PARANOID DELUSIONS: HOW COMMON ARE THEY?
83MILD FORMS OF PARANOID DELUSIONS ARE COMMON
ARE YOU PARANOID DELUSIONAL?
If most of us answered honestly, we would say, "Yes, at times I am." Most diagnosed mental illness is merely an exaggerated state of an emotion or behavior most of us experience with much less intensity. Few of us can deny ever worrying about what another person is thinking of us, or misjudging his or her facial expression, statement, or body language. The old joke insisting that some people are so insecure they "believe the team is in a huddle because the players are talking about them," is only funny because most of us have felt that insecure at one time or another.
EXTREME PARANOID DELUSIONS
In my many years working with clients, I have talked with people who believed computers were controlling their thoughts, their family members were trying to poison them, and that the hospital staff were the devil's demons. One elderly lady always asked me to taste her food before she would eat it. A woman from Texas was convinced that her former husband, still living there, had talked to each of us on staff, causing us to believe she was mentally ill. We were in Georgia at the time, and I don't know about the others, but her ex and not made contact with me.
When I explained to one woman who believed her relatives were all trying to kill her, that we were sending her to a hospital so that she could figure out what was true and what was not, she managed to grab a police officer's gun, and fire it down the hall towards me as I was walking away. Luckily for me, she was not a good aim, and later explained that she had decided I was selected by her family to put her away so that she could be disposed of quietly. The woman recovered, and functioned well on prescribed medication.
COMMON DELUSIONS
The people described above, all suffered from extreme paranoid delusions, but what of the man or women who cannot stop thinking his or her mate is cheating after a single affair, years after the spouse has ceased any disloyal behavior? What about the individual who lives with fear of being fired, only to be surprised with an excellent employee evaluation and a raise? And what about you? Have you ever mistrusted a person or group with no real evidence supporting your belief that you were not well accepted by those involved?
For every person I have treated who suffered from extreme paranoid delusions, I have worked with, or known, many individuals who wished their spouses would be less jealous, overly protective, or accusing. I have listened to friends rave on and on about some person or group whom they mistrusted, or believed was against them, with rationale that failed to convince me that their assumptions were grounded in fact. Honestly speaking, I have felt insecure around certain persons or groups with no concrete evidence to support my emotions.
WHAT CAUSES INSECURITY?
Whether or not we like to admit it, most of us are still our own little center of the universe. While we may care about others and their feelings and lives, we continue to see the world from our own little spot on the planet, and judge most things according to how they effect us personally. When things and people cause us to feel safe and secure, we judge them as good, or as they ought to be. When they cause us to feel uncomfortable, we look for reasons to find fault with them. I am convinced that we are not always aware we are making these assessments, or why we are making them.
Daniel Goleman's book titled Emotional Intelligence, explains why some otherwise successful people sometimes perform poorly in the areas of human and public relations. According to his writing, we all experience something similar to post traumatic stress disorder, in that we assess the world emotionally by how we were effected by similar situations previously. We may not realize that we dislike a coworker because he reminds us of a third grade teacher whom we experienced as emotionally punishing; however, this does not make it any less true. When situations remind us of previous events, many of which are unconscious memories of which we are not even aware, our bodies and emotions react as if we were actually experiencing the former event rather then the current one. Since most of us have scores of previous negative experiences, both remembered and forgotten, we are all at risk of making negative judgments based on the negative impact of situations past.
HOW TO COPE WITH MINOR PARANOID DELUSTIONAL STATES
First of all, accept that negative feelings will occur, and that this does not have to have any impact on your behavior. The problem is not in how we feel, but in how we react. Decide not to react to negative feelings that have no basis in logic. Simply refuse to worry about how others feel about anything unless they care enough to share their feelings. Once the feelings are shared, then you can deal with them; however, most of the time we react against feelings and attitudes in others that may not even actually exist. Understand that your past experiences with one individual have absolutely nothing to do with your present experience with another one.
SAY NO TO IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT
Many times we try to control the perceptions of others through statements, behaviors, or explanations meant to contradict what we believe they are thinking about us. The truth is that they are often not thinking about us at all, or are not thinking what we feel they are thinking. Since our perceptions may be completely wrong, the best thing to do is nothing. Do not react on what you feel people are thinking. Simply do not react at all. You cannot know or control what other people think about you or anything else; therefore, the best thing for you to do about your uncomfortable feelings is nothing at all. The feelings will pass if you do not make the situation worse by calling attention to your discomfort or fear. I have found that discomfort passes, and if the other person felt negative, those feelings appear to have passed as well. Do not engage in impression management; it generally makes any uncomfortable situation worse.
CONCLUSION
Most paranoid feelings can be eliminated simply by ignoring them. If you or a loved one begins to experience delusions that cannot be ignored and begin to cause dysfunctional behavior, see a doctor or professional counselor immediately. Medications exist that can assist with social phobias and paranoid thinking; however, remember that most uncomfortable feelings are common, and will dissolve if they are simply ignored and not reacted upon. The more power you give fear or social discomfort, the greater power it has over you, so the best solution is always to ignore social discomfort and paranoid feelings, and pretend they are not being felt at all.
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Thanks for your hub Valeriebelew. I have a son who suffers with paranoid schizophrenia. It can be very trying at times, even when they are on medications and the meds have leveled off. My son is a sweetie though and despite his illness and disillusions, I love him dearly; not wanting to trade him for anyone else in the world. Fears and insecurities just come with all our lives, unfortunately. It is knowing how to handle them and support those who have a harder time dealing with it. I truly appreciate your hub!
Thank you, daisy storm. I do believe that most serious mental issues are only more intense versions of feelings we all experience. I would be proud to stand by and support my son if I were you. Thank you for commenting on my hub.
This is an interesting topic. I too have worked with several paranoid delusionals. For me-learning that I can not be of help to these individuals was the biggest step I took in my personal practice of working with clients. Most of us (humans) feel/think we can have an honest conversation with another human being and actually be heard. But, for the most part an individual who suffers from this illness does not hear the words of anyone around him/her. At least at certain times in ones life the individual who suffers from this illness can not hear at all what others around him/her are communicating. When I learned this lesson-I found it easier to give less of myself to those who can't hear my words.
I know anyone who has delt with these issues in loved ones or clients will understand how tempting it is to attempt to negotiate or reason with someone who may be in a psychotic episode. It is truely hard to walk away and allow someone to believe he/she is being attacked/tricked/blamed/treated badly.
Shealy, there are some medications that bring people out of psychosis, but otherwise you are correct. Paranoid delusional people may hear what you are saying, but they will not believe you. At times they may even believe you are involved in some conspiracy they believe is plotting against them. Reasoning with them does not work, because they aren't living in the same world we're living in, and become defensive if you do not accept their delusions as true. (: v
No, I'm in Houston, and I don't know you. I just thought your hubs were good. If you knew me, you'd know I avoid closets at all costs. I'm very out there with my faith in the Lord, however I avoid conventional paths when I don't think they are headed in the right direction sometimes. Anyway, didn't make you suspicious and sorry for doing so. Wish you the best.
jim
I have a question that may or may not be too long or inappropriate for the hub-I will try to make it short-I would like your point of view naming a disordered type of thinking.
Sixty-five year old widowed, white, living alone, woman with moderate to comfortable income-has presented with these symptoms for her entire life. Her back ground is-she has overcome difficult life circumstances, harsh childhood and normal life hardships.
1. She does not at times complete her sentences when speaking then rushes on to the next sentence/thought.
2.She becomes angry often (most of the time) with individuals in her life-she sees what is wrong with their actions instead of what is right.
3. She is not skilled in small-talk or conversation. She responds to most comments by offering both oppositional or (what she sees as helpful) advice.
Example-
I am going to eat more vegetables because they are good for me.
Her response might be "maybe you should eat more fruit because it is good for you too," or "Vegetables are not all good for you."
4. During this conversation if the person who wants to eat more vegetable responds "Well, I have been told by my doctor to eat more vegetables." She hears a returned remark as argumentative. She believes she is being picked on under this condition-or feels the other person has "something wrong with them" if they resist her advice-she does not see that she has prvoked the conditions of the conversation.
5. She will not allow others to give her advice at all-it makes her angry.
6. If confronted on her behavior her response might be "Well, than I just won't talk," or "something is wrong with you if I can't give my opinions."
Is there a quick phrase that might sum up the term that would describe this disorder?
Thank you. Your help will be appreciated.
Gosh, I'd hesitate to try to diagnose someone I haven't spent any time with at all. I don't think there is a quick diagnosis for anyone; however, the behavior you described sounds defensive. This person obviously has some problems with interpersonal relationships, but it usually takes some time to even develop enough trust to start working on these types of deep seeded issues.
There may be a little fear involved in these responses, since you said she takes it as argumentative if you even disagree with her, but I know a few people who do that, and they wouldn't all be classified as paranoid. Sounds like this could be a family member, or maybe a mother in law.
Counseling might help, but my feeling is that she probably would not be willing to go. Do you think she could be dealing with issues of aging, already? Has she always been like this, or do you know? Changes in personality or preceptions often have medical and physical reasons, like a minor stroke, for example. She would really have to see someone in person, and maybe even a medical doctor, to get a clear view of what the problem is with her.
Thanks for commenting on my site. I hope I have helped some, and sorry I can't help more.
One more thing, I just read through your comment again, and wonder if she has ever been abused or in a battering relationship. If she has been shamed over and over, and many times, that could also make her develop this type of defensiveness. (: v
Thank you for responding so quickly-yes-she suffers from a harsh child hood-for the most part-I think others would just want to help her to see who she is-so she can stop all the "pushing away" that she does in life. This is not an aging issue but certainly will be harder now than when she was 20.
Now that she is of the age where she will be going into senior situations with new people-it would be so lovely if she could "not" push away everyone. But, as she would prefer to be in her home most of the time-and not social-there will probably be few changes in her. Sad...
But thank you-your comment certainly should be a reminder that her behavior is not intended to be as difficult as it is for those who try to relate to her.
You are correct that it would have been easier to overcome this kind of thinking when she was younger. Problem with trauma survivors is that there is always some PTSD present, though it may not be recognized as what it is to others. For instance, if someone has been abused emotionally, that person will imagine people are doing it now, when it is not actually happening. It is not that they want to feel that way; they actually believe it is going on. She probably lives in fear of rejection or emotional abuse much of the time, and imagines any disagreement with her to be either or both, when it is neither. Part of the cure is knowing it is going on, and even that does not stop it. Thanks for visiting me again. I am about to check out some of your hubs. (: v
You may find what I do interesting-I am authentic in what I do. I am a practitioner of organic spiritualtiy and promote the use of intuition as a means of self healing mental and physical issues. I have been blessed in working with some of most unique and celebrated individuals in the world.
Life certainly is amazing-a simple gal like me has met with some of the most untouchable of folks.
Yes, life is truly amazing. We sometimes end up in places we never dreamed of going, and being someone we never thought we would become. Thanks for visiting my site. I read some of your hubs, liked them, and decided to follow, so you've got the fan back that you lost, in numbers anyway. And no, you weren't mean, and I wouldn't give a rat's ass what anybody thinks about what you write. They are free to love you or leave you, and if they leave, others will still join and follow. There are more where they came from (: v
Great hub as I will be going into a field of mental illness even though I already have experience but only as a drug and alcohol counselor(which many of those clients have real delusions as well) this just shows to always have an awareness minus the paranoia. I have worked with clients that too have thoughts cameras were in clocks and so on.
Yep, the delusion that big brother, or the FBI are watching is a common one. Good luck on your new job, or experience. (:v
If you read my hub, "Henry's Last Letter", perhaps you sensed my abilities at being delusional. If when you I do it to find the role of a character for an article, it is exhausting for me just as if it were real life. You know what they say down at the asylum..."Insanity is just a perspective!" Thanks for a good hub! WB
I'm hearing ya, Wayne. I have to play music and concentrate and focus hard to become one of my characters in order to write from their perspective. I almost have to get crazy to write about being crazy and yes, it is hard work. (:v
I was wondering do you do work with phobia's?
Yes. I have. Generally systematic desentization is the treatment for phobias, and the technique is actually pretty simple but can take some time.
A very informative hub and very helpful especially about not reacting and ignoring negative thoughts
This is a very interesting hub. I really like how you explain that: "Most diagnosed mental illness is merely an exaggerated state of an emotion or behavior most of us experience with much less intensity.”
I have long thought that so it’s good to hear it from a professional.
I have a close relative who has ongoing untreated paranoia. Trying to argue this person out of their beliefs is impossible, but I have found that if I am willing - and able - to listen then I am also heard. I cannot change how she thinks overall, but do hope that listening and acknowledging her feelings and needs might in some small way help her to feel safer.
Melovy, I have a sister who also appears to believe things that I seriously doubt are true. It started with a crush on her pastor, and some shameful feelings about it. Now, she actually believes that this pastor is talking to the pastors of every church she visits, and causing them to think she is a sinful woman, or a potential homewrecker, or mentally ill, or whatever she believes it to be at the time. There is no use trying to dispute this belief so I just listen. The truth is that she never actually did anything except be attracted to the man, but has an over active sense of morality and guilt. This is a very well educated woman who is very intelligent, but emotions aren't controlled by intellect.
Hi my son had too much stress at a time brake up with girlfriend, uni stress, house maids stress and had some paranoid thoghts he was put on risperidone 2mg and is better now how long should he be on it. He was also smocking cannabis as a result of the stress now has stoped? will he be ok and have normal life he has taken 6 months of uni to recover.
Interesting hub, Valerie.
I fully agree with your point that we are all somewhere on this suspiciousness spectrum, and it is an arbitrary line we draw above which we conclude an "illness".
When do schizophrenics start believing their paranoia? I have been having a paranoid thought for two months that my boyfriend is trying to poison me. I do not believe it at all, not even %0, but I am worried I will start believing it. I have recently been diagnosed with anxiety and depression, with OCD tendencies. Schizophrenia is my biggest fear in life. The psychiatrist told me he doesn't see it in me, but it is all I can think about!
Kristie - From the brief information you provide, it seems that your thoughts about being poisoned have nothing to do with psychosis. It sounds more like obsessive anxiety where a number of threatening thoughts intrude into your mind (typically of the, "What if..." variety). As is typical of obsessive anxiety, you have no conviction in your feared outcomes.
One final point I feel obliged to mention is that there is no such thing as "schizophrenia" (at least not as a unitary biological illness) but perhaps I'm straying into another topic, and a contentious one at that!
Kristie, I don't know when schizophrenics begin to believe their delusions, but you sound more Obsessive compulsive than schizophrenic. Why would you continue to think your boyfriend is trying to kill you? Couldn't he just leave since you guys aren't even married? You might consider asking your doctor about Paxil or a med that treats obsessive compulsive tendencies. You seem to know the delusions aren't true, but Paxil or a similar drug could treat the symptoms of anxiety and obsession.
Or are you leaving your boyfriend a sizable amount of money in your will? In that case it may not be a delusion.
Am quite sure my sister is paranoid (perscutory) delusional. Been like that for years - v mousy person who claims everyone in the office is talking abt her n plotting against her, so she needs to whisper into the phone; sibling is trying to take away her share of the property, when in fact, she has no stake in it at all; lives like a hermit with room in a complete mess - u can't even see the floor. Want to take her to see a psychiatrist...but how do to u someone who is delusional that she is delusional??
I meant, how do u tell someone who is delusional that she is delusional and needs help? Any ideas?! Am desperate...thanks!
Garnetbird 2 years ago
THANK you for your kind comments; today was a grey day in the mountains and your email brightened up my afternoon. I am recovering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome and enjoyed your article on paranoia. I am not paranoid, but used to work with adults with devere deluions and paranoia.Keep up the great work!! Georgia is lovely;' I've been there a few times.