Antisocial Personality Disorder

People with paranoid personality disorder are excessively mistrustful and suspicious of others, without any gratification.



They tend not to confide in others and think other people want to harm them. The defining characteristic of people with paranoid personality disorder is a pervasive unjustified distrust. People with this disorder are suspicious and unfounded. Even events that have nothing to do with them are interpreted as personal attacks.



for eg. These people would view a neighbor’s barking dog or a delayed airline flight as a deliberate attempt to annoy them. Such mistrusts often extends to people close to them and makes meaningful relationships very difficult. They do not become close to others because they feel that the information they share will be used against them.  They have excessive trust within themselves and so are not able to make close relations.



They are generally preoccupied with doubts about trustworthiness and loyalty. Individuals with this disorder are difficult to get along and so have fewer close relationships.

These patients are argumentive, may complain or may be quiet and hostile toward others. They often appear tense and are ready to pounce when they think they’ve been slighted by someone. These individuals are very sensitive to criticism and have an excessive need for autonomy.



Compliments are too,misinterpreted.They generally don’t disclose their personal information. Paranoid traits are adaptive in threatening environments.

Two percent people are reported to have paranoid personality disorder in general population, whereas 15% people are reported in psychiatric settings.

Evidence for biological contribution to paranoid personality disorder is limited. Heredity plays an important role in this disorder.



Relatives of individuals with schizophrenia are more likely to have paranoid personality disorder.

Psychological contributions to this disorder are even less limited. People with this disorder have the following basic mistaken assumptions about others. People are malevolent and deceptive. It is also associated with parental upbringing.



In early childhood, parents teach them to be careful about making mistakes and to impress on them that they are different from other people.

Treatment to these patients is difficult because of clients mistrust and suspicion. Various psychosocial therapies help the paranoid personality patients to cope with the problem. Therapists try to provide an atmosphere that is conducive in developing a sense of trust. Cognitive therapy focuses on changing the person’s beliefs that all people are malevolent and that most people cannot be trusted. Anti-psychotic drugs are usually recommended to treat the patient’s.