Paranoia

For other uses, see Paranoia (disambiguation).
"Paranoid" and "Paranoiac" redirect here. For other uses, see Paranoid (disambiguation) and Paranoiac (film).
Paranoia
Other namesParanoid (adjective)
Pronunciation
SpecialtyPsychiatry, clinical psychology
SymptomsDistrust, false accusations, anxiety, suspicion

Paranoia is an instinct or thought process that is believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety, suspicion, or fear, often to the point of delusion and irrationality.[1] Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of conspiracy concerning a perceived threat towards oneself (i.e., "Everyone is out to get me"). Paranoia is distinct from phobias, which also involve irrational fear, but usually no blame.

Making false accusations and the general distrust of other people also frequently accompany paranoia.[2] For example, a paranoid person might believe an incident was intentional when most people would view it as an accident or coincidence. Paranoia is a central symptom of psychosis.[3]

  1. ^ World English Dictionary Archived 2018-05-28 at the Wayback Machine (Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition, 2009, William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd.) 3. informal sense: intense fear or suspicion, esp when unfounded
  2. ^ "Don't Freak Out: Paranoia Quite Common". Live Science. Associated Press. November 12, 2008. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
  3. ^ Green, C., Freeman, D., Kuipers, E., Bebbington, P., Fowler, D., Dunn, G., & Garety, P. (2008). Measuring ideas of persecution and social reference: the Green et al. Paranoid Thought Scales (GPTS). Psychological Medicine, 38, 101 – 111.