Paranoid Personality Disorders (PPD) are chronic patterns of behavior that can cause serious problems with work and social relationships. Paranoid personality disorder can result from negative childhood experiences fostered by a threatening domestic atmosphere. It may be prompted by extreme and unfounded parental rage and/or condescending parental influence that cultivate profound child insecurities. It appears to be more common in families with psychotic disorders like schizophrenia and delusional disorder, which suggests a genetic influence. Furthermore, estimates of the degree of genetic contribution to the development of childhood personality disorders are similar to estimates of the genetic contribution to adult versions of these disorders.
Comments and actions that healthy people would not notice are interpreted as insulting and threatening, to someone with this disorder. Patients with PPD remain in touch with reality; they do not have any of the hallucinations or delusions seen in patients with psychoses. Paranoid suspicions carry over into all realms of life. Those burdened with PPD are frequently convinced that their sexual partners are unfaithful. They may misinterpret compliments offered by employers or coworkers as hidden criticisms or attempts to get them to work harder. Complimenting a person with PPD on their clothing or car, for example, could easily be taken as an attack on their materialism or selfishness.
Common causes and risk factors of Paranoid Personality Disorder include schizophrenia and genetics. Signs and symptoms of Paranoid Personality Disorder range from suspicious behavior to concerns with hidden motives. People suffering from PPD often expects to be exploited by others, have an inability to collaborate, lean toward social isolation, have poor self image, feelings of detachment and tend to have a poor sense of humor
Treatment of Paranoid Personality Disorder includes group therapy, which includes family members. There are many self-help groups who are dedicated to recovery from this disorder. Comprehensive treatment, which includes services that exist outside the formal treatment system, is crucial to ameliorate symptoms, assist recovery, and, to the extent that these efforts are successful, redress stigma. Psychotherapy is the most promising method of treatment for Paranoid Personality Disorder. People afflicted with this disorder have deep foundational problems that necessitate intense therapy.
