Paranoia is an individual’s thought process where they are always in fear of being watched or targeted by someone who intends to harm them. The negative or fearful thoughts are known as paranoid thoughts. The anxiety or thoughts are not always genuine, but it is there in mind, disrupting the individual’s day-to-day life. Paranoia is not any disorder, but paranoid thoughts may be an indication of any other mental illness.
What are the symptoms of Paranoia?
- Staying alone or in isolation mostly
- Constant fear
- Mistrust of others
- Feeling offended/judged easily
- Feeling that you are misunderstood
- Unable to tolerate criticism
- Does not forgive or compromise easily
What causes Paranoia?
Several factors, but primarily due to any other mental health disorder, can cause Paranoia. Listed below are some conditions that cause Paranoia.
- Little or no sleep- One day or occasional days with no rest does not cause Paranoia. However, regular days without sleep can harm your mental health and cause hallucinations leading to paranoid thoughts.
- Too much stress- Excessive stress can make an individual negatively react and think about others when they suffer or go through the trouble or situations that cause the stress.
- Mental health disorders such as schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, or paranoid personality disorder can cause Paranoia.
- Drug or substance abuse- Usage of marijuana, hallucinogens, or stimulants can cause Paranoia. Usage of such substances triggers any mental health disorder. Too much consumption of alcohol worsens Paranoia.
- Memory loss- Alzheimer’s disease, or any other form of dementia that individuals have as they age, influence their thought process, for which it can be a reason which causes Paranoia.
Can Paranoia be diagnosed? If so, how?
As Paranoia is not a disorder in itself, there is no specific assessment or test designed to diagnose Paranoia. However, mental health professionals may look for underlying causes behind the paranoid thoughts to better understand the individual.
How is Paranoia treated?
The treatment of Paranoia depends on how severe the symptoms are. The primary treatment for Paranoia is psychotherapy. Psychotherapy helps individuals with paranoid thoughts identify the negative thoughts. The negative beliefs are then replaced with positive thoughts. Therapists or other mental health professionals help individuals find out different ways to divert their negative thoughts.
The treatment of Paranoia may be time-consuming but has shown significant effectiveness. Paranoia may indicate any other mental health disorder, and the treatment procedure and time duration will differ based on that.
