Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
paranoia
par·a·noi·a [ par-uh-noi-uh ]
Subclass of:
Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders
Etymology:
Greek paranoia = madness
An ancient Greek term formed of para = beside (or not normal), noein = to think, and -ia = disease.
An ancient Greek term formed of para = beside (or not normal), noein = to think, and -ia = disease.
Definitions related to paranoia:
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A mental disorder in which a person has an extreme fear and distrust of others. A paranoid person may have delusions that people are trying to harm him or her.NCI Dictionary of Cancer TermsU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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A persecutory delusion of supposed hostility of others.Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO)The Human Phenotype Ontology Project, 2021
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An irrational fear of harm by or distrust of others.NICHD Pediatric TerminologyU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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An irrational fear of harm by others, or distrust of others.NCI ThesaurusU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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Rare psychiatric syndrome marked by the gradual development of a highly elaborate and complex delusional system, generally involving persecutory or grandiose delusions, with few other signs of personality disorganization or thought disorder.Sadock's Comprehensive Glossary of Psychiatry and PsychologyBJ Sadock Titles Press, 2012
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(paranoid disorders) Chronic mental disorders in which there has been an insidious development of a permanent and unshakeable delusional system (persecutory delusions or delusions of jealousy), accompanied by preservation of clear and orderly thinking. Emotional responses and behavior are consistent with the delusional state.NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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(paranoid psychosis) Psychotic behavior accompanied by persecutory or grandiose delusions with few other signs of personality or thought disturbance.CRISP ThesaurusNational Institutes of Health, 2006
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Paranoia, the central theme of a group of psychotic disorders characterized by systematic delusions and of the nonpsychotic paranoid personality disorder. The word paranoia was used by the ancient Greeks, apparently in much the same sense as the modern popular term insanity. Since then it has had a...Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2020
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