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Mental Disorders

Paranoid Personality Disorder Symptoms

Mark Dombeck, Ph.D. Updated: Nov 5th 2001

Paranoid Personality Disorder Symptoms

A pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others such that their motives are interpreted as malevolent, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by four (or more) of the following:

  • suspects, without sufficient basis, that others are exploiting, harming, or deceiving him or her
  • is preoccupied with unjustified doubts about the loyalty or trustworthiness of friends or associates
  • is reluctant to confide in others because of unwarranted fear that the information will be used maliciously against him or her
  • reads hidden demeaning or threatening meanings into benign remarks or events
  • persistently bears grudges, i.e., is unforgiving of insults, injuries, or slights
  • perceives attacks on his or her character or reputation that are not apparent to others and is quick to react angrily or to counterattack
  • has recurrent suspicions, without justification, regarding fidelity of spouse or sexual partner

Criteria summarized from:
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fourth edition. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

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