Monday, May 12, 2003

My eyes have been dry and itchy the past several days. I would hazard a guess that is it a mild allergic reaction to all the new green stuff growing around because of all the rain. I might bring some eye drops to work tomorrow.

Last week my therapist, C., told me she has been treating me for avoidant personaility disorder. I went web surfing to check out APD. Here is the official DSM description.

A pervasive pattern of social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy & hypersensitivity to negative evaluation, beginning by early adulthood & present ín a variety of contexts, as indicated by 4 (or more) of the following:

  1. avoids occupational activities that involve significant interpersonal contact because of fears of criticism, disapproval or rejection
  2. ís unwilling to get involved with people unless certain of being liked
  3. shows restraint within intimate relationships because of the fear of being shamed or ridiculed
  4. ís preoccupied with being criticized or rejected ín social situations
  5. ís inhibited ín new interpersonal situations because of feelings of inadequacy
  6. views self as socially inept, personally unappealing or inferior to others
  7. ís unusually reluctant to take personal risks or to engage ín any new activities because they may prove embarrassing
Well I must say that over my life time all of these have been true at various times but not all of them at the same time. And C.'s treatment has been working on me. So maybe I do or did have APD.

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