Psychoanalysis.  2019 Oct;30(4):98-105. 10.18529/psychoanal.2019.30.4.98.

Psychoanalytic Understanding and It's Therapeutic Application of Schizoid Personality

• Lee KK

• KMID: 2464968
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.18529/psychoanal.2019.30.4.98

Abstract

Schizoid patients rarely visit for treatment. Individuals with schizoid personality exist on a range from high functioning to deeply disturbed. They are highly sensitive, shy, easily overstimulated, with fear of closeness and longing for closeness. The pathognomic defense in schizoid personality is a withdrawal into fantasy. A therapist treating a schizoid patient must be open to a degree of authenticity and a level of awareness of emotion and imagery. Maximal awareness, patience, authenticity, normalization, and a willingness to use one's real personality is needed in treating a patient with schizoid personality disorder. The author reviewed the psychoanalytic understanding and its therapeutic application of a schizoid personality and suggests that an improved understanding of the schizoid personality will facilitate the treatment of patients with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder as well as the patients with schizoid personality disorder.

Keyword

Schizoid personality; Psychoanalytic understanding; Therapeutic application

MeSH Terms

Fantasy
Humans
Schizoid Personality Disorder*
Schizophrenia