Paranoia


Being paranoid means being suspicious without reason, sometimes believing that other people are trying to harm you.

We can all be suspicious at times and mistrust other people, but those who suffer from paranoia are always looking for the forthcoming betrayal or attack and anticipating that something awful will happen.

People with mild paranoia often realise their suspicions are unfounded and know they are being paranoid. In more severe paranoia the sufferer does not think their suspicions are unfounded and can often not distinguish between reality and fantasy.

What causes paranoia?

Paranoia is a complex mixture of thoughts and feelings; it is unlikely to have one cause. Possible causes could be:

Genetic Factors

As we can inherit behaviour from our parents, there could be some link with our genes.

Childhood Influences

If a child grows up believing the world is unsafe and that people will always let you down, this could shape the way in which the child thinks and could lead to its having paranoid feelings.

Social Factors

Paranoia is not completely inside someone’s mind, but can be a response to the world itself and the stresses that it places on people.

Thinking Problems

How the way someone judges themselves can lead to paranoia. People suffering from paranoia often have low self-esteem in some aspect of their personality and, to protect themselves, they can interpret other people’s actions and intentions as negative rather than finding any fault in themselves

Effects of Drugs

Many drugs can play a part in someone’s paranoia. Cannabis, Cocaine, ecstasy, LSD, amphetamines and alcohol can often trigger a person to become paranoid.

With the use of medication and professional psychiatry it is possible to help paranoid patients to identify their paranoia and to be ready to treat it.