The term schizoid is used colloquially and often facetiously to mean something like “being of two minds about something” or “appearing to have more than one personality.”
In psychiatry, however, the term is quite specific, and it definitely does not apply to your sister, who can’t make up her mind about where to go for lunch. The term is short for a condition known as “schizoid personality disorder.” But forget how we use schizoid; in some cases, disorder may not even be the right word.
Symptoms of Schizoid Personality Disorder
People with schizoid personality disorder typically have few, if any, close friends and show little interest in intimate relationships of any kind, often including sexual relationships. They usually prefer to be by themselves and gravitate toward solitary pastimes and hobbies, such as collecting or computer games, that don’t require interacting with others.
Because they often don’t care about what others think of them (good or bad), people with schizoid personality disorder can appear to be self-absorbed. Because they are not interested in forming relationships, they may seem detached and aloof or just extremely quiet and conscientious.
