**Paranoid Personality Disorder

Someone is always __________________them.

"out to get"

Because they trust no one, they are constantly

'testing' the honesty of others.

Paranoid personality disorder is characterized by a

persuasive, persistent, and inappropriate mistrust of others.

People who are paranoid are extremely

vulnerable and constantly on the defense.

A pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others such that their motives are interrupted as malevolent, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by 4 or more of the following:

1. Suspects, without sufficient basis, that others are exploiting, harming, or deceiving him or her 2. Is preoccupied with unjustified doubts about the loyalty or trustworthiness of friends or associates. 3. Is reluctant to confide in others because of unwarranted fear that the information will be used maliciously against him or her. 4. Reads hidden demeaning or threatening meanings into benign remarks or events. 5. Persistently bears grudges (unforgiving of insults, injuries, slights) 6. Perceives attacks on his or her character or reputation that are not apparent to others and is quick to react angrily or to counterattack. 7. Has recurrent suspicions, without justification, regarding fidelity of spouse or sexual partner.

Research has indicated a possible hereditary link in paranoid personality disorder.

Studies have revealed a higher incidence of paranoid personality disorder among relatives of clients with schizophrenia than among control subjects.

Individuals with paranoid personality disorder are suspicious of others' motives and assume that

others intend to exploit, harm, or deceive them.

The desire for reprisal and vindiction is so intense that a possible loss of control can result in

aggression and violence. These outbursts are usually brief, and the paranoid person soon regains the external control, rationalizes the behavior, and reconstructs the defenses central to his/her personality pattern.

Hypervigilant

an overactive awareness of things around you

Any real or imagined threat can release

hostility and anger that is fueled by animosities from the past.

Paranoid Personality Disorder (Cluster A)

is defined as a pattern of passive mistrust and suspiciousness of others and misinterpretation of others' motives as malevolent.

This disorder is more commonly Dx in ______________.

men than women.

Another diagnostic criteria is that it doesn't

occur exclusively during the course of schizophrenia, a bipolar disorder or depressive disorder with psychotic features, or another psychotic disorder and is not attributable to the physiological effects of another medical condition.

Individuals with paranoid personality disorder are constantly

on guard, hyper-vigilant, and ready for any real or imagined threat.

They do not accept responsibility for

their own behaviors and feelings and project this responsibility on to others.

Individuals with paranoid personality disorder maintain

their self-esteem by attributing their short-comings to others.

They appear

tense and irritable.

They are envious and hostile toward others who are highly successful and believe

the only reason they are not as successful is because they have been treated unfairly.

Some personality/behavioral traits include:

~avoid interactions w other people lest they be forced to relinquish some of their own power. ~always feel that others are taking advantage ~extremely oversensitive and tend to misinterpret even minute cues w/n the environment, magnifying and distorting them into thoughts of trickery and deception

Psychological predisposing factors include:

~hx of childhood trauma, including neglect ~~parental antagonism and harassment ~~~learned to perceive the world as harsh & unkind ~~display protective vigilance and mistrust ~~~~"chip-on-the-shoulder" attitude resulting in rejection ~anticipating humiliation and betrayal by others, learn to defend by attacking first

Clinical Picture:

~insensitive to feelings of others ~~oversensitive ~~~tends to misinterpret minute cues ~~~~magnifies/distorts cues in environment ~~~~~does not accept responsibility for behavior ~~~~~attributes shortcomings to others ~~~~~constantly on gaurd ~~~~hypervilgilant ~~~ready for any real or imagined threat ~~trusts no one ~constantly tests the honesty of others