Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Case Study Example

The client exhibits traits characteristic of schizoid personality disorder. In the video, the client notes that he does not have a need for relationships, citing that he has very few close friends and does not speak to his father and sister. Since he “neither desires nor enjoys close relationships, including being part of a family”, he is exhibiting the first symptom for schizoid personality disorder as identified by the DSM-V (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). It is also important to note that the client has no intent to seek new relationships and he feels that doing so is not necessary to achieve happiness. This concept is tied into the third symptom of schizoid personality disorder identified by the DSM-V. The client is not interested in having or forming a sexual relationship, which is indicated by the complaints he describes on the behalf of his mother.

Next, the client demonstrates that he prefers to participate in solitary activities, which is the second symptom of schizoid personality disorder identified by the DSM-V. He demonstrates that he prefers to spend time alone, which exemplified by his interest in playing World of Warcraft. The game is an online activity that he can play alone, or interacting with others indirectly. Based on how the client describes the game, it is apparent that this is how he enjoys spending a majority of his time. This concept is tied to the fourth symptom of schizoid personality disorder, which states “Takes pleasure in few, if any, activities”. It seems that the client is interested in World of Warcraft and little else.

The fifth symptom of schizoid personality disorder as identified by the DSM-V states that people with the disorder lack “close friends or confidants other than first-degree relatives”. The client reports that he does well at work, but does not put forth an effort to build relationships with his coworkers. Furthermore, the only family member he is in contact with is his mother. He has poor relationships with his acquaintances and family members, and has no close friendships.  The client also fits the seventh symptom, indicating a sense of detachment from reality. The client enjoys participating in games like World of Warcraft because he believes that there is little left to accomplish in the real world. For the most part, he believes that all important discoveries have already been made and that the only adventures worth pursuing exist within the World of Warcraft. As a consequence, it is apparent that the client gets little joy from real interactions, but takes great joy in the accomplishments he makes in his game.

For an individual to be diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder, it is necessary for them to meet four out of the seven requirements. This client meets six of these requirements. Furthermore, these symptoms do not appear to occur exclusively during the course of other mental disorders. A health history would need to be examined to confirm that there is no symptom overlap, but if this is concluded, it can be confirmed that the patient has schizoid personality disorder. It is recommended that the patient continue to seek therapy. It would be helpful for him to understand his behaviors and start taking steps towards socialization and enjoyment of more activities. Over time, it is likely that the client will be able to develop behaviors that allow him to become more functional in society.

References

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).