The symptoms of paranoia involve a hypersensitive response to a delusion, which is a belief in something that isn't true. Patients who experience paranoia tend to put themselves at the center of complex scenarios that reinforce the delusion, and they may believe that the people around them are out to get them. It can be difficult for a patient to recognize symptoms and seek treatment, as the patient may think that medical providers plan to harm her. Friends and family who notice signs of paranoia should discuss them with a mental health professional to get advice on what to do, as approaching the patient directly could be counterproductive.
Paranoia can occur on its own or as part of a mental health condition. The patient develops a delusion, like the belief that a famous celebrity wants to marry him, or a suspicion that a coworker wants to kill him. He becomes increasingly defensive about the delusion and may become aggressive. When friends and family laugh off the delusion or try to minimize it, the patient can get very agitated and upset.
One of the key symptoms of paranoia is the tendency to exaggerate situations and to believe that everything ties back to the original delusion. For example, a paranoid patient who thinks coworkers are plotting against her would see two coworkers chatting in the hall and think they are talking about her. Likewise, any kind of communications from the company would be scrutinized to see if they contain hidden messages. Since none will be present, the employee may become agitated and will develop fear and anxiety, convinced that an innocuous change like a letterhead redesign is sinister in nature.
The signs of paranoia also include constant questions about the motives of other people. These can become irritating, and people might start to become aggressive, which leads the patient to believe that his suspicions are correct. When people cannot answer questions because they are not hiding anything and there's no more information left to discuss, the patient uses this as evidence to support the delusion. As the patient encounters resistance to the delusion, the symptoms of paranoia can get worse.
People who recognize the symptoms of paranoia in themselves can meet with a mental health professional to discuss the situation and talk about treatment options. These can include talk therapy as well as medications to correct imbalances in brain chemistry. Other patients may reject the idea that they have a mental health condition, and may be in need of careful intervention. This may include hospitalization for patients with very severe symptoms of paranoia.
