Paranoia is a thought process believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion.[1] Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of conspiracy concerning a perceived threat towards oneself (e.g. “Everyone is out to get me”). Paranoia is distinct from phobias, which also involve irrational fear, but usually no blame. Making false accusations and the general distrust of others also frequently accompany paranoia. For example, an incident most people would view as an accident or coincidence, a paranoid person might believe was intentional.
Symptoms[edit]
A popular symptom of paranoia is the attribution bias. These individuals typically have a biased perception of the world often exhibiting more hostile beliefs.[10] A paranoid person may view someone else’s accidental behavior as though it is with intent or threatening.
An investigation of a non-clinical paranoid population found that feeling powerless and depressed, isolating oneself, and relinquishing activities are characteristics that could be associated with those exhibiting more frequent paranoia.[11] Some scientists have created different subtypes for the various symptoms of paranoia including erotic, persecutory, litigious, and exalted.[12]
Due to the suspicious and troublesome personality traits of paranoia, it is unlikely that someone with paranoia will thrive in interpersonal relationships. Most commonly paranoid individuals tend to be of a single status.[14] According to some research there is a hierarchy for paranoia. The least common types of paranoia at the very top of the hierarchy would be those involving more serious threats. Social anxiety is at the bottom of this hierarchy as the most frequently exhibited level of paranoia.[15]
I like the way you phrased the topic title,because for me, an interesting question is whether paranoia consists of anomalous reasoning or perceptual disturbance.
I was sexually abused at age 4, my theory is that it contributed to the paranoia in the sense that it was someone that I was supposed to trust. So I see a potential enemy in well…everyone.
I am PTSD’d and bipolar 2 with psychotic features unless I am medicated. And I do get paranoid when stressed either by outside or self-created pressures. I have also seen pretty much the same thing in many other people, especially recovering addicts, alcoholics, gamblers, workaholics, sex fiends, etc.
In my direct and other-observed experience, it’s usually a combination of both. In sz pts, however, there’s a more obvious perceptual component, though the cognitive distortions are almost always there, as well,
You and me both. My mother had to be watched hypervigilantly to see when the other shoe was going to drop… after the seductions. (Borderlines. Sigh.)
In the worst of it for me (from '94 to '03) I wasn’t initially that paranoid toward others, but I became more and more so over time. It took several different forms of CBT and the MBCTs to chill me out to the incomplete extent I am chilled at this time. I can still be triggered.
But I should add that the therapy I’ve done has deprogrammed me from identifying (most of the time) with my victimized “inner children.” They see potential enemies all over the place, but “I” do not now.
