Paranoid personality disorder, or PPD, is a mental health disorder that is marked by a pattern of suspicion and distrust of others without any acceptable reason for being suspicious. People with PPD tend to believe that others are always trying to harm, threaten, or demean them. They don’t think that there is any problem with their way of thinking or behaving.

PPD is part of a group of mental health conditions referred to as Cluster-A (eccentric personality disorders). Individuals suffering from these disorders often exhibit unusual and eccentric behaviour or thinking.

Individuals with PPD often do not experience hallucinations or delusions with paranoia, as in the case of those suffering from schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia, and severe manic episodes (as in bipolar disorder).

Symptoms

People suffering from this personality disorder remain on guard all the time because of the belief that others are always trying to harm, threaten, or demean them. These are often unfounded beliefs and affect their ability to develop close or any kind of workable relationships. Their social lives are often severely limited.

As such, the symptoms of paranoid personality disorder include the following:

• Doubting the commitment, trustworthiness, and loyalty of others
• The belief that others are out to exploit or deceive them
• Reluctance to confide in others or reveal personal information because of the fear that it might be used against them
• unforgiving and clinging to grudges
• Hypersensitivity and taking criticism seriously
• Reading hidden meanings in others’ casual looks or innocent remarks
• Imagining attacks on their characters that are not obvious to others
• Having persistent suspicions without any reason
• Remaining distant and cold as far as their relationships with others are concerned, and assuming control and being jealous to prevent betrayal
• Not seeing their role in conflicts or problems and believing they are always right
• Having difficulty relaxing
• Displaying hostility, obstinacy, and argumentativeness

Typically, individuals with PPD start experiencing symptoms in their late teens or early adulthood. Both males and females are seen to develop this personality disorder.

Causes and Risk Factors

Scientists do not exactly know why some individuals develop a paranoid personality disorder. However, they believe that a combination of biological and environmental factors contributes to the development of PPD. Emotional, physical, and supervision neglect during childhood has a significant role to play in the development of this disorder in adolescence or early adulthood. Besides, early childhood trauma could also be a contributor. Furthermore, it has been observed that there is an increased prevalence of PPD among people whose family members have schizophrenia.

How to Deal with Paranoid Personality Disorder

If you have been diagnosed with PPD and you want to manage the disorder, there are a few things that you can do.

• Try to reduce stress levels by practicing meditation and breathing techniques. Listening to music and doing yoga may also be helpful in reducing stress.
• Ensure that your sleep routine is normal. Lack of sleep can worsen symptoms and aggravate your condition.
• Think about the reasons behind your fears.
• Eat a balanced diet. It will have a positive impact on your physical as well as mental states.
• Engage in activities that create positive feelings in you.
• When in public, remain calm, be confident, and join discussions so that you don't feel uncomfortable.

Treatment

As part of treatment, the mental health professional you are working with will order one or two diagnostic tests and procedures. The evaluation often begins with a physical examination and a review of your medical history. Laboratory tests may also be ordered as per requirements. At SoftMind, our mental health professionals follow standard guidelines and carry out a paranoid personality disorder test to assess and identify various personality traits.

For people with mild paranoid personality disorder, psychotherapy or talk therapy like cognitive behavioural therapy or dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) is the best treatment option. It focuses on enhancing general coping skills and improving social interaction, self-esteem, and communication.

We do not generally prescribe any medication for treating PPD. However, antidepressant, anti-anxiety, or antipsychotic drugs may be prescribed if your symptoms are severe or you have anxiety or depression.

If you are searching for the best centre for paranoid personality disorder treatment in Thrissur, you don’t have to look beyond SoftMind. Book an appointment today!