Avoidant Personality Disorder – APD

A paranoid sensitive person might say that the sensitive minority have been wrongly targeted by the DSM criteria for APD. Of course the actual disorder does exist and cripples many sensitive persons. But it is essential that clinicians be able to distinguish between APD and a quiet, introverted, or shy highly sensitive person who is simply being cautious, perhaps rightfully, about being misjudged in social situations. Overall APD involves “Social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation”

The main distinction is that those with APD are always hindered by their fear of negative evaluation. Normally sensitive persons are secure and confident enough to trust that at least those who get to know them well will like them and do not fear negative evaluations from familiars. They are simply more hesitant about meeting strangers or being in large groups (remember, about 70% are introverts) out of fear of being misjudged.

As for how APD might appear differently in sensitive persons is that the way many sensitives avoid social life is by substituting for it an inner life, a spiritual path, or perhaps the appreciation of animals, nature, or the arts.