Schizophrenia is one of the most serious of all psychiatric disorders and is equally complex. Paranoid Schizophrenia is a sub type of schizophrenia in which the patent experiences hallucinations and delusions of great intensity. These are often bizarre, irrelevant and changeable in nature and lead to the deterioration of judgment and impair performance capabilities. This type of behavior is often erratic, unpredictable and occasionally dangerous. In Paranoid schizophrenia, there is usually less general behavior disorientation than in other types of schizophrenia along with less withdrawal from social interactions.

In earlier times, about one-half of all schizophrenic patients were initially diagnosed as Paranoid Schizophrenia. In recent years, however, there has been a substantial decrease in the prevalence rates of Paranoid type, while statistics have revealed a marked increase in undifferentiated type. One of the reasons attributed to this change relates to the treatment of schizophrenic patients with anti-psychotic medication, that helps suppress various symptoms such as paranoid delusions.

Symptoms of Paranoid Schizophrenia:

Individuals suffering from paranoid type schizophrenia are extremely suspicious in character.

These individuals also face a great deal of trouble in maintaining good interpersonal relations.

They have illogical, bizarre and irrelevant delusions that are extremely real in character.

Of all other types, persecutory delusions are the most common. They often involve several vague ideas, plots and conspiracies. The patient is likely to feel threatened and becomes suspicious of close friends and relatives. These individuals constantly complain of being watched or stalked by someone. They develop unrealistic notions that someone might poison them or is plotting up against them. In a number of cases, they even assume that they have enemies who want to kill them or harm them.

Delusions based on grandeur are also common among these patients who often project that they possess an extremely important or authoritative position. They may go about proclaiming that they are the President of a powerful nation, dictators, celebrities or even God.

Delusions are accompanied by auditory and visual hallucinations. These phantasms are extremely fabulous and real. Patients may claim of seeing visions or hearing angels in heaven. In some cases they may even claim of having been kidnapped by aliens who conducted experiments on them or hear the voices of their enemies. Some individuals may also claim of having experienced stigmata.

In Paranoid Schizophrenia an individual’s though pattern and behavior becomes centered on the delusional themes. Often, these themes provide them a sense of identity and importance which might not be attainable for the individual otherwise. The individual however, does not completely lose contact with reality but may become hostile and violent in response to the hallucinations and delusions he/she experiences.