Paranoid personality disorder

[axel]

Paranoid personality disorder

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Paranoid personality disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis that denotes a personality disorder with paranoid features. It is characterized by an exaggerated sensitivity to rejection, resentfulness, distrust, as well as the inclination to distort experienced events. Neutral and friendly actions of others are often misinterpreted as being hostile or contemptuous. Unfounded suspicions regarding the sexual loyalty of partners and loyalty in general as well as the belief that one’s rights are not being recognized is stubbornly and argumentatively insisted upon. Such individuals can possess an excessive self-assurance and a tendency toward an exaggerated self-reference. Pathological jealousy, instinctive aggressive counter-attack, the need to control others, and the gathering of trivial or circumstantial "evidence" to support their jealous beliefs also features. The use of the term paranoia in this context is not meant to refer to the presence of frank delusions or psychosis, but implies the presence of ongoing, unbased suspiciousness and distrust of people.
Contents
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* 1 Diagnosis
* 2 Epidemiology
* 3 References
* 4 External links

[edit] Diagnosis

* 301.00 Paranoid Personality Disorder

According to the DSM-IV-TR, this disorder is characterised by a pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others such that their motives are interpreted as malevolent, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by four (or more) of the following:

* Suspects, without sufficient basis, that others are exploiting, harming, or deceiving him or her
* Is preoccupied with unjustified doubts about the loyalty or trustworthiness of friends or associates
* Is reluctant to confide in others because of unwarranted fear that the information will be used maliciously against him or her
* Reads hidden demeaning or threatening meanings in benign remarks or events
* Persistently bears grudges, i.e., is unforgiving of insults, injuries, or slights
* Perceives attacks on his or her character or reputation that are not apparent to others and is quick to react angrily or to counterattack
* Has recurrent suspicions, without justification, regarding fidelity of spouse or sexual partner.

Exclusionary conditions:

* Does not occur exclusively during the course of a mood disorder with psychotic features, schizophrenia, or another psychotic disorder.
* Is not due to the direct physiological effects of a general medical condition.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoid_personality_disorder

[Sip]

Re: Paranoid personality disorder

Sometimes I really wish I had had a broader educational path than what I have had so far in my life. I always tend to stick to topics that are of immediate interest to me and never really bothered to explore the breadth rather than the depth of the opportunities I have had. But I guess it is never too late to start to expand.

Thanks for this post Axel. You have no idea how enlightening it has been... or maybe you do! It is amazing how complex the behavior of the human mind can be to someone who doesn't really understand it. But much like anything else, once you start to distinguish and understand certain patterns, so many things fall into place!

[Lucin]

Re: Paranoid personality disorder

OCD : Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric anxiety disorder most commonly characterized by a subject's obsessive, distressing, intrusive thoughts and related compulsions (tasks or "rituals") which attempt to neutralize the obsessions. It is listed by the World Health Organization as one of the top 10 most disabling illnesses in terms of a diminished quality of life.[1]

The phrase "obsessive-compulsive" has worked its way into the wider English lexicon, and is often used in an offhand manner to describe someone who is meticulous or absorbed in a cause (see also "anal-retentive"). Such casual references should not be confused with obsessive-compulsive disorder; see clinomorphism. It is also important to distinguish OCD from other types of anxiety, including the routine tension and stress that appear throughout life. Although these signs are often present in OCD, a person who shows signs of infatuation or fixation with a subject/object, or displays traits such as perfectionism, does not necessarily have OCD, a specific and well-defined condition.

To be diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, one must have either obsessions or compulsions alone, or obsessions and compulsions, according to the DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria. The Quick Reference to the diagnostic criteria from DSM-IV-TR (2000) describes these obsessions and compulsions:[2]

Obsessions are defined by:

Recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are experienced at some time during the disturbance, as intrusive and inappropriate and that cause marked anxiety or distress.
The thoughts, impulses, or images are not simply excessive worries about real-life problems.
The person attempts to ignore or suppress such thoughts, impulses, or images, or to neutralize them with some other thought or action.
The person recognizes that the obsessional thoughts, impulses, or images are a product of his or her own mind, and are not based in reality.
The tendency to haggle over small details that the viewer is unable to fix or change in any way. This begins a mental pre-occupation with that which is inevitable.
Compulsions are defined by:

Repetitive behaviors or mental acts that the person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession, or according to rules that must be applied rigidly.
The behaviors or mental acts are aimed at preventing or reducing distress or preventing some dreaded event or situation; however, these behaviors or mental acts either are not connected in a realistic way with what they are designed to neutralize or prevent or are clearly excessive.
In addition to these criteria, at some point during the course of the disorder, the sufferer must realize that his/her obsessions or compulsions are unreasonable or excessive. Moreover, the obsessions or compulsions must be time-consuming (taking up more than one hour per day), cause distress, or cause impairment in social, occupational, or school functioning.[2] OCD often causes feelings similar to those of depression.

[...]

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessi...lsive_disorder

[Anonymouse]

Re: Paranoid personality disorder

I definitely have paranoid tendencies. Especially when I smoked marijuana (which was part of the reason why I quit, along with some others).

[Siggie]

It's important to realize that meeting a couple of the characteristics doesn't a disorder make. It must be maladaptive and negatively impact your life (e.g. relationships, work, etc.).

I definitely have paranoid tendencies. Especially when I smoked marijuana (which was part of the reason why I quit, along with some others).

What kind of garbage were you smoking?

[axel]

Re: Paranoid personality disorder

I wasn't expecting such an enthusiastic response from the community. I am literally buried under applications. I should have mentioned that any spontaneous candidate would be rejected de facto as non eligible.

[TomServo]

Re: Paranoid personality disorder

This guy might have it: http://youtube.com/user/Daxflame

[Crimson Glow]

Re: Paranoid personality disorder

Sometimes I really wish I had had a broader educational path than what I have had so far in my life. I always tend to stick to topics that are of immediate interest to me and never really bothered to explore the breadth rather than the depth of the opportunities I have had. But I guess it is never too late to start to expand.

I'm the same way. I wish I took up an interesting in reading and research way earlier. Such things were the last thing on my mind in my youth for personal reasons, but as you said, it's better late than never.

I manage a nutritional supplement store, so I've read quite a bit about varying health issues, be it for myself, or to be better able to help customers. It's a great feeling when you see someone come in hopeless about a situation, and leave revived because you just exposed them to a totally foreign concept that can help. "My doctor never told me that!" Of course s/he didn't. They're owned by the pharmaceutical companies. It doesn't behoove them to give you natural ways to take control of your own health, nor do most of them even know any of this.

Most disorders of the mind of this nature (anxiety disorder/panic attacks, ADD, depression, OCD, etc.) are closely related in symptoms, in what causes them, and in methods that help to remedy them. DMAE, gaba, l-tyrosine, DHA (from Omega 3), kava kava, phosphatidylserine, ginkgo biloba, taurine, DLPA, etc....you'll see a lot of these supplements reoccurring in many formulas for any of the above mentioned issues.

Even before resorting to such supplements, I would start by getting the digestive tract back in order. It's truly frightening how many of our health ailments can be traced back to poor diets, and/leading to poor digestion. This in turn leads to toxins getting into the bloodstream and reeking havoc on the kidneys, liver, gallbladder, etc. Since things like blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. are all regulated by these organs, toxins inhibiting the proper function of these organs leads to a wide variety of health problems that doctors "just can't figure out the cause of". It's all a chain reaction, and so you should start at the very beginning if you hope to kill the root of the problem.

Do a thorough detox of the colon, followed by an over-all/whole body detox (done in this order to keep the toxins in the colon from recirculating into the bloodstream, and back into the kidneys, liver, etc.). So long as you maintain a 35g+/day fiber diet, this cleansing phase won't be necessary/critical in the future, though it still doesn't hurt to do it periodically. Once that's through, start taking a good digestive enzyme and probiotic product to properly break down, and absorb your foods. The only other things I'd consider musts for over all health is fish oil, and a QUALITY multi-vitamin (not the garbage you pick up at the mass market pharmacy stores). Aside from that, milk thistle for a month once or twice a year is always a good idea. It is PHENOMENAL for the liver, with no sited side effects. There are countless studies showing that even alcoholics who have annihilated their liver (cirrhosis) have totally rejuvenated and brought back the proper function of the organ with just milk thistle alone. Definitely doesn't hurt to use it a couple times a year.

Another extremely important factor is of course exercise. More and more, the average American lifestyle (regardless of where you "came from") is becoming sedentary, from the types of jobs we work, to our hobbies (or lack there of). Exercise is critical for regulating metabolism, burning the fat around organs (FAR more important than the fat you can "see"), as well as releasing endorphins that make you "feel good". You don't have to train for a triathlon. Just get on a bike, take a swim, lead some LA cops on a foot chase, do SOMEthing to get the heart rate up for a half hour each day.

If all that, + a proper diet doesn't work after a few months, you can go from there as far as adding other supplements in. But you've got to give these things a chance to work. Don't just give up on it because you don't feel immediate relief. That's part of the problem with Western mentality, and why everything in Western medicine is usually a band-aid fix to cover up symptoms as opposed to actually getting to the root of the problem. Remember, you didn't develop the problems overnight. It took time to build up to the point where it started effecting your health, so it's going to take some time to straighten it out.