If you’ve ever had to walk into a room full of strangers or speak in front of a crowd, you’re familiar with social anxiety. It’s a fear of being judged or negatively evaluated. In the future, you might avoid situations like these or manage to get through them, sweating and trying to swallow the lump in your throat.
For people with avoidant personality disorder (AVPD), the fear of being judged is so intense that they retreat from people and activities they might otherwise enjoy.
“Avoidant personality disorder is a mental health condition where someone avoids social situations because they feel extremely insecure and afraid of rejection,” said Nona Kocher, a board-certified psychiatrist in Florida. “Even though they may want close relationships, their fear holds them back.”
Relying on avoidance as a coping strategy can provide temporary relief, but it can also reinforce negative views of yourself as being inadequate or unworthy of satisfying relationships.
Below, we asked experts about the signs of avoidant personality disorder and what to do if it’s affecting your work and relationships.
What Is Avoidant Personality Disorder?
“Personality disorders cause people to think, feel and behave significantly differently from what is considered normal in their culture,” said Lienna Wilson, a licensed psychologist in New Jersey.
She explained that these differences are long-standing and persistent. Typically, this pattern of thinking and behaving begins in early adulthood and tends to affect work, friendships and romantic relationships. In the case of AVPD, they might feel unattractive, inferior or socially awkward.
“They often believe they’re not good enough or that others will judge them harshly,” Kocher said.
Since they’re extremely sensitive to criticism or disapproval, people with AVPD shy away from social engagements and are hesitant to try new activities to avoid feeling embarrassed, said Patrice Le Goy, an international psychologist and licensed marriage and family therapist. For example, they rarely take social risks like texting first or inviting someone for coffee. The possibility of rejection is too much to handle.
“As a result, they experience persistent self-doubt and struggle to establish close relationships unless they are absolutely certain of being accepted,” Le Goy explained. They prefer to keep their distance, believing that they’re socially inept or unappealing to others.
Justin Paget via Getty Images
For people with avoidant personality disorder (AVPD), the fear of being judged is so intense that they retreat from people and activities they might otherwise enjoy.
How Is AVPD Different From Social Anxiety?
“Avoidant personality disorder is characterized by a persistent and intense fear of rejection, profound feelings of inadequacy, and social inhibition,” Le Goy said. Although there is some overlap between social anxiety and AVPD, there are key differences between these conditions.
For instance, someone with social anxiety might be shy around new people. “However, they often have a close group of friends with whom they feel comfortable,” Wilson said.
As with AVPD, socially anxious individuals might worry about embarrassing themselves and experience significant distress in certain situations. “But they do not necessarily hold an overall belief that they are fundamentally inadequate or inferior,” Le Goy said.
Kocher agreed, adding that social anxiety is usually situational, meaning it happens in specific social situations and performance contexts. For example, someone with social anxiety might get nervous at a job interview where they’re being evaluated, yet feel comfortable at a friend’s birthday party where someone else is the center of attention.
Conversely, AVPD tends to affect almost all areas of a person’s life. For example, their habit of skipping parties and work events might be part of an overall pattern of avoidance. Though they might be craving connection, their deep sense of personal inadequacy prevents them from forming close relationships.
Accordingly, AVPD is more persistent and tied to the way these individuals see themselves, Kocher explained.
For example, someone with social anxiety might worry about making a mistake while giving a presentation. In contrast, someone with AVPD will think of themselves as being “bad at public speaking” and assume the audience shares their opinion, Wilson said.
How Does AVPD Show Up In Relationships?
“People with AVPD are usually highly self-critical and have low self-esteem,” Wilson said. This view often carries over into their relationships. For example, if someone expresses a romantic interest in them, they might avoid the person. If they do end up dating someone, they might distance themselves or break off the relationship early because they don’t feel worthy of love.
Moreover, they rely on avoidance to protect themselves. “By staying away from social situations, individuals temporarily reduce the anxiety and fear of being judged, rejected, or exposed as being not good enough or unworthy,” Le Goy said.
She said that avoidance only reinforces their fear of being negatively evaluated. That’s because they miss out on opportunities for positive interactions that could challenge their negative self-perceptions.
“Social comparison can intensify these self-perceptions, reinforcing feelings of inadequacy and making vulnerability feel unsafe,” she added.
Social comparison can intensify these self-perceptions, reinforcing feelings of inadequacy and making vulnerability feel unsafe.
– Patrice Le Goy, psychologist
What Are Some Causes Of AVPD?
Poor self-esteem, characteristic of AVPD, can stem from constant teasing, criticism or rejection in childhood. “A child may begin to believe they are not good enough,” Kocher said. “Over time, this can turn into a strong fear of judgment or rejection.”
Research confirms that social exclusion negatively affects people’s self-perceptions. Likewise, experiences with bullying or social humiliation can make someone fearful of social situations. Eventually, avoiding people can make a person feel safer since they expect others to mock or exclude them, Kocher added.
Biological and genetic factors may also play a role in developing AVPD. Biological factors can influence your temperament or personality starting at birth, Wilson noted. Kocher agreed, adding that people may inherit traits such as anxiety or high sensitivity, which increase their likelihood of developing AVPD.
What Can You Do About It?
If you think you have AVPD, Kocher recommended speaking to a mental health professional who can assess your symptoms with interviews, questionnaires, or checklists. “It’s important to be honest about your fears, avoidance, and how it affects work or relationships,” she said. Diagnosis is based on long-standing patterns of behavior that interfere with daily life.
In addition, “a trained mental health professional can help you understand where long-standing beliefs about inadequacy and rejection may have developed and how they continue to shape your interactions,” Le Goy said. She said that the goals of treatment may include building self-compassion, challenging distorted self-perceptions, strengthening social confidence, and gradually reducing avoidance patterns.
Keep in mind that it’s common to feel embarrassed about seeking support when a fear of judgment or rejection is among your symptoms. “However, working with a therapist who understands personality disorders can provide a safe, structured space to practice new ways of relating, improve connection, and reduce the intensity of symptoms over time,” Le Goy said.
Wilson added that cognitive behavioral therapy can be helpful for challenging negative thought patterns and modifying behavior. “Especially with AVPD, more emphasis is placed on enhancing self-esteem and creating a healthier self-perception,” she said. “Psychodynamic therapy is another option and aims to uncover the underlying causes of the disorder, such as unconscious conflicts, negative childhood experiences, and maladaptive defense mechanisms that are used to reduce fears of inadequacy.”
Wilson noted that there are no drugs specifically approved for treating AVPD. However, a psychiatrist may prescribe medications to treat anxiety and depression, which can help reduce distress among people with AVPD.
Alone or in combination with medication, you can work with a therapist on taking gradual steps to participate in social activities.
“Building self-esteem through small successes is very helpful,” Kocher said. A good place to start is acknowledging your wins and not letting rejection derail your mood or your relationships.
