paranoid

Paranoid is an adjective used to describe someone who has the mental disorder paranoia, which is characterized by delusions and feelings of extreme distrust, suspicion, and being targeted by others. Such thoughts and actions can also be described as paranoid.

Paranoid is also commonly used more generally to mean overly suspicious or irrationally distrustful of others. It’s important to understand that while paranoid is used generally outside of its psychiatric usage in a way that makes it seem less serious, being paranoid is a major symptom of disorders like paranoid schizophrenia and paranoid personality disorder.

Example: Just because I lock my doors at night doesn’t mean I’m being paranoid—it just means I’m being cautious.

The first records of paranoid come from the early 1900s from the context of psychology. Records of its use in a more general way come from around the 1950s. It is based on paranoia, which is recorded earlier and derives from the Greek paránoia, meaning “madness.” Paranoia is formed from para–, meaning “abnormal” or “defective,” and nous, meaning “mind.”

Most people understand the concept of what it means for someone to be paranoid: their fear is heightened, they sense danger everywhere, and they feel like everyone is conspiring against them. While most people may have had similar feelings at one time or another, people who have been diagnosed with paranoia, such as paranoid personality disorder and paranoid schizophrenia, experience them to an extreme degree, sometimes in the form of delusions. Such delusions often focus on what’s perceived as constant persecution from others. Still, paranoid is very commonly used in a more general way to describe such thoughts or people who act in an overly distrusting or suspicious way. In this way, it is almost always used negatively as a criticism of someone.

What are some other forms related to paranoid?

• paranoia (noun)
• paranoiac (noun, adjective)
• paranoeac (noun, adjective)

What are some synonyms for paranoid?

• overly suspicious 
• irrationally distrustful

What are some words that share a root or word element with paranoid? 

• paralexia

What are some words that often get used in discussing paranoid?

• disorder
• mental illness
• suspicion
• distrust
• fear
• persecution
• schizophrenia
• personality
• anxiety

Paranoid is a formal psychiatric term, but it is commonly used in a more general or casual way to describe certain feelings, behaviors, or personalities.

Mr Ebs had his best day so far yesterday. Pain is still there but improving and delirium is much better, which is the best, because he's in much better spirits and not having paranoid delusions.

I think I mentioned that we recently discovered he had had a stroke at some point?>

— Ebony Artworkz (@quiltineb1) March 25, 2020

Anyone else with a history of psychosis struggling with paranoid thoughts? Cos mine are getting bad again. When I go out to get meds / food I’m terrified people are spying on me / will report me to the police / govt. On top@of this is the anxiety around germs and cleanliness. 1/2

— Len (@LenDemetriou) March 23, 2020

i genuinely am paranoid that everyone secretly hates me and thinks i am really really annoying and awful and is pretending to be my friend and it’s all part of some big joke

— ☾ (@wipeyourtearsss) March 12, 2020

A person or behavior described as paranoid is most likely characterized by which of the following things?

A. distrust
B. suspicion
C. feelings of being targeted
D. all of the above