Schizotypal Personality (STPD) is marked by odd behavior, skewed views and thoughts, and trouble establishing meaningful connections.
People with STPD may hold odd beliefs, experience perceptual distortions, and struggle to form close relationships due to deep social anxiety and a sense of being fundamentally different from others. They usually do not exhibit the severe hallucinations and delusions associated with schizophrenia.
A pervasive pattern of social and interpersonal deficits marked by discomfort with close relationships, as well as by cognitive or perceptual distortions and eccentricities of behavior, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by 5 (or more) of the following 9:
This means interpreting normal everyday events as being personally meaningful, like the universe is sending them a message. It creates a sense that the world revolves around this person in subtle, often confusing, ways.
Someone with STPD may think random events or things in the environment are directly related to them, even when they aren’t. For example, thinking that a billboard has a message just for them. This isn't a full blown delusion like schizophrenia but still unusual. It’s not a fixed belief, so they can sometimes doubt it, but it still feels significant and can cause distress.
They may believe in things that most people do not, such as believing they have special powers or that their thoughts can directly control an outcome ("If I think about it hard enough, I can make this person call me").
This symptom could also include superstitions taken to the extreme, like arranging things just right to avoid bad luck, or believing they can change outcomes through other rituals. Bizarre fantasies or obsessive imaginary worlds are also common.
This is about weird sensory experiences. Someone with paranoid personality might feel, see, or hear things that aren’t really there, but not strongly enough to count as hallucinations.
For example, someone with STPD may think their name is being called when it isn't or feel somebody touching them when they're not. These experiences are subtle and strange but do not cause a full blown disconnection from reality. The person might recognize that these sensations are unusual and may feel unsettled but not fully psychotic.
Sometimes, the style of speech that an individual with STPD has may be hard to follow. It can be vague, overly detailed or use odd word choices and metaphors. This personality may talk in riddles or jump from one idea to another in ways that seem disconnected.
The way this person expresses themselves can be confusing or overly elaborate, and it’s often hard to follow. Speech might be vague, rambling, or overly metaphorical, like using strange phrases and abstract ideas that don’t quite connect. It can sound deep, but in a way that doesn’t make much sense to others.
A person with this trait often mistrusts others, assuming bad intentions or hidden motives where there are none. They might have a feeling that people are out to get them, watching them or lying. Even friends and strangers may be accused of being deceitful. Simple, neutral behaviors by others might be seen as deliberate attempts to harm.
This can make the person with STPD feel guarded, tense or confrontational. Despite having little to no proof, it feels very real to them. They might be unwilling to share personal information. Their suspiciousness can also contribute to social anxiety and withdrawal.
Simply put, their emotional reactions may seem off- either too flat or too inappropriate for the situation. Affect refers to outward emotional expression (tone of voice, facial expressions, gestures). Inappropriate affect could look like laughing when talking about a sad, serious situation.
In contrast, a constricted affect means someone shows limited or flat emotional expression. Even when something emotional happens, they could appear blank, cold, and detached.
This symptom can involve their style of dress, grooming, mannerisms, speech, or general way of interacting that doesn’t fit typical social norms. Someone with STPD may behave in ways that others find strange, such as talking to themselves, smiling inappropriately, or being overly serious or distant in social settings.
Clothing may be mismatched, layered oddly, or based on fantasy. Behavior could include rituals, odd mannerisms, or talking to oneself in public. They may have idiosyncratic body language, like unusual facial expressions, awkward postures, or repetitive gestures. Others may describe them as “weird” even if harmless.
People with STPD often don’t have close, trusted relationships, except maybe with close family. This isn’t just shyness, rather, they feel different or disconnected from others and struggle to form deep bonds. They might want friendships but feel too awkward to make them happen.
Due to their odd behavior, unusual thoughts, and suspiciousness, they often feel uncomfortable or anxious around others. This anxiety makes it hard to reach out and sustain friendships. Other times, they simply prefer being alone or feel more comfortable avoiding social interactions altogether.
Schizotypal personalities often feel extremely uncomfortable in social settings, even after being around the same people for a long time. This is usually tied to paranoid fears, not low self-esteem. For example, they might avoid gatherings not because they feel uncool, but because they think people are secretly judging or planning something bad.
Unlike most people, whose social anxiety eases as they get to know others better, people with STPD continue to feel anxious even with people they know well. They might remain tense or suspicious around family, friends, or coworkers, never fully relaxing. Even familiar social settings can feel threatening or overwhelming.
Anna is a 29-year-old woman who lives alone and works from home. She enters therapy because she thinks her neighbors are spying on her and that her laptop is hacked even without any proof. Anna doesn’t go out much and avoids certain public spaces due to fear of others observing her. Her coworkers say she’s strange and hard to get along with.
Anna is estranged from her family, and although she has a few acquaintances, she doesn't maintain close relationships. She reports feeling different from others for as long as she can remember. Her increasing sense of loneliness and social anxiety limits her interaction with others.
Anna also has a strong belief in "energies" and "vibrations" that she feels emanate from people and objects. She believes if she looks at someone long enough, she can make them feel happy or sad.
During childhood, her mother had a history of mental illness and her father was absent a lot due to work. As a quiet child, she often imagined she could communicate with animals in a special way. But as a teenager, these thoughts became more pronounced. Anna struggled to form relationships with peers and her parents didn’t provide much support as they had their own issues. She felt isolated.
After a thorough assessment, Anna is diagnosed with Schizotypal Personality Disorder (STPD).
The following statements are based on traits often associated with STPD. Note: this is not a diagnostic tool and should not be used as one- for yourself or others around you. A proper diagnosis should only be made by a qualified mental health professional. These statements may, however, help an individual reflect on their thoughts, feelings and behaviors. This inventory is provided for educational and entertainment use only.
Coincidences feel like signs or messages meant just for me.
People often tell me my thoughts seem strange or hard to follow.
I often feel like there’s a deeper meaning in things that other people don’t notice.
I want to connect with people, but it feels really difficult or unsafe.
My thoughts can feel scattered or surreal, like they don’t fully belong in this world.
I worry that people are watching or judging me, even when I try to tell myself they’re not.
