Paranoid Personality Disorder – Study The Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

We are living in a world where trust issues is a part and play of life. Yes? Think about this, there are people who do not trust themselves so trusting another person is secondary.

Generally, why in the first place are we scared of trusting? The reasons might differ. Nevertheless, the common one’s would be because we all have fears of being mislead, lied to and cheated upon. Experiencing fear to trust is normal given the fact that there is a difference in the way we deal with your strengths and weakness. What if you are glued to being in doubts forever?

Finding it difficult to be able to confide in someone is understandable. However, when a person gets abnormal with that fear and even when there is no room for the person to be afraid if he or she continues to be stuck in that state of mind it is perhaps a disorder and this disorder is called Paranoid Personality Disorder. Strangely enough, this disorder exists and several people out there fight through it for years.

Take a look at this article and study in detail about what is Paranoid Personality Disorder, its causes, effects and ways to cope up with it. Additionally, you would get to understand how to deal with a person who has Paranoid personality disorder. Educate yourself with every detail about this disorder.

Read: People Living Alone Are More At Risks Of Mental Disorders, New Study Suggests

What Is Paranoid Personality Disorder?

Paranoid Personality Disorder is an abnormal condition where a person can never trust and finds every possibility to doubt and stay in fear that something is fishy.

The people with this disorder are suspicious 24/7 and they feel insecure even when there is nothing at all for them to be doubtful, they look for signs or create signs of danger and try to prove that they are unsafe.

This condition is a disorder because someone cannot be doubtful, insecure and feel insulted by trying to find reasons or signs that indicate that they are not safe or they are being mislead while that is not the reality. It is understood if a person is doubtful because of bad experiences. However, trying to create something out of nothing is a disorder.

In short, impractical reasons for not trusting a person and living with a suspicious mindset all the time.

What Causes Paranoid Personality Disorder?

There is no specified cause for a paranoid personality disorder, it could be a combination of several factors such as the emotions and psychology that is affecting the person. Usually, this happens in two cases. Take a look!

It happens in early childhood when a child experiences social anxiety, does not have friends and is left all alone, the child is too sensitive and gets affected with little things and if the child is not able to do well in studies or has confidence issues

This disorder at times is not given to a person by chance because it is genetic and the sufferer tends to get it from parents who have one kind of a schizophrenia disorder.

In conclusion, there is no proven cause apart from the ones mentioned above.

Signs Of Paranoid Personality Disorder

It is not difficult to figure out the symptoms of Paranoid Personality Disorder because the one’s suffering this disorder are always thinking that someone is trying to harm them. Having said, take a look at a few of the symptoms in order to recognize Paranoid Personality Disorder

• Sign No 1 – The person feels that no one is worth their trust and they would be misleading at every step in life. They can never trust loyalty even if it exists.
• Sign No 2 – They can easily be influenced to reveal the truth with the fear that they would be blamed or mislead for nothing.
• Sign No 3 – They can never let go of things that hurt them and they will always want to give it back.
• Sign No 4 – They are not open to criticism because they tend to get affected easily.
• Sign No 5 – If there is something innocently put across they would still try to find out what is the hidden motive.
• Sign No 6 – The sufferer is not blamed for anything, yet, he or she feels pointed at and gets furiated about it.
• Sign No 7 – If the sufferers are in a relationship they live in suspicion even though their partner is loyal to them. They feel that their partner is disloyal.
• Sign No 8 – By any means they do not want to be betrayed so they always keep themselves away from their own people and have the tendency to boss over in their relationship.
• Sign No 9 – The sufferers never want to look at their own faults, they are confident and always feel that the opposite person is wrong.
• Sign No 10 – Staying calm and eased out is not in their dictionary.
• Sign No 11 – The sufferers barely take things in an optimistic way.
• Sign No 12 – As they think they are always right they never listen and get on to arguing all the time.

While few people might be having these signs, does not always mean the person has the disorder, you cannot be sure unless its diagnosed. For all you know, a person might have these signs to a minimal level. Never be sure, in case of any doubts always get it checked.

Read: 9 Ways to Reduce Mental Health Stigma – Normalize The Struggles

How to Diagnose A Paranoid Personality Disorder

As the causes of this disorder are not proved. Likewise, there is nothing tested to be able to clearly diagnose the disorder. However, a doctor would do one part of the analysis by checking on the physical factors of the person and will look into the family history as well. If the doctor finds nothing relevant, the doctor would suggest connecting with a psychiatrist.

What do the psychiatrists do? Psychiatrists would have their way of dealing with this through a question and answer tool and they would personally talk to the sufferer to get a deep understanding.

Take a look at the link mentioned below and get to know if you have a Paranoid Personality Disorder. Once you answer the questions here you would get to know your condition (R).

If you are wondering on what would the psychiatrist asks the sufferer, it could possibly be things about childhood, family and relationships.

The sufferers would be given hypothetical situations and will be asked questions based on the situation. Having said, the answers would determine the condition of the person and the psychiatrist will get clarity as to how to go about the treatment.

How to Treat Paranoid Personality Disorder

There are two ways of looking at treating Paranoid Personality Disorder, one way is through medications and the other is by communicating and trying various therapies to make the sufferer feel better.

All said and done, a paranoid personality disorder is a mental illness that cannot be cured completely. However, the severity of the condition can be kept in control through the best means possible. Although there are no definite ways to heal, a person suffering this disorder should start treatment otherwise it can have bad effects on one’s well-being, relationships and at work.

Here are ways to improve the condition of this disorder!

1. Medication Only In Severe Conditions

In situations when a person is going to prove harmful to oneself or the people around, medication is recommended. Otherwise, it is not good at all. If the patient is considering medication as a solution then it has to be prescribed by a doctor and it is better not to take own decisions when it comes to medication.

Usually, medication is given to the sufferer in case he/she is going through delusion or anxiety. Mostly the medications would be anti-depressants, anti-psychotics and benzodiazepines.

2. Paranoiac Thoughts Should Be Suppressed

This is more or less related to talking to the sufferer and focusing on explaining to the person to keep paranoiac thoughts in control. Here are ways to take care when paranoid

• Trying to gauge what is causing paranoia, is it negative outcomes and consequences of too many situations together?
• Observing anxiety and trying ways to break through that feeling by meditating
• being around people who pass on happy vibes and tracking down feelings could help control anxiety
• Keeping calm in tough situations and not letting paranoia take over by doing a positive self talk and imagining life to be much better if paranoia is controlled
• Working on self -esteem and trying means to build on confidence levels by believing in one’s self-worth

3. Helping The Person Communicate With People

The solution of a problem is in the problem, a person with paranoid personality disorder dislike talking to people and keeping away. Trying to help the person to start to communicate is one of the ways to help the disorder come in control. It could turn out that the person would start to enjoy someone’s company.

4. Alter Dysfunctioned Thoughts

A person with PPD has a tough time because they would always think that there is danger in every situation. To clear the mind off these wrong thoughts, psychiatrists adopt to cognitive therapies to help the person deal with the wrong thoughts in a better way.

That said, for instance, if the person with this disorder is on the road and feels like he/she will meet with an accident. Cognitive therapy helps the person understand how to break through that thought and think of ways to deal with that situation.

5. Psychodynamic Therapies Can Be Helpful

Pschodynamics therapy is one kind of treating PPD by deep-diving into the history of a person’s childhood so that it is easier to study the psychological disturbance in the sufferer’s life.

6. Group Therapies Can Work A Way

When a person feels that he or she is the only one suffering, meeting up in a group and hearing out everyone’s problem would help the sufferer feel better and maybe this kind of therapy would give the sufferer a chance to work on himself/herself.

How To Deal With A Person With PPD

Dealing with a person who is having this disorder is never going to be a soft nut to crack. If it turns out that your spouse or family member is dealing with it then you better hold your horses and deal through it with patience.

The person might seem really argumentative, in this case, be a good person and do not argue back for mental peace. There will be instances when you would not want to agree with the person but what best you can do is to be empathetic if you cannot handle agreeing with the person.

Do not disturb the person’s thought process but what best you can do is to just let the person know that you do not agree with their doubtful thought process.

If at all you start to feel suffocated with the person around then distance yourself than spoiling things. If you can help the person and take him/her for therapy, nothing like it!

All in all, it is not the fault of a person who does not realize how he or she gets a paranoid personality disorder, could be the genes that caused it or childhood experiences.

Unfortunately, there is no definite treatment to this abnormal mental condition, however, the severity of this disorder can be brought in control by treating the sufferer through various therapy sessions and medications are necessary when the condition of the sufferer gets worse. The least one can do to deal with a person having PPD is by being patient and understanding.