Paranoid Schizophrenia

Signs and causes of paranoid schizophrenia. Read articles about recovering from paranoid schizophrenia at the bottom of the page.

In the paranoid form of this disorder, the sufferer develops delusions of persecution or personal grandeur. The first signs of paranoid schizophrenia usually surface between the ages of 15 and 34. There is no cure, but the paranoid schizophrenia can be controlled with antipsychotic medications. Severe attacks may require hospitalization.

In the DSM-IV, paranoid schizophrenia is defined as:

A type of schizophrenia in which there are:

1. Preoccupation with one or more systematized delusions or with frequent auditory hallucinations related to a single theme.
2. None of the following: incoherence, marked loosening of associations, flat or grossly inappropriate affect, catatonic behaviour, grossly disorganized behavior.

The essential feature of Paranoid Schizophrenia is preoccupation with one or more systematized delusions or with frequent auditory hallucinations related to a single theme. In addition, symptoms characteristic of the Disorganized and Catatonic Types such as incoherence, flat or grossly inappropriate affect, catatonic behaviour, or grossly disorganized behavior, are absent. When all exacerbations of the disorder meet the criteria for Paranoid Type, the clinician should specify "Stable Type".

Associated features of Paranoid Schizophrenia include unfocussed anxiety, anger, argumentativeness, and violence. Often a stilted, formal quality or extreme intensity in interpersonal interaction is noted.

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The impairment in functioning in Paranoid Schizophrenia may be minimal if the delusional material is not acted upon. Onset tends to be later in life than the other types, and the distinguishing characteristics may be more stable over time. Some evidence suggests that the prognosis for the Paranoid Type, particularly with regard to occupational functioning and capacity for independent living, may be considerably better than for other types of schizophrenia.

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