Explain what differentiates individuals with schizotypal personality disorder from schizophrenia. What are the similarities observed for individuals diagnosed with schizotypal personality disorder and schizophrenia?

Question

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Answer 1

People given a diagnosis of schizotypal personality disorder have psychotic-like (but not psychotic as in schizophrenia) symptoms (such as believing everything relates to them personally), social deficits, and sometimes cognitive impairments or paranoia. These individuals are often considered odd or bizarre because of how they relate to other people, how they think and behave, and even how they dress. They have ideas of reference, which means they think insignificant events relate directly to them. Individuals with schizotypal personality disorder also have odd beliefs or engage in "magical thinking," believing, for example, that they are clairvoyant or telepathic. In addition, they report unusual perceptual experiences, including such illusions as feeling the presence of another person when they are alone. Notice the subtle but important difference between feeling as if someone else is in the room and the more extreme perceptual distortion in people with schizophrenia who might report there is someone else in the room when there isn't. Unlike people who simply have unusual interests or beliefs, those with schizotypal personality disorder tend to be suspicious and have paranoid thoughts, express little emotion, and may dress or behave in unusual ways. They share many of the same nonpsychotic symptoms of people with schizophrenia, but lack any delusions or hallucinations.