MISTRUST

Causes

The main cause and underlying root of distrust toward others is difficult childhood experiences. A child places boundless trust in their caregivers. When caregivers respond to the child’s needs and meet them, the child learns that the environment is kind and safe. However, when parents, for whatever reason (illness, life circumstances), do not meet the child’s expectations or do so only selectively, the child experiences unpredictability in behavior and insecurity. Consistently meeting a child’s needs does not mean that parents must anticipate their expectations before the child even communicates them, nor does it mean completely eliminating frustration or the optimal amount of stress from the child’s life. Safe, predictable living conditions for a child are those in which the child experiences genuine interest, a willingness to connect, and a warm, kind response to their needs. Consistency is also very important, because there may be situations in which parents carry out all their duties toward the child, but do so with a strongly negative emotional charge. The combination of care with negative emotions (that is, double binds, contradictory messages) becomes embedded in the child’s psyche and has many consequences later in life. Such circumstances require long-term insight-oriented psychotherapy.

Severely limited trust in others may also be caused by circumstances later in life, such as experiences of violence, betrayal, intimidation, a difficult separation, or trauma. If these circumstances affect a person with a relatively strong personality structure, temporary disintegration may occur and therapy may also be needed, but long-term support is then not necessarily required.

In addition, distrust and suspiciousness may be symptoms of conditions such as Othello syndrome, neurotic disorders, anxiety, and others. However, they are also always based on personality traits that were formed mainly during childhood, within the family home, in relationships with parents, and on the basis of later life experiences, previous relationships, and other important connections.

Symptoms

In a person who has problems with trust, not only emotions but also relationships and other connections with people are at risk. Constant suspicion is not limited to people with paranoid personality disorder. Trust problems may manifest themselves through various thoughts and behaviors, such as:

• excessive control,
• trying to remove someone from their role,
• checking and searching through things,
• the belief that only ‘I’ can do something best,
• belief in other people’s negative attitudes or bad intentions,
• a feeling of alienation,
• reluctance to let others get close,
• an inability to form close, rewarding relationships with others,
• a sense of shame,
• low self-esteem,
• fear of making a mistake,
• an inability to talk about one’s own emotions,
• problems resolving conflicts,
• excessive worrying about the future.

Treatment

Treatment is mainly based on meetings with a psychiatrist. Therapy is a combination of medication and non-pharmacological interventions. Psychoeducation and psychotherapy play a major role in treatment. Both elements can effectively complement medication. Psychoeducation consists of participation in group or individual sessions. Treatment may be supported by other forms of therapy, such as relaxation techniques, meditation, dance, psychodrama, and animal-assisted work. In addition, the use of medication may be indicated in cases of anxiety (anxiolytics), depression (antidepressants), or the appearance of delusional disorders (antipsychotics); that is, pharmacotherapy is symptomatic.