Personality disorders are enduring patterns of inner experience and behavior that are markedly different from expectations based on a person’s culture. People with a paranoid personality disorder are persistently excessively distrustful and suspicious of others. They believe that all initiatives of others are suspicious or malicious. All these thoughts and behaviors severely limit people’s social lives. Drug treatment in combination with psychotherapy may relieve symptoms, although these treatments are difficult because the person also distrusts doctors.
- Causes of paranoid personality disorder
- Symptoms: Persistent excessive distrust and suspicion
- Diagnosis and investigation
- Treatment of paranoid personality
- Medicines
- Psychotherapy
- Prognosis of mental illness
- Complications
Causes of paranoid personality disorder
The causes of paranoid personality disorder are unknown as of October 2020. A paranoid personality disorder occurs more often in families with psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia (condition including delusions and hallucinations) and delusional disorders. Therefore, genetic factors may play a role in the development of this personality disorder. Other factors may also play a role. A paranoid personality disorder may be the result of negative childhood experiences in which a child experienced a threatening home atmosphere. The child has then experienced extreme and unwarranted parental anger and/or a condescending parental influence, causing the child to develop deep insecurities. Finally, men are more often affected by a paranoid personality disorder.
Symptoms: Persistent excessive distrust and suspicion
The symptoms of paranoid personality disorder usually start in early adulthood. People with paranoid personality disorder are persistently very suspicious of other people. People with paranoid personalities rarely trust others and they even tend to misinterpret innocent comments and behavior as malicious. They interpret the actions of others as deliberately threatening or humiliating. People with paranoid personality disorder are usually unable to acknowledge their own negative feelings toward others, but generally do not lose touch with reality. They do not trust people, even if they are trustworthy, for fear of being exploited or betrayed. They often feel that they are in danger and look for evidence to support their suspicions. They have difficulty realizing that their distrust is disproportionate to their environment. Individuals with paranoid personality disorder are generally difficult to get along with and often have problems with close relationships.Common symptoms include:
- thinking that others are harming, threatening, or exploiting him or her
- a poor self-image
- unable to cooperate with others
- inability to tolerate criticism
- social isolation
- hostility
- detach themselves from others
- worrying about other people because they may have hidden motives
Diagnosis and investigation
The doctor diagnoses a paranoid personality disorder based on a psychological examination. The doctor checks how long and how severe the person’s symptoms have been. The diagnosis of paranoid personality disorder does not occur if the pattern of suspicious behavior occurs exclusively during the course of schizophrenia or another psychotic disorder (loss of reality with delusions and hallucinations).
Treatment of paranoid personality
Treating a person with a paranoid personality is difficult because people with this personality disorder are often very suspicious of doctors. If the person does accept treatment, a combination of psychotherapy and medication is often effective.Various medications relieve the symptoms / Source: Stevepb, Pixabay
Medicines
An anti-anxiety medication, such as diazepam, can be used if the person suffers from severe anxiety or restlessness that disrupts normal daily functioning. Antipsychotics, such as thioridazine or haloperidol, are appropriate if a person experiences severe agitation or delusions that result in self-harm or harm to others.
Psychotherapy
People with this condition often have deep-seated problems with interpersonal functioning that require intense therapy. A strong relationship between therapist and client offers the most benefits for people with paranoid personality disorder, although this is not easy to achieve due to the deep suspicion of people with the condition. People with paranoid personality disorder rarely initiate treatment and often end it prematurely.
Prognosis of mental illness
The outlook usually depends on whether the person is willing to accept help. Psychotherapy and medications sometimes reduce the symptoms of the mental illness. This allows the person to function better in daily life. Most individuals with this disorder experience symptoms throughout their lives and require consistent therapy.
Complications
Without treatment, this mental illness is chronic. A person with a paranoid personality may then experience extreme social isolation as well as school, work and/or relationship problems.
read more
- Personality disorders: Types and characteristics