Paranoid Personality DisordersParanoid Personality Disorder is a disorder commonly mistaken forschizophrenic personality disorders. Schizophrenia, a psychosis, is when aperson is has an image of a world and its transpiring events, and he/she is”living” it. Paranoid Personality Disorder, however, is a neurosis where anindividual is living in the real world. This disorder, though not asdebilitating as other disorders, can still devastate a someone’s life.
Individuals with this Paranoid Personality Disorder always assume thatother people are “out to get them” even if there is no evidence that this istrue. They are constantly doubting others around them and scrutinizing everyaction. This attitude is taken on towards all people, like friends orassociates, not only strangers. For these reasons, people with this personalitydisorder rarely confide in people and are actually amazed if someone showsloyalty. However, this amazement also gives way to disbelief and falls backtowards the idea that this newfound loyalty is part of a plot to cause harm.
Those of with the disorder also tend to bear their grudges and unwillingto forgive. They nurture their grudges and anger, which over time, gives themmore of a sense that it is the outside world which the problem, not themselves. At times, these individuals may also conjure up flamboyant illusions to confirmtheir behavior toward others. These feelings are also carried out towards family as well. One examplecould be as if a person with this personality disorder had a spouse or sexualpartner, this individual constantly thinks that their partner or spouse ischeating on them. Often, the spouse or partner is barraged with questionsquestioning their whereabouts, faithfulness, or intentions.
It is believed that these symptoms first appear usually during childhoodor adolescence. Those believed to be most prone are “loners,” those who areunable to maintain stable relationships with others, social anxiety, sometimesunderachieve in school, are hypersensitive, have strange thoughts and language,and (as stated before) fantasies. To “normal” people, individuals with thisparanoid personality disorder may seem out of place and commonly attract teasing. Those usually affected by these symptoms are usually those who are ofminority groups, immigrants, refugees, or people with different ethnicbackgrounds. The reason for this is because these people are unfamiliar withthese new and different concepts.
These individuals may have a language problem,or unfamiliar with local customs and/or laws. Problems such as these maygenerate anger and mistrust among the individuals, and are paranoid, but notnecessarily someone with the Paranoid Personality Disorder. The reason beingthis person still places trust in the family and may have friends. However, tolegally have this disorder, one must show the symptoms listed above, and becompletely suspicious and hostility toward others.
Another possibility widely being speculated upon is the brain. In thebrain, there are many chemicals, and for the brain to function correctly, theremust a balance of each type of chemical. As of now, scientists don’t knowexactly which chemicals are responsible, but are optimistic. There is also evidence suggesting that there is an increased possibilitythat someone with a relative that suffers from chronic Schizophrenia(specifically Persecutory and Delusional Type) is more likely to developParanoid Personality Disorder. Among people in the United States, there is a relatively smallpercentage of people with this disorder. In the general population, there isapproximately 0.
5%-2. 5% with Paranoid Personality Disorder. In inpatientsettings, the prevalence is much high than in outpatient settings. Forinpatients psychiatric settings, the percentage ranges from 10%-30%, as opposedto 2%-10% in the outpatient mental health clinics. Of those diagnosed with thisdisorder, there are more males reported to have this disorder than females,though the reason is not known why.
These statistics are of those reported, therefore there may be a greaterpercentage in the world. People with personality disorders such as this tendnot to seek treatment. When they do go to a therapists’ office, it is usuallyon the initiative of a spouse or a problem arising from their child. Unfortunately, these individuals are resistant to treatment, even when theyenter therapy voluntarily. Though not much is known about a cure for the Paranoid PersonalityDisorder, there treatments performed in an attempt to reduce the extremity ofthe disorder. One method that can be used is reinforcement of adaptivebehaviors.
Such as congratulations, or some sort of prize or comment to upliftthe person’s morale hopefully change their thoughts about others. Anotherpossible treatment is psychotherapy or psychoanaylsis. The significance thesetwo are that the therapists are able to give the patient a
