To be paranoid is to be very afraid or anxious about something. Having delusions means believing something that is not true and possibly crazy. Taken together, paranoid delusions create fear or anxiety, amplified by feeling/believing things that are false. These delusions are often thought to only be present in illnesses such as schizophrenia, but other conditions can present them. The most common illnesses associated with this symptom are schizophrenia, paranoid personality disorder, delusional disorder, and bipolar I disorder, which can display such symptoms during mood swings.
Some examples of paranoia include when people believe that others, including government agencies or aliens, are trying to harm them; that people regularly say mean things about them behind their backs; that other people are trying to trick them; or that a specific person is deliberately hurting them for behaviors such as infidelity. These delusional postures exist despite repeated showing of evidence to the contrary. Although there may be some chance that such behavior is true—for example, the person's spouse might be cheating—the paranoid person's belief has no real basis in reality.
Paranoid delusions can lead people to act in various self-destructive ways. Paranoid jealousy could destroy a relationship, for example, or someone who thinks aliens have implanted a tracer in their mouth might knock out their teeth in an attempt to eliminate it. Other features may be present with delusions, making life much more difficult. Depending on other conditions present, a person may hear voices, hallucinate, have additional phobias, or be unable to function in most cases. Although often mocked because these beliefs can seem so outlandish, paranoia is no joke and can destroy a person's chance to live normally.
How these delusions are treated may depend on the underlying condition. In many cases, medications called antipsychotics are used to help tame these and other symptoms such as hallucinations, which may or may not be present. Mood stabilizers are used in the treatment of bipolar disorder to prevent cycling moods that can produce paranoid states.
Additional support through counseling is also needed. Although there may be a biological component to paranoid delusions, they can also arise from traumatic experiences which, when processed, help produce more normalized thinking. No single treatment or medication is appropriate for all cases, and meaningful work in therapy requires the cooperation of the person suffering from these delusions.
People suffering from what they believe to be paranoid delusions may start by talking to a psychiatrist, who can prescribe medication and provide initial or ongoing therapy. If an illusion is so severe that it suggests a person may die or harm themselves, they should immediately contact emergency services or psychiatric emergency services in their community for help. Of course, people who suffer from delusions believe in them a lot, and may not be willing to take this step. When danger is suspected, friends or family are advised to try to help by contacting professionals for advice.