Paranoid Personality Disorder: Symptoms and Treatment

To comprehend paranoid personality disorder, it is important to define other types of paranoia that may appear at different times in a person's life.

Definition:

Kraepelin used paranoia to describe a mental illness where a delusional belief was prominent, but there was no deterioration of mental faculties. (1)

Paranoia is from the Greek word paranoia, meaning madness (para outside and nous mind) and describes delusional states. (2)

Paranoia includes thoughts of persecution about perceived threats and reveals a disturbed thought process, demonstrating anxiety, fear, irrational thinking and delusions. There is concern about harm that is occurring, harm that will occur or a persecutor with intent to harm. (3)

Paranoia is associated with psychotic illnesses or non-psychotic illness including paranoid personality disorder or obsessive compulsive disorder. Known causes are medications, marijuana, methamphetamine and crack cocaine. (4)

Paranoid personality disorder:

This is a psychiatric diagnosis, where long term suspicion and mistrust are central in the thought processes.

Symptoms include maladaptive behaviors and thinking or personality traits beginning in adolescence or early childhood, that interfere with relationships, employment and the ability to function. A person may be hypersensitive, suspicious, emotionally constricted or isolate oneself. (5)

Four of these symptoms will be evident:

Person suspects that others are exploiting, harming or deceiving him or her
Preoccupation re loyalty or trustworthiness of friends or associates
Reluctance to confide, because information may be used against him or her
Perceives benign remarks as demeaning or threatening
Bears grudges, does not forgive insults, injuries or slights
Sees attacks on character, not perceived by others; reacts with anger or counter attacks
Demonstrates unjustified and recurrent suspicion, re his or her spouse or sexual partner

Treatment may be with psychotherapy, anti-depressants, anti-anxiety medications or intervention. (6)

Paranoia agent:

Paranoid agent is a contemporary expression depicting an animated, Japanese television mini-series. Shonen Bat or Bat Boy, (Lil' Slugger) is a juvenile assailant in Musaschino, Tokyo. The series director was Satoshi Kon (Madhouse). School peer pressure, loss of identity, morality, cultural and other social issues that concern children, are central themes. (6)

Paranoia in elderly, depressed patients:

Paranoia, often associated with Alzheimer's Disease, may appear as a desire for isolation, suspicion, mis-trust, poor self image, fear of harm or delusions in the elderly. (7)

Seeking advice from a qualified physician, psychologist or psychiatrist, is always advisable. Other medical conditions may need to be ruled out.

Paranoia schizophrenia:

Dementia praecox, later referred to as schizophrenia, (8) is a chronic mental illness, affecting perception. A schizophrenic holds delusions as untrue beliefs or has auditory hallucinations, ie, hears things that others can not hear. This is managed with medication and mental health care. (9)

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoia

(2) Ibid.

(3) Ibid.

(4) Ibid.

(5) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoid_personality_disorder

(6) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoia_Agent

(7) http://www.caregiver.com/articles/general/paranoia_know_signs.htm, Paranoia: Know the Signs, Jennifer M. Buckley

(8) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoia

(9) http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/paranoid-schizophrenia/DS00862