The Overt Schizoid: The Loner

In this video, I present my views on the overt schizoid, with an introduction video related to people who live with schizoid personality disorder. How they are perceived and why they are considered to be undercover.
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[@kinderblutsaufenderreptiloide]

I know these responses very well. Especially the antisocial suspicion or distrust.

[@TaraRoberts111]

Glad to see you covering overts. There’s not a lot of content available on this topic. Hope to see more on this channel. Thanks.

[@SchizoidVision]

I agree that this topic isn't widely covered. I have more to come on this topic in future.

[@Robert-ki7bz]

This would describe me. This personality type can be like an "iron curtain" to many. So it could be said that this personality type can be quite intimidating for some. Most people will not likely try to get to know this personality type very well.

[@SchizoidVision]

I hear you. I think people are put off when they feel they may not be warmly welcomed.

[@don-eb3fj]

Good to see my ol' pal Joker turn up here- "Whatever doesn't kill you only makes you stranger." "Put on a happy FACE."😬 Overt or covert for me is more like Jekyll or Hyde, or the werewolf, solitary man or lone wolf. I don't really know how most people perceive me, I seem to be mostly invisible, and that's mostly just perfect. But even a lone wolf howls at the moon and hopes for an answer sometimes. Some of the answers I've gotten from people I know well enough to elicit feedback from (and actually like -sorta 😊) sound a lot like those listed here. I don't think I've ever heard "scary" or "intimidating", but I've heard "you make me feel stupid", that I prefer to discuss too uncomfortable or weird subjects, and "you're so intense" - I never did get an answer when I asked exactly what that meant, but the same person also assumed I smoke dope, which I don't (anymore). I don't suppose I should be surprised that people don't know what to make of me; existing in the liminal space between overt and covert schizoid often leaves me wondering too.

[@SchizoidVision]

It's interesting to hear this is a response you've had: "you make me feel stupid".... Lone wolf 100%, I'm thinking of doing a video on the lone wolf archetype in future.

[@don-eb3fj]

@@SchizoidVision It's interesting to me too, because I never go out of my way to pull someone down unless they've committed some truly egregious attack against me or some glaring error that cannot go unaddressed, and I try to handle those close to me with kid gloves. At the same time I tend to question what I perceive to be faulty logic but not from a perspective of assuming infallibility, but usually have little to say about most things others find fascinating and I suppose that adds to my charm 😉. I've only once heard that complaint so bluntly expressed, but less direct versions and a general sense of perceived insensitivity to others' feelings seems part of the pattern for reasons I can't identify- after all, most people seem to not give a shit about my feelings or anyone else's, so why single me out for being honest and attempting to be accurate? My wife once told me that not everyone sees things logically, in a discussion between us about how things are in the world and why- my answer: "Well they should" because their ill-considered beliefs and actions affect the lives of others including me, why should I be subject to irrational popular opinion or undisciplined emotions and how am I wrong to challenge it or decline to encourage it? In the end, it's just simpler to keep to myself.

[@SchizoidVision]

I see, this makes sense. I get it about the logic and rational outlook that you have. I tend to try to get to the bottom of things using logic as well, as far as I can go with it at least, and like yourself, I realise that fallibility is a thing. I think that this approach can lead us to thoughts and perspectives that others may not have considered and this is where the 'feeling stupid thing' may have come in. I get that even when trying to deal with people with 'kid gloves' that they can still feel that you've hit them in their weak spot, although there was no intention of doing so whatsoever... Just making a point 🙄

[@don-eb3fj]

@@SchizoidVision Yes, exactly, well expressed. It would seem that the point we are trying to make is often taken as a judgement rather than as an attempt to be helpful and to prevent trouble we see coming as a consequence of untempered reactions. It seems the higher motives behind our attempts are often misunderstood and disregarded, the efforts and resources invested taken for granted or casually wasted as valueless, and the care in the message unrecognized and dismissed. "No good deed goes unpunished." This reminds me of a discussion I was drawn into years ago with my sister's then-boyfriend, a young man with a fair bit of narcissistic selfishness and a tendency to wear his labile emotions on his sleeve (or like a bomb vest, more accurately, diplomacy through emotional terrorism). He had previously shown a pattern of twisting others' words into unintended shapes, and on this occasion had taken exception to my innocuous use of the phrase "... suffer the consequences...", apparently reading a personal judgement into an impersonal conversation. I patiently explained the dictionary "cause and effect" context of my use of the word "consequence", the danger of misrepresentation and abuse that often results from colloquial use and shifting meanings behind words, and the importance (to me) of attempting to be accurate with language and not allow my own emotional reinterpretation. Our discussion eventually led to his positing a scenario in which someone had murdered someone I loved and whether I would be so reasonable and rational then, or take "justice" into my own hands. My answer was that while I might very well take personal emotionally-motivated action to punish the person who had taken someone dear from me, it would not remedy my loss or the wrong done to my loved one(s), and therefore would be driven by vengeance, not justice, and would only cause harm to another who would likely feel compelled to follow suit in "an eye for an eye" fashion, continuing until none remained unblinded. When the conversation ended I wasn't sure he understood my point. Later, in the immediate aftermath of my wife's death when I was at my worst, he volunteered to write and read her eulogy for the small group of us present and record it for those who couldn't be. He did a fine job, expressing eloquently and respectfully her importance and the loss of her passing. Maybe I got through to him after all, and maybe we understood each other better than either of our thoughts conveyed. I'm looking forward to your video about the "lone wolf archetype" and this has me thinking about our canine cousins that we are compared with, and what dynamics drive their solitary nature and ours. Perhaps a "behind the scenes" investigation of our true motives and character could go a long way toward dispelling the inaccurate unsympathetic image and reputation of both man and beast. Hopefully my musings here help add to that effort.

[@SchizoidVision]

I see where you're coming from in your perspective, and 'emotional terrorism' is a good term to express how some people weaponize their feelings. It's nice to hear that he turned out to be supportive in your time of need. Your musings are always thought provoking, and the sprinkle of humor, you often add is appreciated :)

[@ranc1977]

I wonder how many abused people are misdiagnosed as Schizoids, distrust in people after exposure to narcissistic abuse over long period of time. I would say symptoms overlap here a lot. Also - anyone exposed to any kind of abuse will develop avoidant-anxious attachment disorder - which also overlap with Schizoid symptoms. Wrong kind of diagnosis sets us up to develop new personality around this misdiagnosis which appear as diagnosis. Then we end up behaving in a way that we were brainwashed and hypnotized into. This is the reason why DSM and CBT ought to be banned - since corrupt medical industry is doing more damage than good with quickly labeling people who went through trauma that was never resolved.

[@SchizoidVision]

I see where you are coming from...Schizoid personality disorder can develop when individuals lack attunement with their primary caregiver, often stemming from problematic parenting experiences. In some cases, their primary caregiver may exhibit narcissistic traits, leading to the development of schizoid defenses and adaptations as a response to narcissistic abuse. However, not all individuals exposed to narcissistic abuse develop schizoid traits. Schizoid individuals typically display an avoidant attachment style, as opposed to an avoidant-anxious attachment style. Additionally, some individuals exposed to narcissistic parenting may develop other psychological issues like CPTSD, Avoidant PD, or Borderline PD. Each person's psychological development is unique, and there are various ways the "cookie can crumble" depending on individual circumstances. Its true that there is always a possibility of misdiagnosis in cases where someone's symptoms may resemble Schizoid PD, but are actually a result of other psychological issues that restrict their capacity for intimacy and sociability, etc.

[@ranc1977]

​@@SchizoidVision I agree with you. I would like to point out the misdiagnosis - because this is topic that is almost never mentioned and it can have grave results. Also I did notice that Schizoids and their therapist tend to mix up avoidant PD with it. Avoidants desire social contact, they want to be around people and for social contact but they are afraid of negative judgment. Schizoids do not have this desire to create contact and they are not afraid of what other person thinks about them.

[@SchizoidVision]

@@ranc1977 Yeah, misdiagnosis occurs because a lot of therapists aren't trained in understanding personality disorders, and schizoid pd is less understood than most other others.

[@e-t-y237]

Love "the person behind the veil" idea. How does that jibe with the idea of an empty core? Seems conflicting. What do you think?

[@SchizoidVision]

I like your line of questioning... I think that there is an assumption from people in general that within the schizoid there is a person 'like themselves' behind the veil... that is to say a 'normal' person. Because there is no way of seeing our inner dynamics. However, there isn't a conventionally formed person behind the veil... primarily due to the schizoid experiencing phenomena such as depersonalization, and emotional detachment - perceived by many as emptiness on some internal level of being... aka 'the empty core'. I will add that 'the empty core' phenomenon is more prevalent and pervasive in the Primary Schizoid.

[@dangelofernandez3850]

Does anyone deal with unstable perceptions of reality or is that just me? Like a borderline unstable sense of self yet, emotions don't change in schizoid just outlook on life become more unstable.

[@SchizoidVision]

I think what you are describing may be leaning more toward the manifestation of schizotypal personality traits. Some schizoids do experience depersonalization and derealisation, as part of their dissociation, which can feel like you are living in a dream... But I wouldn't personally describe it as 'unstable perceptions of reality.' Hope this helps.

[@dangelofernandez3850]

@@SchizoidVision I do deal with Derealization and depersonalization and have been that way for years now with no escape. Infact my doctors relate it to differential diagnosis now to a dissociative disorder. My Derealization does no go away, I think it goes away for people with normal schizoid personality traits but I’m not to sure

[@SchizoidVision]

@@dangelofernandez3850 With derealization we experience it to different degrees. Some schizoid individuals experience dissociation on a more frequent level that others. Usually, the more hostile or abusive the environment that we have had to endure growing up, the more pervasive our dissociation will be. It depends on how strong or defenses are. Some people also experience dissociative disorder, but are not schizoid, but schizoid individuals may also develop this disorder, because of the reasons mentioned. Some schizoids can experience less dissociation over time, through developing their connection with the physical world through engaging more frequently in physical activities. For me it has become better with time, but hasn't completely gone away, because it is an engrained part of my psychological defense mechanism.

[@dangelofernandez3850]

@@SchizoidVision thank you for that insight. Is it more of an on and off thing? Could it be that there's a difference between. Does the schzioid defense go between reality and dissociative states of being temporarily. My defense has maybe become ingrained to the point of permanent dissociation. But I believe some schizoid individuals don't always have dissociation just during certain points there are defending there mind

[@SchizoidVision]

@@dangelofernandez3850 Again it varies from person to person.The schizoid defense is a range of protective mechanisms that sheild our true self from onteractions with people in the external world, which includes the use of dissociation and fantasy to create a buffer zone between ourseves and others, and can be used to detach from our emotions. We can still be in touch with reality whilst dissociated or detached.It is only people in psychotic states such as schizophrenia who lose touch with reality altogether.