Paranoia Essay -- Psychology Essays

Paranoia If it has been confirmed that brain equals behavior, then why don't we fear our own thought processes? Persons with paranoia disorder are not aware that they are in fear of their own brains, but in some respect fear of oneself and what ones brain can create is exactly what persons with paranoia disorder experience. Everyone experiences small doses and bouts of paranoia on nearly a daily basis, but not everyone exists on its affects. Those with paranoia disorder deal with a constant nagging that they cannot control because it tends to control them, hence your brain as your enemy. Though the causes of paranoia are not clearly defined in either social or medical fields, the obvious truth is that paranoia stems from the brain and the nervous system causing persons to be "highly suspicious of other people" (4). According to studies paranoia stems from several possible areas. "Potential factors may be genetics, neurological abnormalities, [and] changes in brain chemistry. Acute, or sh ort-term paranoia may occur in some individuals overwhelmed by stress" (4). In terms of genetics, paranoia is not defined as something strictly hereditary, however there is a tendency towards its occurrence in families with members with schizophrenia or other mental disorders (6). Socially speaking paranoia appears to be passed down from parent to child through shear exposure and environment. If certain personality traits are innate within a person, than the possibility of a genetic inclination towards paranoia does not appear way off base. This of course stems from discussion on whether or not personality is developed or innate. In almost everything somebody does, his or her personality comes through. The question of nature versu... ...es that force themselves to become "aware" of their surroundings and insecure around all those surrounding them. 1) On the Couch: Faces of Paranoia http://www.iht.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi 2) Paranoia http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000938.htm 3) Paranoid Personality Disorder http://health.yahoo.com/health/encyclopedia/000938/0.html 4 Paranoid Personality Disorder http://www.hendrickhealth.org/healthy/001021.htm#Causesandsymptoms 5) Self Protection or Delusion? The Many Varieties of Paranoia http://www.nytimes.com/auth/login?URI=http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/01/health/psychology/01BEHA.html&OQ=exQ3D1050465600Q26enQ3Df319c80176a7dff0Q26eiQ3D5070&OP=d5153a6Q2FQ2AoRzQ2AQ24FhQ3CsFFAQ5BQ2AQ5B55Q3BQ2A5HQ2A5Q20Q2AQ25Rn,AQ25Q2AjQ3CbhQ25F,FIbQ2A5Q20Q7CG)OxQ25Ad, 6) Useful Information on Paranoia http://www.hoptechno.com/paranoia.htm