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health advisory Hospital Mental Health 2007-11-15 19:01:21

I think some people just want to be alone not everyone is as social as others.

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You are probably talking about the personality disorders, which generally are not treated by medication, but by talk therapy and social support. These are not in the same group as schizophrenia or bipolar, which one thinks about when using the term "mental disorder."

For your question: no, being a loner by itself does not mean s/he has a disorder. It depends on 1) why s/he is a loner, and 2) whether or not s/he is satisfied with the social outcome.

The most important factor in determining whether or not it is a disorder is whether or not it interferes with their ability to function on a daily basis. Does it interfere with his work? his family? his ability to abide by the law?

Everyone has some personality traits that help them to express themselves to others, as well as to understand others' feelings. When these traits become maladaptive to the point that they interefere with their daily roles, it becomes a personality disorder. So it's ok per se to be a loner, but if it interferes with your ability to go to school or get a job, or talk with new people, it can be a problem.

Why the person is a loner also is important. For people who function fine, but tend to stay away from other people, and who really have no interest in having relationships of any type with people, they are considered to have schizoid personality disorder. In fact, many with this disorder have a really tough time just dealing with people. This can be a problem if their job expects them to manage a team, for example.