Understanding the Paranoid Personality

Often, you hear someone refer to a friend or acquaintance as, “Oh, he is just paranoid.”  It is a name often bandied around, as is unjustly used for someone who takes offense at a trivial event.  Unfortunately, victims of true paranoia are unaware of their problems, and it is often difficult to bring a semblance of reality to what they believe is true.

Paranoidal or delusional disorder is typified by irrational mistrust, of intense suspicions of the things that occur in everyday life, things that normally offer no such justifications. They take offense easily and have difficulty forgiving. Criticism, either real or imagined, is unduly offensive to them. 

The challenge of paranoia is daunting, and at the office of New Rochelle Psychiatry Office our trained professionals are prepared to offer our patients an understanding of the condition of which they are often unaware.  With a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and medication, patients can regain a grip on those things that plague them and restore their grip on reality.

It can be difficult to treat a person with paranoia since they are often irritable, emotionally suspicious and hostile. This can hamper treatment, so that improvement can be a challenge. In these disorders, while no other symptoms are present, except in their thoughts, patients can usually function in everyday life, although their behavior can lead to relative isolation because of their untrusting behavior. 

At the office of New Rochelle Psychiatry Office, we understand that treatment may be slow, but building a trusting relationship with our patients can help dispel their irrational thoughts and improve their social skills, which have been diminished by their paranoid behavior. Regardless of how slow the process, effective management of the condition is possible — and will lead to greater quality of life for those affected. For more information, give us a call today.