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Diagnostic Criteria For Avoidant Personality Disorder from the DSM-IV: A pervasive pattern of social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by four (or more) of the following: 1.avoids occupational activities that involve significant interpersonal contact, because of fears of criticism, disapproval, or rejection 2.is unwilling to get involved with people unless certain of being liked 3.shows restraint within intimate relationships because of the fear of being shamed or ridiculed 4.is preoccupied with being criticized or rejected in social situations 5.is inhibited in new interpersonal situations because of feelings of inadequacy 6.views self as socially inept, personally unappealing, or inferior to others 7.is unusually reluctant to take personal risks or to engage in any new activities because they may prove embarrassing

OH MY GOD!!! I have all the symptoms! Is there any hope for me???

Internet Mental Health

Avoidant Personality Disorder (APD, for short) is a very troubling problem for the people who have it. It does not get a lot of research, probably because avoidants don't generally cause much trouble to anyone. They are very shy and can seem very aloof. They can also seem very nervous and tense, especially in social situations. The main crux of the problem for avoidants is that although unlike people with Schizoid Personality Disorder (who they may resemble superficially), they very much want friendship and connection to other people, but don't dare seek people out for fear of rejection. This fear of rejection runs their lives, constricting their ability to have a normal social life. Many researchers believe that this disorder is indistinguishable from severe Generalized Social Phobia.

The Social Anxiety Home Page

A really cool Social Anxiety Message Board...(hey I post there...so it's gotta be good, right?)

A Social Anxiety Mailing List...

A Message board for social phobes who self injure...

Shy and Free, a Community That Transforms Shyness

Here's a link about Social Phobia...

The Introvert's Hideaway

Another Avoidant Personality Homepage!

Don't be confused by my use of the terms "APD", "Social Phobia", "Social Anxiety" or even "shyness". They are all such similar conditions that they're pretty much interchangable. If they must be distiguished, it would only be by degree. Avoidant Personality Disorder is probably the most extreme form of Generalized Social Phobia, which is often simply referred to as simply social phobia or social anxiety. As for the very non-technical term "shyness", social anxiety/social phobia of the generalized type is basically shyness taken to such a degree that it subjectively causes a person a great deal of stress and/or interferes with functioning, such as being able to get or hold down a job.

A Link about Schizoids, very different from Avoidants, but interesting all the same...

Who is this chick anyway and what is her problem!!!-My online journal

Be forewarned...my online journal is bound to POLITICALLY INCORRECT!!! So if you're the type to get offended...by ANYTHING...well then by no means read it! (Or at the very least...don't send me nasty email telling me what a horrible girl I am...the voices in my head do a good enough job of that as it is!)

People with APD frequently suffer from other mental disorders as well, most frequently anxiety and depression, which is understandable considering their difficulties in social situations and their anxiety about possible rejection. Depression frequently results from lacking a good support group. This personality disorder most frequently overlaps with Dependent personality disorder, but can also be found with Borderline and Schizotypal as well.