Avoidant Personality Disorder is characterized by a long-standing pattern of hypersensitivity to rejection, feelings of inferiority, and avoidance of social interaction.
The test below is an interactive symptom checklist and is similar to questions mental health professionals ask before making a diagnosis.
Please note that this quiz is not a replacement for professional advice.
There are additional factors that need to be taken into consideration, and that could not be included in this assessment.
Check all that apply:
I feel inadequate.
I avoid others unless I am certain they like me.
I constantly worry about other people’s opinions of me.
I am a very clumsy person.
I am afraid to embarrass myself.
I avoid meeting new people because I think I am inadequate and it feels very awkward.
I avoid risks.
I have low self-esteem.
I think I am incompetent, unappealing, and inferior to others.
People think I am shy.
I am very sensitive to rejection.
I am very reserved in intimate relationships because of my fear of being ashamed or ridiculed.
I live an isolated life.
I fantasize about having great relationships, but at the same time, I avoid meeting new people.
My life experiences are very limited because I am afraid to embarrass myself.
I avoid trying new things.
I constantly worry about being rejected or criticized by others.
To be diagnosed with Avoidant Personality Disorder, you need to meet at least four DSM criteria.
If you checked four or more DSM criteria, it is likely that you are suffering from AvPD and need to be evaluated by a trained mental health professional experienced in diagnosing and treating AvPD.
If you checked less than four criteria, you are likely to have some signs of Avoidant Personality Disorder.
In both cases, only a mental health professional can make a definite diagnosis. The above quiz is not a diagnostic tool.
While this isn’t a replacement for making a face-to-face appointment with a mental health professional, online cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help some AvPD symptoms, such as social anxiety.
CBT is one of the most effective methods of treating mental health issues.
A very goal-oriented approach, CBT trains you to change your thinking patterns in order to change the way you feel.
According to CBT practitioners, our feelings are mostly caused by our thoughts and not so much by external forces, such as other people or events.
It is our thinking about these people and events that make us miserable.
If you are interested, here is a fully equipped CBT platform (including therapists to follow up on you).