HELP WITH CONDITIONS
PARANOID PERSONALITY DISORDER
A person characterized by this type of disorder may at first glance appear suspicious and oversensitive about themselves, or, on the contrary, during first contact may seem friendly, good-natured, pleasant, and helpful. So, taking their appearance and the first impression into account, it may be different. When this person begins to justify their arguments and beliefs, they usually do so very convincingly and logically, in a way that persuades the other person for a long time that the situation really is as it is being presented. On the other hand, attention may be drawn to the fact that the situations described by this person and the stories they tell have a common element, namely that someone has treated them unfairly, ignored them, or done something against them; that they have suffered some harm or have been disappointed as a result; and that various situations have had an unfavorable context for them; that someone did not show them sufficient respect, neglected something, or failed to respect them. Similar discussions may arise regarding a partner, who is sometimes suspected of not showing this person enough respect and of neglecting them; sometimes such suspicions also concern sexual fidelity.
Causes
As with all types of personality disorders, the causes are mixed in nature, i.e. biological and psychological. In each case, the proportions of these specific causes must be assessed individually, which may require both psychological and neuroimaging tests (e.g. computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging) and EEG examinations. Certain social situations seem to trigger paranoid thinking. This means that certain situations can intensify this type of thinking and behavior in people who previously showed paranoid personality traits. Such situations include, for example, feeling different from the rest of the social group, feeling judged by other authority figures (e.g. superiors), a sense of uncertainty about social status (finding yourself in a new group, sudden loss of social position, or social isolation). However, since not all people in the situations described respond with paranoid thinking and behavior, it is assumed that such situations may worsen pre-existing thought patterns in people with paranoid personality disorder. It also appears that when someone in a given person’s family has a personality disorder, the risk that this person will also develop one of the problems belonging to this group is higher. There is also an increased incidence of paranoid personality disorders in families where someone has previously struggled with schizophrenia or delusional disorders.
Various difficulties experienced during childhood, such as abuse or exposure to another form of violence, may also contribute to the development of paranoid personality disorder. It is also assumed that persecution of a young person by peers, for example at school, may contribute to the emergence of this problem.
Symptoms
The typical symptoms of a paranoid personality are:
- Constant fear of being used by other people and suffering some harm from them – a paranoid patient is constantly convinced that other people want to hurt them in various ways;
- Difficulties in the relationship with a partner – a patient with paranoid personality disorder is convinced that the person in the relationship is not faithful to them; they also have the impression that they cannot fully trust their partner;
- Difficulties with social relationships – the paranoid personality is characterized by avoiding talking about oneself or one’s problems – a person with this disorder is very reluctant to confide in anyone because they are afraid that the information provided to others will be used against them;
- Exceptional ease in crossing other people off – when a person with a paranoid personality has even the slightest suspicion that they are being deceived by someone or has the impression that the person is disloyal to them, they may very quickly cut off contact with them;
- Long-lasting experience of various insults or critical remarks – it is very difficult for a patient with a paranoid personality to forgive others; it can be said that they hold grudges and feel hurt for a very long time after various insults or criticism;
- Low frustration tolerance;
- A constant need – usually unjustified – to fight for your rights;
- Having an overly developed self-image.
It is worth emphasizing here that a paranoid personality significantly hinders the patient’s normal functioning. Every one of us is sometimes distrustful, but in the case of paranoid personality disorder, thinking about how other people are trying to harm a patient can in fact control their entire life. In extreme cases, it happens that a person with a paranoid personality – because of their fear of being hurt by other people – completely isolates themselves from both their friends and even members of their immediate family.
Diagnosis
The criteria on the basis of which psychiatrists diagnose this type of personality are:
- Unfounded suspicion that others are exploiting us, harming us, or deceiving us;
- Preoccupation with unjustified doubts about the loyalty of friends or colleagues and whether they are trustworthy;
- Unwillingness to confide in others because of the unfounded fear that the information will be used against us with malicious intent;
- Reading hidden, humiliating, or threatening meanings into remarks or events that are not malicious;
- Persistently bearing grudges, i.e. not forgiving insults, injustice, or contempt;
- Perceiving attacks on our character or reputation that are usually not visible to others, and reacting quickly with anger or a counterattack;
- Repeated, unjustified suspicions regarding the faithfulness of a spouse or sexual partner.
Treatment
Helping people with paranoid personality disorder primarily involves psychotherapy, although due to fundamental distrust it is very difficult to build a therapeutic relationship with such a person. The use of medication may be indicated in cases of anxiety (anti-anxiety medications), depression (antidepressants), or delusional disorders (antipsychotics), i.e. pharmacological treatment is symptomatic.
HELP WITH CONDITIONS