What is Paranoia?
Paranoia is the persistent, extreme belief that others are trying to harm you. It is more than mere suspiciousness; paranoia is intrusive and often all-encompassing, and may trigger someone to change his or her lifestyle to avoid an assumed enemy. Unfortunately, given the high rate of assault and homicide in American society, it is often very difficulty to dismiss or discount someone’s concern about being threatened as “paranoia.” It is critical to take all reports of abuse, neglect, or threats very seriously, and if possible to gather as much external information as possible. Remember that with true paranoia, as with delusions, the person cannot be talked out of it. Instead, you should work on reducing the risk that someone will act on the paranoid delusion, e.g., limiting if at all possible exposure to the believed persecutor, limiting access to firearms, and avoiding substance abuse, all risk factors for violence.
