Paranoid psychophrenia, or paranoid schizophrenia, is a serious condition that can cause delusions and hallucinations. It often manifests between the early teens and mid-30s and may have genetic and environmental causes. Treatment is recommended to avoid severe antisocial behavior and other negative outcomes.
Paranoid psychophrenia is an alternative term for paranoid schizophrenia, which is a psychosis that can lead a person to lose touch with the world or reality. While it can be a very serious condition, those with this form of the disorder are often much more successful at leading normal lives than people with other forms of schizophrenia. Common symptoms experienced by people with the condition can include elaborate delusions about strangers or even friends who want to harm them. It is also common to experience auditory hallucinations which can reinforce these delusions. There may be problems with concentration and memory as well as dull emotions, although these symptoms may be less severe than those associated with other types of disorder.
The causes of paranoid schizophrenia are not fully understood, although there may be both genetic and environmental components. A family history of schizophrenia can be one of the key indicators, and those with such a history may want to watch out for symptom onset. Environmental causes can include poor diet, contracting viruses in the womb, or taking excessive amounts of psychoactive drugs while the brain is still forming. Regardless of the cause, paranoid psychophrenia typically manifests between the early teens and mid-30s.
The most common symptoms of paranoid psychophrenia include delusions and hallucinations. The delusions often lead the person to believe that the government is after them, or that a colleague or friend is trying to harm or kill them. Delusions of grandeur may also be experienced, in which the person has a significantly inflated sense of importance, believes they have special powers, or a relationship with a celebrity. There may also be auditory hallucinations that feel very real. These voices can be just plain unpleasant, or they can be part of whatever delusion the person is suffering from.
A variety of other symptoms may be present in addition to delusions and hallucinations. Two things to look for include suicidal thoughts or tendencies and an emotional distance. Sufferers of paranoid schizophrenia may also have problems with violence and anger, behave in a condescending manner, or be particularly argumentative.
It is generally recommended to seek treatment if symptoms of paranoid psychophrenia occur. This is a condition that is not known to go away or improve without treatment, and if left untreated it could actually get worse. Because the paranoid delusions commonly associated with paranoid psychophrenia can lead to severely antisocial behavior, those left untreated can experience relationship problems, have difficulty finding or keeping a job, and can end up homeless or incarcerated. Treatment can help avoid many of these situations, although in some cases, antipsychotic drugs may pose risks of their own.
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