#isthisavpd

[avpdcommunity]

with avpd is it possible to cycle between feeling superior and inferior to others?

Hi there! As a reminder, we’re not professionals; therefore, we encourage you to seek assistance from a professional who will be better equipped to address the specifics of your mental health.

Generally speaking, one of the diagnostic criteria for AvPD (x) states that most individuals with AvPD struggle with feeling inferior to others. As AvPD is a personality disorder, this pattern of cognition is typically pervasive, i.e., it remains relatively constant across time and in a variety of contexts. 

Therefore, it is unlikely that most people with AvPD would experience significant fluctuations between feelings of inferiority and superiority. However, there is also a possibility that a comorbid disorder could be additionally impacting someone’s sense of self-concept/esteem. In sum, how (and which) symptoms manifest, especially if multiple disorders are interacting, depends a great deal on the individual. 

Edit: There are other disorders characterized by the fluctuating feelings you have mentioned that you might want to consider looking into as well (see the replies to this post).

- Tollie

[avpdcommunity]

I don't see a lot about people with avpd and how they cope with the embarrassment of a situation. for me if I do something I feel was wrong when interacting with someone, I feel embarrassed for a day or if it's something I consider really bad, it takes me a couple days of a week to get over. and I mean I can't get it out of my head and I feel like crawling under a rock and I can't cope with the feeling of shame. is this avpd or something else? it is severe embarrassment over everything

Hey there. 

This sounds more like social anxiety - but this is only one symptom and we can’t definitely say what its cause is. That would be a job for a mental health professional. 

I really suggest you check out the following links and give the mentioned coping mechanisms a try. They may seem too hard or even silly at first, but challenging mental health problems is all about going back to basics and retraining your brain to think differently and cope with issues healthily. 

Worry Zones Guide. 

Worry Tree Infosheet

Fact Or Opinion Guide

What is Rumination? Info Sheet

12 Module Coping With Social Anxiety

All of these links, and more can be found on our Self-Help page. In addition to these links, you should skim over our entire Self-Help category yourself because there may be over resources that grab your attention that I may not have suggested. 

Hope this helps. - Jay. 

[avpdcommunity]

I've just discovered your blog- I've realised that I conform to some of the symptoms including having a "safe" person-I also often avoid things such as homework until the very last minute which should stress me out but I just put it out of my mind. I've always thought that I was just really lazy but now I'm not so sure?

This sounds like executive dysfunction to me. AvPD does not typically come with executive dysfunction issues without a comorbid disorder. An avoidant might, for example, avoid school and everything related out of fear of failure and rejection from peers... but it is not typical for AvPD to cause someone to procrastinate for other reasons.

Jay responded to an ask with great information about executive dysfunction, which you can read here. Executive dysfunction is a symptom of depression as well as disabilities such as ADHD, learning disabilities, several mood disorders and autism spectrum disorders.

- Shinji