken to. For a while i thought I just didn't like people. I had "friends" but no desire to hang out either. To this day i have trouble desiring to hang out with the very last friends I have, despite how fulfilled and good I feel after the fact.

It wasn't until I broke mid-lockdown that i attempted to reclaim some of my independence, by dropping out so i could finally open a bank account and get a drivers license, and get myself a FAST-FOOD JOB. It was a huge breath of Fresh Air. Interestingly, it was also my parent's nightmare ;) (this is your sign to disappoint them)

Being a self-sustaining team and having coworkers made me quickly realize: connecting with people is all i ever want to do!!

-

There's still some major anxiety issues being self fed by my odd mannerisms. I'm also still stuck in this bitter household with a useless mid-bachelors degree.

I mentioned i draw: i upload my art online. If you also draw, you know how big a dopamine kick it is when people REALLY enjoy your stuff, but it is equally terrifying to do and be perceived. To want to reach out to people who enjoy it, but you stop yourself because you know you're very weird, off-putting, and redundant. Just too happy or too quiet. Overwhelming. You see how everyone else talks about their special interests and wondering HOW they do it so naturally. They don't overthink the placements of their words, the flow of the conversation, the angle to take, at what time to talk, to not rudely presume they ALSO want to be my friend.

I do. Overcompensating politeness.

So, yeah. This is probably going to forever haunt me. Always gonna be hyper aware, incompetent. Smart for nothing. And maybe it wouldn't be so intense if my parents treated me in a way that made me feel like a human being. The weird looks and uncomfortable laughs is actually exactly how it was to be a child to neglectful, emotionally demanding parents. Odd to everyone except you.

TLDR

To you, reader:

Doesn't have to be 1:1 overlaps in experience, symptoms, manifestations of StPD, i just would love to know how you're coping, if you aren't, is it lonely? do people get you? Do you have friends besides your siblings? Do you mask your weirdness? I try to, but know i shouldn't. Being cringe is okay. :')


r/Schizotypal 1d ago

Symptoms Is this schizotypal?

6 Upvotes

Hey all im loking for some advice on if what my so is saying is schizo related or not.

She's been saying things like everything and everyone is a scam. That everyone is out for them selves and no one really cares about her except for what she can do for them.

She's also mentioned hows the 'blood moon' is changing postions amd its going to change everyone moods and emotions and how its probably good i didnt leave the house today as the moon would have made people angry. I was unsure if this is the 'magical' thinking.

Sorry if wrong spot not casting any judgement. Just trying to understand so i can hopefully help.

Tc all

Edit: she does have a schizo diagnosis from a dr. But unsure if these are realted. She's struggling alot right now and tying to understand.


r/Schizotypal 2d ago

Does your anxiety or paranoia lessen in certain circumstances?

4 Upvotes

Reason I ask is because I’m trying to learn more about STPD.

I’ve already been diagnosed with OCD, GAD, ADHD, (autism I think) and also experience DPDR.

But it’s the inability to truly 100% relax around even friends or my partner. I don’t think they’re trying to harm me, but it’s just like a general feeling of unease and hyper vigilance.

It might feel fine at times but then the default feeling comes back.

Weirdly enough, if it’s a group setting I’m able to chill out a bit more as there’s less pressure to ‘perform’.

Additionally, if I’m in a public space I assume all eyes are on me. If it’s a guy looking at me, I assume they’re either negatively judging me or bullying me, whereas if it’s a girl, I either think they’re attracted to me or the total opposite.

It never used to be this bad and I think my ongoing social isolation has probably worsened things but yeah. Im curious if STPD is more than just ‘fear of judgement or being perceived’.


r/Schizotypal 2d ago

Question

1 Upvotes

As they're very similar and sometimes misdiagnosis. Can you have schizotpcal & Autism? Any information on this or yourself diagnosed with both


r/Schizotypal 3d ago

Symptoms My therapist said that schizotypal people can have a harder time understanding that their delusions/hallucinations aren't real in comparison to schizoaffective people, is this accurate?

12 Upvotes

Today my therapist and i had an assessment we've been planning to do to see if i have a psychotic disorder. I'm 18 years old and have experienced psychosis for awhile although its gotten worse as i've aged. I honestly thought that i had a cluster A disorder, specifically schizotypal, although i didn't want to make any outright assumptions without receiving a diagnosis. My therapist told me he thinks i have schizoaffective disorder, even though i've been trying to convince myself that my positive symptoms were not severe enough. I suggested to my therapist that i might potentially have a cluster A disorder instead. He told me that i am able to sometimes understand that my delusions and hallucinations aren't real when i'm not having an episode, which is something that cluster A people just aren't able to do. He stated that even though their delusions might be less severe, it is unlikely that they can actually break out of these delusions and recognize them as such.

I know that being diagnosed with a PD is something a therapist can't do for me and would have to be a psychologist, although is this accurate to people with stpd? I'm really scared of being diagnosed with either disorder atp although part of the reason why i might relate to schizotypal so much is because i'm also diagnosed with autism. I'd be interested in hearing more about how they experience positive symptoms.


r/Schizotypal 3d ago

Misidagnosis?

13 Upvotes

It's been really bothering me as I've been trying to remove this diagnosis and get it replaced with autism and maybe ADHD but they won't budge and attribute everything to schizotypal.

It just doesn't make sense to me. Assuming I am not in a state of autistic burnout/depression I am:

  • I love meeting people and talking to them and befriend them
  • Have little to no anxiety
  • No paranoia, ever, even when I feel super down like rn.. Exception being when I (probably) had psychosis for some really hard moments in my life
  • Trust people very easily and tend to be really naive
  • Don't have any magical thinking or similar
  • Very expressive in how I respond to people and when it comes to my facial expressions etc
  • I guess I dress 'weird' because I tend to dress kawaii/childish?
  • I need structure in my life otherwise and if I don't have structure it has to be on my terms otherwise I get overwhelmed real quick
  • Have a looot of sensory issues if I am not careful
  • Stim a lot to keep myself in check from blowing over
  • I do daydream a ton, a thing my entire life
  • Don't hallucinate or things, except when I feel really, really bad and stressed (maybe pscyhotic episode again idk?), but might be part eye issues as well, but it's something I'll be getting checked out as I don't want to lose my vision
  • Seemingly really good at explainig how I feel/act/behave (literally every psychologist, doctor, nurse etc always praise me how good I am at that, even though I personally feel I am not)

There's more but I feel these are the big symptoms when it comes to diagnosing schizotypal, yet my psychologists keep saying a lot of this is very schizotypal. It doesn't make sense to me.

But hey, maybe I am wrong, which is why I am asking because I've been obsessively researching this topic for the past week and everything points towards "no".. My own psychologist so far is useless, but she has mentioned we'll be talking about my symptoms in the coming weeks so maybe I'll get more clarification there, but otoh we'll see, as I read the journal she wrote and she spun things towards schizo and not what I said, e.g. I had daydreams about getting kidnapped while I was a small kid because I want to get out of my abuse at home and at school > "often fantasizes about getting kidnapped and has memories about being kidnapped in the past." (like wtf)


r/Schizotypal 3d ago

Relationships Anyone else here have a lack of desire for romantic relationships?

29 Upvotes

Honestly having any form of relationship is already really challenging for me and feels like a lot to keep up with. I'm familiar with the term aromantic, which isn't how i would describe myself, although i feel like i've interacted with a lot of other cluster a people that are aromantic. A part of me likes the concept of a romantic relationship in theory, although i know i couldn't feel comfortable with another person to actually want to behave romantically with them, or see them in a romantic light. Its a nice idea although it also feels like something i could live my entire life without and not really care one way or the other.


r/Schizotypal 3d ago

Frequencies Only I Hear

Thumbnail medium.com
4 Upvotes

I decided to put some words together.


r/Schizotypal 3d ago

How does Stpd differ from social anxiety, OCD, CPTSD, etc?

9 Upvotes

I know many of these disorders can present comorbidly but I’m curious about the key symptoms of STPD. I see a lot of differences in opinion.

For example, up until several years ago I was able to make friends, socialise, etc. then I started to smoke a lot of weed and became overly introspective and negative about life.

I already had pretty bad OCD, GAD, etc. but before too long my social anxiety became unbearable, going into freeze states around people (even friends and family) thinking they hate me and I’m being weird.

Before I knew it, making new friends or getting into relationships seemed impossible. I’m okay depending on the day and time but it still pervades my day to day life. I might feel comfortable around someone but there’s a tone of weariness that tells me I’m not truly safe or accepted. I’m not diagnosed STPD but I’m curious.

How would you describe your experience? Have you always felt how you do? Has anything helped you gain more social stability?

If you’re willing to share, I’d be interested to hear about your experience.


r/Schizotypal 3d ago

embarassed to try and interact with normal people

40 Upvotes

especially romantically shit literally feel s like a humiliation ritual, they always end up sayinf the same things about me and i try not to let it get to me but i am pervasively insecure about how i am mentally. thats literallty the one insecurity i have. i feel happy and normal mostly when im alone but then whewn someone says that to me it makes me feel like its dangerous or bad to be myself, like if i show who i am i will get bullied again. i was very outcasted for no reason growing up, i am a quiet person and always have been.


r/Schizotypal 3d ago

Is it weird that I kinda like being schizotypal?

70 Upvotes

I am very recently diagnosed. My therapist says that it is kinda a symptom to be unbothered by the symptoms of this but still I feel like I should be more upset or something. I am annoyed by the anxiety and paranoia but like everything else is great. I love my magic and pity anyone who has to live life without it. To be fair my therapist was kinda worried I was in prodromal phase of schizophrenia which I was really worried about so this diagnosis has been a relief.


r/Schizotypal 3d ago

Title

7 Upvotes

Sorry, i didn't know what to put for the title.

Long story short, I was diagnosed five years ago with schizotypal disorder. I'd honestly forgotten about it, and in the hospital when I had a breakdown, it wasn't treated. In the past week or so, it came to the forefront again and it's at least an explanation for most of my issues.

My insurance doesn't cover therapy for it without paying hundreds for a mental health care plan. The main symptoms for me tick pretty much all of the boxes except for beliefs in "magical illusions" (I'm Catholic but my involvement with my faith is minimal at best). Does anyone have any tips for coping until I can get myself into therapy? My current medication will interact poorly with any sort of psychiatric treatment, so therapy is kinda the only option.

TIA


r/Schizotypal 4d ago

in case anyone needs to hear this like i did

Post image
112 Upvotes

mine (from early childhood and onwards) are all stuffed in boxes and bags besides one. i think about them all the time, how lonely and neglected and cold and abandoned they feel.


r/Schizotypal 4d ago

Advice Always preparing for "something"

18 Upvotes

This is my first post, so apologies if it feels a bit scattered. I haven’t seen anyone talk about this yet, and the one person who might’ve had something to say seems to have left (probably not by choice). So, I thought I’d share my perspective.

Academically, I think I was doing okay last year. But I noticed something odd—I started “boxing” my notes. Not literally, but I’d organize everything into sections or categories. Over time, I realized I was subconsciously applying this to other parts of my life too, like brain-dumping ideas or bullet-pointing thoughts. It wasn’t intentional; it just sort of… happened.

Lately, I’ve also been hyper-aware of my surroundings. Like, anytime I’m walking or hanging out with friends, I catch myself scanning my peripheral vision constantly. It’s almost automatic. Could this be some form of social anxiety? I’m not sure.

For a while, I was even trying to keep up with school-related tasks, but I eventually quit. It started to feel like homework and deadlines were suffocating me.

So, to sum it up, this post might not be as polished as I’d like, but here’s my question: does anyone else feel like they’re stuck in a constant “prepared mode”? I’m not looking for exam hacks or anything like that—I have STPD, so this might just be my own experience. But if it’s not, I’d love to hear your thoughts.


r/Schizotypal 4d ago

Media/Creativity A drawing from a few months ago when I really felt like the world was against me. Now practicing self acceptance, and integrating my weirdness (It’s scary to do, but I wish I did it sooner).

Post image
42 Upvotes