Schizothymia

Schizothymia is a temperament related to schizophrenia in a way analogous to cyclothymia's relationship with bipolar disorder. A schizothymic individual displays a flat affect and a high degree of introversion, withdrawing from social relations generally; nevertheless, some individuals with this characteristic may be able to achieve relatively affable social relations and a measure of affectivity in some situations. As a kind of temperament, schizothymic personality traits are thought to be more or less innate rather than the result of socialization (or a lack thereof).

Schizothymia was proposed by Ernst Kretschmer when examining body types of schizophrenic patients. The term "schizothymia" was used to explain schizophrenic and manic-depressive forms of psychosis (such as bipolar disorder) are linked with their own unique temperament.[1]