Psychotherapy aims to help people with paranoia:. Treatment for paranoid personality disorder usually involves psychotherapy to help you develop coping skills to improve socialization and communication. Sometimes, doctors prescribe anti-anxiety medication to treat paranoid personality disorder for people who are often anxious or fearful.
Atypical antipsychotic medications may also help. People with paranoid schizophrenia usually require medication, as they often have lost touch with reality. Initial treatment usually includes antipsychotic medication. Your doctor may also prescribe anti-anxiety medications and antidepressants.
Your doctor may recommend additional treatment once your condition has stabilized. This can include psychotherapy and individual or family counseling. When paranoia is a result of drug abuse, treatment is often supportive until the drug effects wear off. After that, your doctor will likely encourage you to participate in a drug treatment program. Read our review of the best online therapy options to find the right fit for you.
For people who seek treatment and follow through with it, the outlook for paranoia is usually positive. However, treatment may be a slow process. Therapy and medication are effective in treating it. People with paranoia are usually distrustful of others and perceive paranoid thoughts as real. This makes the process of seeking treatment difficult. If someone you know is showing symptoms of paranoia, they may not think they need medical attention. However, you should encourage them to see a doctor for a diagnosis.
Paranoid schizophrenia is no longer recognized as its own condition. Rather, paranoia is a symptom of schizophrenia. Learn more about this symptom. Paranoid personality disorder PPD is characterized by intense mistrust and suspicion of others. Stalking can be the result of delusional paranoid disorder — for example, the person believes they are in a relationship with a movie star they have never met.
In another case, a person may imagine they have a terrible illness, despite repeated reassurance from doctors. Paranoid schizophrenia — considered the most severe type. Hallucinations, especially bizarre ones, are also common to the condition. A person with paranoid schizophrenia often finds the world confusing and functions poorly without treatment.
Causes are unclear The causes of paranoia are unclear and depend on the condition with which it is associated. Theories include: Genes — research is scanty and inconclusive.
It is also unclear whether genetic predisposition to paranoia — if it exists — is inherited or not. Brain chemistry — brain chemicals neurotransmitters form the basis of thoughts and feelings. Certain drugs such as cocaine, marijuana and amphetamines alter brain chemistry and can bring on paranoid thoughts, feelings and behaviours. This leads some researchers to believe that paranoia may be a biochemical disorder of the brain.
The causes of this possible disorder are unknown. Traumatic life events — for example, abuse in childhood may distort the way a person thinks and feels throughout life. Stress reaction — some studies have found that paranoia is more common in people who have experienced severe and ongoing stress — for example, prisoners of war. How stress can trigger paranoia is unclear. A combination of factors — it may be that a number of genetic and environmental factors working in combination cause paranoia.
Diagnosis The condition causing the paranoia can be difficult to diagnose because an exaggerated sense of mistrust is common to a range of mental disorders and also occurs in some people with dementia. Diagnosis may include: Medical history Physical examination Assessment of symptoms Psychological tests Tests to rule out other psychiatric disorders that may be causing the symptoms. Treatment While there is no absolute cure for the conditions that cause paranoia, treatment can help the person cope with their symptoms and live a happier, more productive life.
Treatment depends on the type and severity of the condition but may include: Medications — anti-anxiety drugs or antipsychotic drugs can ease some of the symptoms. However, a person with paranoia may often refuse to take medication because they are afraid it will harm them. Therapy — this can help the person to cope with their symptoms and may improve their ability to function. However, a person with paranoia is unlikely to talk openly and freely to a therapist, so progress can be extremely slow.
Options may include relaxation therapy, techniques to reduce anxiety, and behaviour modification. Making some lifestyle changes, like working on your sleep hygiene, practicing mindfulness, and limiting substance use, is an important first step to managing symptoms of paranoia. You may find that your biggest obstacle is maintaining healthy relationships with others. Paranoid thoughts can distance you from friends, family, and your spouse or partner.
It can also affect your workplace and school relationships. This distance can feel isolating and further impact your mental well-being. Try to communicate your feelings to your loved ones in a simple way about your feelings. Focus on facts rather than assigning blame. You might find it easier to write them a letter rather than have a conversation in person.
People can become paranoid about many things and for many different reasons. Sometimes, paranoia is a symptom of a mental health condition or substance use disorder.
There are ways to treat paranoia, such as through therapy and medications. However, treatment can be difficult because people who are paranoid might be distrustful of their doctors, therapists, and even the medications that have been prescribed to them. A person who is paranoid may continue to function at work or school, but they often have difficulty with close relationships if they feel suspicious about their family, friends, or partner.
They might even be untrusting of their doctors and therapists, which can make treatment challenging. While it can take time and patience, building trusting relationships with healthcare professionals is a crucial part of managing the condition.
Paranoia and anxiety are not the same. People with paranoia have unfounded suspicion or mistrust of others, whereas people with anxiety have a more generalized feeling of being in danger, which is not always attributed to a specific cause.
A person can experience both paranoia and anxiety. Paranoia can also lead to anxiety and vice versa. Paranoia and anxiety can combine in post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD.
Hypervigilance is a symptom of PTSD, and it may manifest as a feeling of paranoia that is triggered by reminders of past traumatic events. There are several known triggers of paranoia, including lifestyle factors like insomnia, lack of sleep, and poor sleep quality. The use of alcohol and other substances, as well as childhood trauma and socioeconomic factors, are also triggers. Paranoia can occur at any age, from adolescents to older adults. If you have a loved one experiencing paranoia, they might push you away.
You may struggle to find ways to support them that they will accept. Try to avoid being defensive or taking their accusations too personally.
Communicate with simple, factual language and do not assign blame. Your loved one might be resistant to treatment as a consequence of their paranoia. Encourage them to seek treatment—be it psychotherapy, medication, lifestyle changes, or a combination of these options that best meets their needs.
If they consider you a trusted ally, your loved one might also benefit from having your support when they go to doctor or therapy appointments. Finally, participating in a support group, counseling, or therapy for yourself is also beneficial.
Taking care of your own health will help you be there to support your loved one. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Cognitive, affective, and social factors maintaining paranoia in adolescents with mental health problems: a longitudinal study. Psychiat Res. Kendler KS. Schizophrenia Bulletin.
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. Fifth edition. American Psychiatric Association: Lee R. Mistrustful and misunderstood: a review of paranoid personality disorder. Curr Behav Neurosci Rep. Joseph SM, Siddiqui W. Delusional disorder.
Updated November 20, Anderson F, Freeman D. Socioeconomic status and paranoia: the role of life hassles, self-mastery, and striving to avoid inferiority.
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