Everyone is a little paranoid. The Internal Revenue Service could audit you this year. That police car could have radar tracking your speeding vehicle. Your boss may well be out-to-get-you. Some paranoia is health. It can keep you from cheating on your taxes, speeding down the highway and causing an accident, or even working harder to keep your job. Paranoia becomes unhealthy when it becomes a constant distrust of others and/or the persistent suspicion that people around you have sinister motives and affects your life.

People with a paranoid disorder tend to see hidden meanings in everything. They perceive hostile intentions in the actions of others. They also tend to feel persecuted, which can raise feelings of hatred, rage and betrayal.

Paranoia is not only a disorder in itself, but also a mental disorder that occurs in conjunction with other more serious mental disorders like schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, and bipolar disorder. The cause of paranoia is unknown, but researchers have found that it is caused by a breakdown of various mental and emotional functions involving reasoning and assigned meanings. The reason for this breakdown in thought processes can be vast and varied or even unexplained – a response no one with paranoia wants to hear. Some research indicates symptoms of paranoia can arise from repressed, denied or projected feelings. There is no specific age for the onset of paranoia-- it can occur from childhood to old age, sometimes associated with the onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s. If left untreated, paranoia can grow into a part of a complex delusional system people construct.

According to the National Mental Health Association, there are several different types of paranoia including:

Conjugal paranoia- The belief that a spouse is cheating or has a lover and the resulting possessiveness and conflict this disorder can inspire in relationships.

Erotomania- The relentless pursuit of the object of his/her affection and the belief that the object of their affection reciprocates his/her romantic feelings or fantasies.

Hypochondriacal paranoia- The belief that one has a serious illness which doctors are conspiring to deny or acknowledge.

Culture shock- Oddly enough a sudden change in environment and/or lifestyle can cause suspicion over the differences in lifestyles, customs, attitudes and behaviors in the new environment. People lose their sense of identity and concept of home.

Some symptoms of paranoid-related disorders include mistrust, taking offense easily, difficulty with forgiveness, defensive attitude in response to imagined criticism, preoccupation with hidden motives, fear of being deceived or taken advantage of, inability to relax, argumentative, abrupt, stubborn, self-righteous, and perfectionist. Some people suffering from paranoia easily annoy or upset others, because of their rigid belief system or their inability to accept ideas that go against their belief system.

Treating paranoia is difficult because people suffering this disorder tend to distrust therapists. Usually, paranoia is treated with a therapist with a business-like approach, and without the usual insight-orientated therapy. Many times behavior therapy is aimed at reducing sensitivity to criticism and improving social skills. Because of the distrustful nature of the paranoid disorder, anxiety management and relaxation techniques are utilized as well.

To learn more about paranoia call Border Area Mental Health Services. To reach Border Area Mental Health Services in Grant and Hidalgo Counties, call 388-4412; in Catron County, call 533-6649 for referral; in Luna County, call 546-2174. For CRISIS, call 538-3488 or outside Silver City, call 1-800-426-0997.