Schizotypal personality disorder typically includes five or more of these signs and symptoms: 
Being a loner and lacking close friends outside of the immediate family
Flat emotions or limited or inappropriate emotional responses
Persistent and excessive social anxiety
Incorrect interpretation of events, such as a feeling that something that is actually harmless or inoffensive has a direct personal meaning
Peculiar, eccentric or unusual thinking, beliefs or mannerisms
Suspicious or paranoid thoughts and constant doubts about the loyalty of others
Belief in special powers, such as mental telepathy or superstitions
Unusual perceptions, such as sensing an absent person's presence or having illusions
Dressing in peculiar ways, such as appearing unkempt or wearing oddly matched clothes
Peculiar style of speech, such as vague or unusual patterns of speaking, or rambling oddly during conversations
 Signs and symptoms of schizotypal personality disorder, such as increased interest in solitary activities or a high level of social anxiety, may be seen in the teen years. The child may be an underperformer in school or appear socially out of step with peers, which may result in teasing or bullying. Schizotypal personality disorder vs. schizophrenia Schizotypal personality disorder can easily be confused with schizophrenia, a severe mental illness in which people lose contact with reality (psychosis). While people with schizotypal personality disorder may experience brief psychotic episodes with delusions or hallucinations, the episodes are not as frequent, prolonged or intense as in schizophrenia. Another key distinction is that people with schizotypal personality disorder usually can be made aware of the difference between their distorted ideas and reality. Those with schizophrenia generally can't be swayed away from their delusions. Despite the differences, people with schizotypal personality disorder can benefit from treatments similar to those used for schizophrenia. Schizotypal personality disorder is sometimes considered to be on a spectrum with schizophrenia, with schizotypal personality disorder viewed as less severe.