Although they are lesser known mental illnesses, many people suffer from personality disorders that affect their daily life. Paranoid personality disorder is an issue that causes the sufferer to have constant feelings of distrust and suspicion making it hard for them to maintain close relationships. They may feel too suspicious of others to confide in them, believing that they have ill intentions and are seeking to harm them.
Understanding Paranoid Personality Disorder (PPD)
Someone with paranoid personality disorder often feels threatened by others and feels that they are eventually going to betray, exploit or hurt them in some way. The disorder often develops in adolescence and young adulthood when the person begins to lose their sense of being grounded in reality. People with this disorder often will not talk about their feelings and secretly harbor suspicions for long periods of time.
This disorder can sometimes be difficult to treat as the person may begin to develop suspicions about their therapist or other mental health professionals treating them. However, if the individual doesn’t get any type of treatment they can develop chronic paranoia. The combination of medication and regular treatment may help reduce some of their paranoid feelings and they can start to develop trust with their therapist and other people in a treatment program.
For someone with paranoid personality disorder it can also be crucial to get support from family and friends as they receive treatment. They will need to learn how to trust people in their lives and reduce some of their suspicious thoughts. Family and group therapy can be useful for this disorder so that the individual can rebuild relationships and feel a close connection with others again.
Paranoid personality disorder can be a complex problem to treat but with regular therapy and medication it is possible to reduce many of the symptoms and manage the illness effectively.
