Paranoid personality disorder

Alternative names:

paranoia

Definition:

An unwarranted tendency to interpret the actions of other people as deliberately threatening or demeaning.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

People with a paranoid personality disorder are suspicious of other people, and they are usually unable to acknowledge their own negative feelings towards others. They do not lose touch with reality. The cause of this disorder is unknown, but the incidence appears increased in families with a schizophrenic member.