Personality is the way of thinking, feeling and behaving that makes a person different from other people. An individual’s personality is influenced by experiences, environment (surroundings, life situations) and inherited characteristics. A person’s personality typically stays the same over time.
To be classified as a personality disorder, one’s way of thinking, feeling and behaving deviates from the expectations of the culture, causes distress or problems functioning, and lasts over time. The pattern of experience and behaviour usually begins by late adolescence or early adulthood and causes distress or problems in functioning. Without treatment, personality disorders can be long-lasting.
There are 10 personality disorder in which paranoid personality disorder is very commonly seen disorder.
Paranoid personality disorder is a pattern of being suspicious of others and seeing them as mean or spiteful. People with paranoid personality disorder often assume people will harm or deceive them and don’t confide in others or become close to them.
Signs and symptoms
Person with paranoid personality disorder shows following symptoms
The person constantly suspect others want to trick, hurt, or use him/her, even when there is no evidence.
The person spends quite a bit of time preoccupied with doubts about the intentions of friends and family, especially their loyalty toward him/her. The person constantly wonder how much or whether he/she can trust them.
The person hesitates to talk openly about anything with others because he/she suspect that they may use that information against them.
The person may repeatedly misconstrue casual comments from others as having hidden meanings or as threatening.
The person tend to hold grudges for a long time and find himself/herself often unforgiving.
The person continually think his/her character and reputation are under attack, even when other people involved don’t perceive the same thing.
The person are quick to react or counterattack.
The person constantly distrust the partner and wonder if they are loyal, even if they give you no reason to doubt their fidelity.
Treatment
Paranoid personality disorder is generally treated with psychotherapy. With ongoing treatment and appropriate support, people with this condition can manage their symptoms and function more effectively in daily life.
However, people who have PPD may not seek treatment for their condition, usually because they do not feel that they have a problem. To those with PPD, their suspicions of others are justified and it is other people who are the problem.
The distrust and paranoia that characterises the condition also make it difficult for people with PPD to trust their doctors and therapists. This can make it challenging for healthcare professionals to establish a therapeutic rapport with the individual.