Psychopharmacological treatment of avoidant personality disorder

Avoidant personality disorder is quite prevalent and can result in marked impairment in social and occupational functioning. Since it has been conceptualized as a disorder of personality, only limited studies of its potential sensitivity to pharmacological treatments have been reported, usually in relation to the treatment of social phobia. This report examines the relationship of avoidant personality disorder to social phobia and describes the successful pharmacotherapy of several patients whose targeted outcomes were their avoidant traits. Our experience with resolution of avoidant features with treatment with monoamine oxidase inhibitors or fluoxitene recommends a 2- to 3-month trial of these agents in patients with avoidant personality disorder whether or not there is comorbidity for another DSM-III-R axis I disorder.