What is Avoidance Disorder?
Avoidance disorder, more properly known as avoidant personality disorder (APD) or anxious personality disorder, is a psychological condition characterized by extreme social inhibition and shyness. People who suffer from this condition usually feel very uncomfortable in public situations, and they tend to avoid social interaction and contact with other people. Avoidance disorder is not the same thing as antisocial personality disorder, in which people flout social rules and norms. A number of criteria can be used to identify avoidance disorder. The first is the tendency to avoid social interaction, often with an awareness that certain things are being sacrificed by avoiding contact with other people. Patients also tend to feel inadequate or worthless, and they are reluctant to make friends or grow close to people because they are afraid of experiencing rejection. Social inhibition is a hallmark of avoidance disorder, as is extreme sensitivity about the thoughts and actions of other peop