how can you tell if you are paranoid?

[TyroneShoelaces]

i have noticed discussion on this board in the past in the realm of mental health, so i would like to pose this question: how can one tell if people are truly out to get you, or if it is - in fact - paranoia. i am posting a detailed definition of the term. the keyword in the definition seems to be *delusional*. but if the paranoid individual is delusional, then it would therefore be real to them, and they would not see themselves as being paranoid. or so it seems. if this premise is correct then how would a paranoid individual ever be cured - seeing as how they are incapable of recognizing their illness - and assuming that a cure would require an awareness of one's condition?

i know this is not a overly exciting topic, but i can't help it. i am bored. forgive me.
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Paranoia
Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine by Paula Anne Ford-Martin
Definition
Paranoia is an unfounded or exaggerated distrust of others, sometimes reaching delusional proportions. Paranoid individuals constantly suspect the motives of those around them, and believe that certain individuals, or people in general, are "out to get them."

Description
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.

Causes & symptoms
The exact cause of paranoia is unknown. Potential causal factors may be genetics, neurological abnormalities, changes in brain chemistry, and stress. Paranoia is also a possible side effect of drug use and abuse (for example, alcohol, marijuana, amphetamines, cocaine, PCP). Acute, or short term, paranoia may occur in some individuals overwhelmed by stress.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth ed. (DSM-IV), the diagnostic standard for mental health professionals in the United States, lists the following symptoms for paranoid personality disorder:

Suspicious; unfounded suspicions; believes others are plotting against him/her
Preoccupied with unsupported doubts about friends or associates
Reluctant to confide in others due to a fear that information may be used against him/her
Reads negative meanings into innocuous remarks
Bears grudges
Perceives attacks on his/her reputation that are not clear to others, and is quick to counterattack
Maintains unfounded suspicions regarding the fidelity of a spouse or significant other.
Diagnosis
Patients with paranoid symptoms should undergo a thorough physical examination and patient history to rule out possible organic causes (such as dementia) or environmental causes (such as extreme stress). If a psychological cause is suspected, a psychologist will conduct an interview with the patient and may administer one of several clinical inventories, or tests, to evaluate mental status.



Treatment
Paranoia that is symptomatic of paranoid schizophrenia, delusional disorder, or paranoid personality disorder should be treated by a psychologist and/or psychiatrist. Antipsychotic medication such as thioridazine (Mellaril), haloperidol (Haldol), chlorpromazine (Thorazine), clozapine (Clozaril), or risperidone (Risperdal) may be prescribed, and cognitive therapy or psychotherapy may be employed to help the patient cope with their paranoia and/or persecutory delusions. Antipsychotic medication, however, is of uncertain benefit to individuals with paranoid personality disorder and may pose long-term risks.

If an underlying condition, such as depression or drug abuse, is found to be triggering the paranoia, an appropriate course of medication and/or psychosocial therapy is employed to treat the primary disorder.

Prognosis
Because of the inherent mistrust felt by paranoid individuals, they often must be coerced into entering treatment. As unwilling participants, their recovery may be hampered by efforts to sabotage treatment (for example, not taking medication or not being forthcoming with a therapist), a lack of insight into their condition, or the belief that the therapist is plotting against them. Albeit with restricted lifestyles, some patients with PPD or persecutory delusional disorder continue to function in society without treatment.

Key Terms
Persecutory delusion
A fixed, false, and inflexible belief that others are engaging in a plot or plan to harm an individual.
Further Reading
For Your Information
Books
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press, Inc., 1994.
Maxmen, Jerrold S., and Nicholas G. Ward. "Schizophrenia and Related Disorders." In Essential Psychopathology and Its Treatment, 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 1995, pp.173-204.
Maxmen, Jerrold S., and Nicholas G. Ward. "Personality Disorders." In Essential Psychopathology and Its Treatment, 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 1995, pp.389-418.
Siegel, Ronald K. Whispers: The Voices of Paranoia. New York: Crown, 1994.
Periodicals
Manschreck, Theo C. "Delusional Disorder: The Recognition and Management of Paranoia." Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 57, supplement 3 (1996): 32-38.
Organizations
American Psychological Association (APA). Office of Public Affairs. 750 First St. NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. (202) 336-5700. http://www.apa.org/.
American Psychiatric Association (APA). Office of Public Affairs. 1400 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005. (202) 682-6119. http://www.psych.org/.
National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI). 200 North Glebe Road, Suite 1015, Arlington, VA 22203-3754. (800) 950-6264. http://www.nami.org.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). 5600 Fishers Lane, Rm. 7C-02, Bethesda, MD 20857. (301) 443-4513. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/.

Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. Gale Research, 1999.

[pixyy]

pssst, Tyrone
behind you.....

[blackhawk]

pssst, Tyrone
behind you.....

[jbarter]

It sounds as though Tyrone is beginning to suspect us. Let's get 'im.

[happyturkeyman]

I obsessively check to make sure the paranoia isn't coming to get me every ten minutes or so. No signs of it as of yet.

[Tak_the_whistler]

There's a song that starts with the line "Paranoia, paranoia..." a pop song but I can't seem to remember who sang it.

[GaryKelly]

Black Sabbath devoted an entire album to the subject.

[Martin Milner]

If THEY get you, you weren't paranoid...

[Feadan]

You know what they say, "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you!"


Cheers,
David

[Wombat]

There's a nice cartoon in which a king sits reflecting.

'I know I'm paranoid. But am I paranoid enough?'

Seriously, there's a tendency to regard anyone who suspects persecution of being paranoid.

There is also a tendency to to regard persecuting behaviour as the result of conspiracy. If this is delusional, I suppose it fits the definition of paranoia. But the delusion might not be that one is being persecuted but that the persecution is the result of coordination, ie, a conspiracy. Suppose someone has been promoted above, say, 10 more qualified and suitable colleagues. We might expect the aggrieved people overlooked to behave unpleasantly as though in conspiracy, but I think it would be unlikely that they really were since each might regard him or herself to be the rightful occupier of the post. Often conspiracy is less likely than people acting unilaterally in their own interest—I find it odd how often people overlook this as the more simple and plausible hypothesis.

[StewySmoot]

I had a friend who was on the verge of paranoid schizophrenia brought on by drug abuse. He was specific in his delusion, feeling that the government was following him. We could talk to him somewhat lucidly but he would constantly bring up the threat of government. Finally he up and left for Europe after announcing they were about to haul him away. Some of his family retrieved him after traveling with him from city to city in an effort not to argue with him but trying to calm him down. He relented only after he felt that the government would not touch him since "too many people knew" about his situation. His ramblings as best as I could describe was like a "left-winger on steroids". Rehab and counseling brought him back to reality. He still is a left-winger but his thoughts and ideas are saner.

That is about all I know about delusional paranoid schizophrenia. As far as I remember, there was no reasoning with this guy. There was no chance of him being able to recognize the irrationality of his logic for himself.

I know a bit more about Paranoia Personality Disorder since I was diagnosed with it some 15 years ago. In my case, I reacted to the world with a sense of paranoia. While on the one hand, I felt my reactions were justified, I also knew that it wasn’t acceptable. (I thought that if it were normal, why isn’t the rest of the world reacting like I do to similar circumstances?) Throughout life I would hear or read something similar to the sage observations about paranoia such as above (“If THEY get you, you weren't paranoid...”) and wonder why was I relating to that feeling?

I brought myself in for treatment because I wanted to better understand why I felt the way I did and learn to cope with it. In my case, it was a form of 2nd child syndrome and a few childhood slights where I didn’t get to have something MY way (TV shows, family dinners, really immature crap) thrown in to give me a mental focal point growing up which were distorted into feelings of “persecution”. This feeling became far more acute in the winter (turns out I have SAD too.).

At this point the best way to describe it as the paranoia feels real, but logically I know it is based in irrational thought. I always have felt that but now I have a far better understanding of the cause.

I still am aware that my gut reaction to the world is as if “they are out to get me” but we all have our hang-ups. I sure as hell didn’t want to have feelings of paranoia but I wonder too if having it made me work harder in life. The Lord works in mysterious ways; I just wish I understood what was going on in my head sooner in life.

[Jack]

I knew of a man who claimed to hear the universe in his ears and had to be sedated almost all the time because it was too unbearable for him.

I can either say that:

1) He was delusional and only thought he heard the universe.

or

2) He actually heard the universe.

Either way, he needed help and all he got was standard state-hospital medical care (which sucks, btw, and they charge you $3000 a day even if you're involuntarily admitted, which I'm pretty sure he was).

[Jack]

MONTPELIER, Vt. - A company that sells cuddly Teddy bears through the mail has angered mental health advocates with a special item for Valentine's Day.

The Vermont Teddy Bear Co. is featuring a 15-inch bear in a straitjacket. The $69.95 stuffed animal is called the "Crazy for You Bear" and comes with its own commitment papers.

"This bear was created in the spirit of Valentine's Day and as with all of our bears it was designed to be a lighthearted depiction of the sentiment of love," the company said in a statement.

Mental health advocates believe the bear is "a tasteless use of marketing that stigmatizes persons with mental illness," said Jerry Goessel, executive director of the Vermont chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.

The company said it would discontinue the bear, but not before Feb. 14.

"We recognize that this is a sensitive, human issue and sincerely apologize if we have offended anyone," the firm said. "This bear was developed just for Valentine's Day and is not a permanent addition to our product line."

from The Washington Post




http://store1.yimg.com/I/vtbear_1827_4838988

I can't seem to get the picture to work...

[BrassBlower]

If THEY get you, you weren't paranoid...

Just what are you trying to say?

[glauber]

And remember: just because you're paranoid, it doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.