PARANOIA
Paranoia is an insistent mistrust and suspicion of others, even when there is no reason to be suspicious.
People with PPD, Paranoid personality disorder, are always on guard, believing that others are constantly trying to demean, harm, or threaten them.
Paranoid personality disorder is often a chronic, lifelong condition; this disorder appears to be more common in men than in women.
As with all personality disorders, the person must be at least 18 years old before they can be diagnosed with it.
SYMPTOMS
People with paranoid personality disorder:
• Believe that other people's motives are suspect or even malevolent.
• Assume without sufficient basis, that others are exploiting, harming, or deceiving them. They generally counterattack and react quickly with anger.
• Perceive attacks on their character that are not apparent to others.
• Read hidden humiliating or threatening meanings into benign remarks or events.
• Are generally difficult to get along with and have problems with close relationships.
• Their excessive suspiciousness and hostility may be expressed in overt argumentativeness.
• Lack trust in others, are self-sufficient.
• They are often rigid, critical of others, and unable to collaborate.
• They have great difficulty accepting criticism.
• Have little or no sense of humor.
CAUSES
The possible causes of paranoid personality disorder are likely due to biological and genetic factors, social factors (interaction in their early development), and psychological factors (the individual's personality and temperament, shaped by their environment and learned coping skills to deal with stress).
TREATMENTS
Because they are suspicious, untrusting and do not see themselves as having a problem, People with PPD often do not seek treatment on their own.
When psychotherapy is required, the treatment will likely focus on increasing general coping skills, as well as on improving social interaction, communication, and self-esteem.
But even after a patient finally agrees or is forced to seek treatment, the nature of the disorder poses very serious challenges to therapists.
Many people with PPD do not follow their treatment plan.
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