Schizotypal = Introverted?

[LuciferSam]

I was recently reading up on Schizotypal Personality Disorder. Mayo Clinic lists the symptoms as follows:

-Being a loner and lacking close friends outside of the immediate family
-Incorrect interpretation of events, including feeling that external events have personal meaning
-Peculiar, eccentric or unusual thinking, beliefs or behavior
-Dressing in peculiar ways
-Belief in special powers, such as telepathy
-Perceptual alterations, in some cases bodily illusions, including phantom pains or other distortions in the sense of touch
-Persistent and excessive social anxiety
-Peculiar style of speech, such as loose or vague patterns of speaking or rambling oddly and endlessly during conversations
-Suspicious or paranoid ideas, hypersensitivity, and constant doubts about the loyalty and fidelity of others
-Flat emotions, or limited or inappropriate emotional responses
-Signs of schizotypal personality disorder, such as increased interest in solitary activities or a high level of social anxiety, may be seen in the teen years.

Here's the problem: eccentricity and peculiarity are a matter of opinion. Lack of close friends, aloofness, and social anxiety are characteristics that certain people give to introverts. The characteristics developed in teen years sound just about like EVERY teenager. The rest just sounds like plain old paranoia. Do you think this really deserves to be it's own "disorder"?

[survivorguilt]

This is a common confusion, it also occurs with Schizoid Personality Disorder. It actually occurs with all Cluster A (eccentric) Personality Disorders, although most often it occurs with Schizoid and Schizotypal.

I don't have my DSM or PDM (Pscyhodynamic Diagnostic Manual) with me at the moment, so I'll have to work from memory. Introversion-Extroversion spectrums are defined as ones desire for gregariousness. This is contrasted with shyness, often confused with introversion, which is mild social anxiety. Schizotypal individuals may be extroverted (though it is rare), and desire gregariousness, but they are uncomfortable with interpersonal relationships, and their ability to enjoy them is reduced. "Oddness" or "Eccentricity" is a terrible way to describe Schizotypal. You've listed the main problems, which are paranoia and superstitious/magical thinking. This is definitely a characteristic or introversion.

It is also important to note that in order for someone's condition to qualify as a disorder that causes problems for the person with the disorder or those around that person or it has to significantly deviate from norms. Because of this, introverts are highly unlikely to be misdiagnosed as schizotypal because their introversion does not inherently cause problems or significantly deviate from norms.

That might have been rambling, but I hope I helped.

[tubanic]

Having the problems you mentioned could be caused by ASD, a high functioning sort. Look into it. I have most of the problems you said and I have ASD

[HunterBlue]

I do think it deserves its own disorder. I'm pretty sure if a psychologist is diagnosing someone, its more than just ticking off a list. I'm pretty sure they go into each of those points and how big an issue it is.

[Jean Poutine]

Asperger's doesn't exist, and IMO most "personality disorders" are bullshit. I've been diagnosed incessantly with one or the other and it has changed nothing to my life except make it worse.

[LuciferSam]

Asperger's doesn't exist

why doesn't it exist?