What is the outlook for people with avoidant personality disorder?

As with other personality disorders, treatment for avoidant personality disorder is a long process. The willingness of the individual to seek and stay with treatment can have a significant effect on treatment success and, therefore, the outlook. With treatment, some people with avoidant personality disorder can learn to relate to others more appropriately.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 10/06/2020.

References

  • Skodol AE, Bender DS, Gunderson JG, Oldham JM. The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Psychiatry, Sixth Edition. Chapter 25. Personality Disorders. March 2014.
  • American Psychiatric Association. What are Personality Disorders? Accessed 10/7/2020.
  • Lampe L, Malhi GS. Avoidant personality disorder: current insights. Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2018 Mar 8;11:55-66. doi: 10.2147/PRBM.S121073. PMID: 29563846; PMCID: PMC5848673.
  • Merck Manual Professional Version. Avoidant Personality Disorder (AVPD). Accessed 10/7/2020.
  • Sadock, BJ., et al. Kaplan and Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry: Behavioral Science/Clinical Psychiatry. Wolters Kluwer, 2015.

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