Behavior that includes distrust and suspiciousness of others in their actions and motives. Such behavior becomes the prominent identity of the individual as early as early adulthood. Genetic factors like having a schizophrenic patient in the family lineage, Childhood experiences may a role in causing Paranoid personality Disorder.
Individuals with previous mental illnesses living in low-income groups, alone due to migration, divorced, and elderly single people are more susceptible to this disorder.
characteristics of Paranoid personality disorder:
- recurrent suspicion, without justification regarding sexual fidelity of spouse.
- tendency to bear grudges persistently
- preoccupation with thoughts of others being conspiring against the individual
- tendency to take friendly actions of others as motivated for harming
- excessive sensitiveness to setbacks
- always has doubt about the loyalty of friends and family
Exclusion: Before diagnosing an individual with this disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depressive disorder, and any psychotic medicational effects must be ruled out.
Diagnostic criteria
Five diagnostic criteria used for the disorder:
- the assumption that others will harm and exploit them
- doubts about the trustworthiness of friends and family
- does not share any personal information due to belief the information can be used against them
- they assume hidden meaning in events that are benign.
- persistent grudges against and hostile feelings for a long time.
Paranoid traits may be adaptive in life-threatening situations. The disorder must only be diagnosed when the paranoid traits are maladaptive, inflexible, and causing impairment with emotional and behavioral responses and creating subjective stress.
Risk factors
- Not trusting any person even in highly required situations.
- Can not form any trustworthy and meaningful relationship with others affecting personal and work life.
- Constant loneliness may lead to depression.
- Grudge and hostility may put the individual at risk from others.
- Individuals with Paranoid personality disorder are susceptible to depressive disorder, agoraphobia, OCPD, and alcohol and other substance abuse.
Paranoid Personality Disorder Treatment
Treatment for mental disorders is more difficult than mental illnesses. In mental disorders, individuals usually do accept the problem. For them, the symptoms are a routine part of their life. Unless there is acceptance of a disorder that is interfering with them, there is very little help that can be done.
So the first issue dealt with by the Psychologist is to create awareness about the problem and then start the treatment.
Psychotherapy
When the patient is diagnosed with PPD, psychotherapy is the usual treatment choice. The therapist first addresses the trust issues and forms the rapport with the patient. Unless there is trust buildup between the two, the patient will not continue the treatment.
Therapy focuses on building empathy, communication, trust, social relationship, and coping abilities.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy
To adjust to maladaptive behaviors, CBT is often the first choice. During CBT, the patient is helped with arranging the feelings and thoughts their influencing actions. The first task of the therapist is to arrange maladaptive thoughts of suspicion, the patient is trained in trusting friends and family, having. better social relationships and self-esteem. These thoughts are then transformed into actions of not replying in hostility or grudge.
Finding the right therapist: Any mental condition will take time and effort to be treated. It is particularly hard with PPD because of mistrust and unwillingness to acknowledge the illness. The person with PPD must feel that he is working in collaboration and seeking help from the right person. Treating PPD is a long-term effort to manage PPD symptoms continuously.
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