Question

Elena can't seem to establish social ties because she is afraid of being embarrassed or appearing foolish. She is easily hurt by criticism and is not willing to go into unfamiliar situations. She may be experiencing:

A. paranoid personality disorder.
B. avoidant personality disorder.
C. histrionic personality disorder.
D. narcissistic personality disorder.

Answer 1

Answer: The answer is b). Avoidant personality disorder

Explanation: Avoidant personality disorder (AvPD) is characterised by social discomfort and avoidance of interpersonal contact. The main coping mechanism of those with AvPD is avoidance of feared stimuli. People with this disorder are often consider themselves to be socially inept or personally unappealing and avoid social interaction for fear of being ridiculed, humiliated, rejected, or disliked.

Combination of high-sensory-processing sensitivity coupled with adverse childhood experiences may heighten the risk of an individual developing AvPD. This is the personality disorder that Elena is going through from the above question.