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Paranoid perceptions and behavior may appear as
features of a number of mental illnesses, including depression and
dementia, but are most prominent in three types of psychological
disorders: paranoid schizophrenia, delusional disorder (persecutory
type), and paranoid personality disorder (PPD).
Individuals with paranoid schizophrenia and
persecutory delusional disorder experience what is known as
persecutory delusions: an irrational, yet unshakable, belief that
someone is plotting against them. Persecutory delusions in paranoid
schizophrenia are bizarre, sometimes grandiose, and often
accompanied by auditory hallucinations. Delusions experienced by
individuals with delusional disorder are more plausible than those
experienced by paranoid schizophrenics; not bizarre, though still
unjustified. Individuals with delusional disorder may seem offbeat
or quirky rather than mentally ill, and, as such, may never seek
treatment.
Persons with paranoid personality disorder tend
to be self-centered, self-important, defensive, and emotionally
distant. Their paranoia manifests itself in constant suspicions
rather than full-blown delusions. The disorder often impedes social
and personal relationships and career advancement. Some individuals
with PPD are described as "litigious," as they are constantly
initiating frivolous law suits. PPD is more common in men than in
women, and typically begins in early adulthood. |
