Do I have a personality disorder (or am i just being a teenager?)?

Question

Well I was reading up on personality disorders and I thought "wow, this really fits me" but I don't believe in self diagnosis so can anyone give me advice about whether I should consult a professional? So here is my description:

I have pretty high self esteem, but social contact mentally exhausts me and I find myself needing time to myself to "recharge". Sometimes in my social interactions I am extremely hyper and at the center of attention, but other times I am mentally blank and have to force myself to make conversation. I am drawn to nature and like to wander alone,often finding myself slip into a state of self detachment. I read often to escape reality. I yearn for emotional connection but fear I lack the ability to make one. To the common eye I appear normal and unobtrusive but to those who know me better I am strange and eccentric. I don't think anyone feels like they are in touch with my thought processes. I appear indifferent to both praise and criticism, on one memorable occasion I unintentionally provoked my best friend into saying "don't you feel ANYTHING" after an entire afternoon of her pointlessly criticizing me and receiving no reaction.I am not at all depressed, though sometimes appear so. My dad divorced my mom at a young age but my mom has been a great parent and has made up for the lack of emotional stimulation from my dad.

That's all I can think of right now, but if you need any more information I will be happy to provide. Thanks!!!!

Ezra · Accepted Answer

Don't try to put a name on your inner experience. It is perfectly possible for the idea of a mental illness to alter your perception of yourself and in doing so cause you to act more like that label.

You are definitely an introvert, and little else of what you have mentioned sets off any warning lights except for the emotional detachment.

Just because you probably don't have anything severely wrong with you doesn't mean that you shouldn't see a therapist. They can help you improve your quality of inner life, even if you aren't horribly depressed or schizophrenic. Emotions are a wonderful, and difficult part of life. Living without them can make life seem hollow, and living with them can be trying and terrifying, particularly if so far you haven't had to develop the maturity to safely and productively channel your feelings. A therapist (the talking kind, not the pill poppers) can help you change your mental habits and regain a connection with your emotional self. While it is possible that you are naturally emotionally placid, it is also quite possible that the early departure of your father altered your development and made you more reserved than you might otherwise be.

You don't need to be crazy or come from a meth den to have problems that will effect the rest of your life, and this is something that you can deal with and should.

crusader for normalcy · Answer

First: Congratulations, you have just described me. Second: small possibility of Asperger's, more likely just molding your schema (mental state) to fit what you read. Basically means you're just being a teenager. Don't worry.

ProdigyWolf · Answer

Asperger Syndrome maybe?

I have these exact same problems, and I am diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome.

Look it up on wikipedia, very interesting

Anonymous · Answer

if you can analyze your self your fine.
your body can sense its self.
just by focus you can do anything you want.

evolutionary change.
all kids nowadays are extremely smart and have massiv potential

? · Answer

nothing abnormal there
Ur just normal
Its about you feeling comfortable with who u are

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Do I have a personality disorder (or am i just being a teenager?)?

5 Answers