Paranoia: features of diagnosis and treatment

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Paranoia is a mental disorder in which one specific idea completely takes over a person's consciousness and prevents him from thinking about anything else. Thoughts of jealousy, persecution, poisoning are observed; such a person may begin to complain about everyone or sue.

A psychiatrist is involved in the treatment and diagnosis of paranoia.

Men often have pathological ideas of jealousy. Such a husband or partner can endlessly accuse his partner of cheating, find evidence in everything, and see a “lover” in every man he knows and doesn’t know. Women have ideas of persecution, they are convinced that someone wants to harm them. The person’s condition gradually deteriorates, he becomes obsessed and can no longer work, study, or take care of himself. Learn more about the symptoms and diagnosis of paranoia.

Is paranoia treatable? With adequate treatment, a competent specialist is able to achieve stable and long-term remission for the patient. The question “can paranoia be cured” has now been resolved; the main thing is not to hesitate to seek qualified help and find a competent, experienced psychiatrist.

Important

A large number of psychiatrists and psychotherapists practice in Moscow. Choose a specialist based on work experience, education, and professional interests. A big plus is having an academic degree - Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor. But the most important thing is customer reviews.

A private psychiatrist will tell you how to remove paranoia. In the treatment of this condition, drug correction is used; in mild cases, psychotherapy can be used.

Causes of paranoia

The etiology of the disease has not yet been fully elucidated. Unlike schizophrenia and some other mental illnesses, the connection between paranoia and genetic characteristics has not been confirmed. Experts suggest that the development of pathology may be due to:

• injuries, tumors, brain surgeries affecting the limbic system and basal ganglia;
• the influence of stressful life situations and circumstances;
• specific, hostile relationships in the family;
• social isolation, lack of communication, etc.

It is believed that the development of paranoia is predisposed by severe stress, accompanied by cruel (both morally and physically) attitude of others, strong envy, anger, which is why a person is left alone. He withdraws into himself, trying to find the reasons for what happened. Gradually, anxiety and restlessness develop, and a feeling of complete hopelessness appears. In such a situation, the formation of delusional, paranoid ideas is one of the mechanisms of subconscious psychological defense.

Risk factors

There is a theory that one of the factors that can contribute to the development of persecutory delusions is an innate feature of the human nervous system. It manifests itself in increased sensitivity, emotionality, and a tendency to exaggerate.

Particularly susceptible to the development of the disorder are people who in childhood experienced hypercontrol in their upbringing or ignorance from loved ones, which further contributes to the development of a victim complex and delusions of persecution. Failure in the nervous system can also occur under the influence of traumatic situations.

COST OF TREATMENT FOR MENTAL DISEASES

The duration of treatment in a hospital is from 14 to 90 days, depending on the severity of the disease.
TREATMENT IN A HOSPITAL.

AMBULATORY TREATMENT

TREATMENT IN A HOSPITAL

Inpatient treatment – ​​accommodation options

AMBULATORY TREATMENT

Ambulatory treatment

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Paranoia: its signs

During the course of the disease, it is difficult to identify any clear stages. Sometimes the manifestation of the disease may be preceded by a prodromal period, which is characterized by mood changes. The patient is less and less likely to be in a complacent mood. Suspiciousness, gloominess, self-absorption, pickiness are typical. A person can avoid communication, provoke scandals and conflicts.

With paranoia, symptoms usually appear when what is happening is somehow related to formed delusional ideas. Otherwise, the patient does not give the impression of a mentally unhealthy person, especially during the period of remission. He takes care of his appearance, is neat, is able to maintain a logically coherent conversation, and in some cases his ability to work is preserved.

Clinical signs of the main types of paranoia

The disease worsens (symptoms are variable and differ depending on the specific form of paranoid syndrome) sharply, under the influence of any external factors.

Erotomanic

The patient is sure that someone has serious feelings for him. As a rule, the “object” of desire is a person standing noticeably higher on the social ladder (for example, a boss, an oligarch, a politician) or a well-known media personality (an actor, a musician). Delusional ideas can be of a purely romantic, spiritual nature, or even have overt sexual content.

Depending on the personality characteristics, the patient may keep such a “feeling” secret or make a lot of efforts to meet his “lover”. In the event of a categorical refusal, he easily “switches” to a new object.

Delusions of grandeur

People suffering from this form of paranoia are convinced that they have some kind of talent. These could be creative, paranormal abilities. Sometimes they are sure that they have a special relationship with very real personalities (the president, the head of the intelligence services) or an imaginary deity. The patient may declare himself the messiah, etc.

Marital paranoia

Accompanied by obsessive thoughts about the infidelity of a spouse or cohabitant. A person constantly tries to find confirmation of his suspicions, sees evidence of betrayal in any words and actions, and “appoints” someone to the role of “lover.” He can arrange a search, harass those around him with his thoughts, and strive with all his might to obtain a confession of infidelity. As a rule, such a situation ends in divorce, after which temporary relief occurs, but soon the delirium appears again. It can be directed either at a former spouse, or relate to a new relationship.

Paranoid persecution syndrome

It is characterized by obsessive thoughts that someone is actively interfering with the achievement of goals, trying to cause moral or material harm, or deceiving. Behavior is dominated by excessive suspicion, sometimes by overt aggression and anger directed at the “persecutors.”

Hypochondriacal

Confidence in one's own serious incurable illness is typical. The patient constantly looks for symptoms of pathology, goes to doctors, gets tested, listens to his own feelings and reacts sharply to the slightest changes in well-being. Often, hypochondriacal paranoia, the symptoms and signs of which are associated with an imaginary disease, is superimposed on psychosomatic disorders, which further aggravates the course of the disease.

Other forms of mental disorder

• the idea of ​​wealth;
• obsession;
• intellectual delirium, in which the patient believes that only he is capable of understanding the laws of the universe or some particular branch of science, often puts forward contradictory thoughts about the creation and structure of the world.

Classification of persecution mania

By origin, delusions of persecution can be primary and secondary. The primary option is called interpretive; it is based on a disorder of thinking. The secondary – figurative and sensory – is formed on the basis of hallucinations. According to the content (plot), there are many types of persecutory delusions:

• Delirium of damage. The patient is convinced that they are trying to steal or damage his property.
• Delirium of poisoning. Confidence that pursuers add poison to food and water.
• Delusional relationship. Objects, people and events take on special meaning.
• Delirium of influence. The idea of ​​using physical or mental influence to control behavior.
• Nonsense of queralism. Thoughts about intentional infringement of rights. A craving for complaints, litigation, and the fight for justice.
• Delirium of jealousy. Ideas about cheating, betrayal of a partner.
• Nonsense of staging. All events that occur are perceived and interpreted by the patient as part of a performance, an experiment on him.
• Delirium of obsession. The patient believes that another creature has possessed him and is controlling him.
• Delirium of a double. With the positive option, strangers are perceived as friends and relatives. If negative, close people are strangers with good makeup.
• Delirium of metamorphosis. The idea of ​​magical transformation into an animate being or object.
• Bullshit of accusations. It seems to the patient that people are constantly accusing him, out loud or mentally, of crimes, troubles, and tragedies.

Paranoia: what to do, principles of treatment

Hospitalization is indicated in the acute period, when the patient is completely inadequate and can attack both relatives or acquaintances and completely strangers. In some cases, at the peak of delusional thoughts, the patient may try to commit suicide.

Treatment of paranoia in a hospital provides not only constant monitoring of the patient’s condition and intentions. When the syndrome worsens, it is very important to establish contact with a doctor, and often in such a situation the patient quite logically “integrates” taking medications into the structure and content of the delusional disorder.

For treatment, drugs from the group of antipsychotics are usually prescribed, and after remission is achieved, maintenance therapy with antidepressants, lithium-based drugs, and sedatives is possible.

Paranoia: how to get rid of the disease using non-drug methods

In addition to mandatory medication, psychotherapy is indicated. Group classes are ineffective and can lead to the opposite result - refusal of treatment. Therefore, at the Cordia Clinic we offer individual consultations. In a personal conversation, the doctor can determine how to treat paranoia and how appropriate it is to use potent drugs.

Physiotherapy is useful in helping to normalize sleep, reduce psychomotor agitation, and eliminate hyperreactivity of the nervous system. Sports activities have an excellent effect.

But doctors categorically warn against treating paranoia at home. Complications and worsening of the disorder can only be avoided with inpatient or outpatient therapy under the supervision of an experienced specialist. And the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease requires mandatory consultation with a doctor.

We do not give a 100% guarantee that we will be able to completely cure paranoia: some forms of the disease simply cannot be treated. But our doctors will select the appropriate medications and the right tactics of psychotherapy, which will allow you to achieve stable remission in the shortest possible time, when only maintenance treatment is required. Call us at +7 (495) 367-23-13 and sign up for a consultation!

Use of psychological methods

The use of psychological methods can completely help get rid of phobias and anxiety disorders accompanied by fear of persecution, and significantly reduce the severity of symptoms in the case of delirium. The main psychological method for treating persecutory delusions is cognitive behavioral therapy. Delusion of persecution is a destructive mental state in which a person is pathologically convinced that he is being watched and they want to harm him.