Delusions are false beliefs that involve a misinterpretation of experiences—for example, someone may believe people are trying to harm them. Paranoia is when someone distrusts others for no perceived reason at all—for example, someone may suspect the motives of those around them. Hallucinations are false or distorted sensory experiences that seem real—for example, someone may see, hear, or smell something that isn’t actually there.
People often describe delusions, paranoia, and hallucinations as “breaks from reality”. The term doctors and mental health professionals use to summarize these three experiences is “psychosis”. About three out of every 100 people will experience an episode of psychosis in their lifetime. Psychosis can be a part of any number of psychiatric disorders. Paranoid thoughts and delusions can occur in various psychiatric diseases, including schizophrenia and mania, bipolar disorder, but also depression, substance abuse or dementia. Schizophrenia is commonly associated with delusions and paranoia. In fact, the most common form of schizophrenia is called paranoid schizophrenia, and delusions are common symptoms of schizophrenia.
Paranoia involves intense anxious or fearful feelings and thoughts often related to persecution, threat, or conspiracy. Paranoia can occur with many mental health conditions but is most often present in psychotic disorders. Paranoid thoughts can become delusions when irrational thoughts and beliefs become so fixed that nothing can convince a person that what they think or feel is not true. When a person has paranoia or delusions, but no other symptoms (like hearing or seeing things that aren’t there), they might have what is called a delusional disorder. Because only thoughts are impacted, a person with delusional disorder can usually work and function in everyday life, however, their lives may be limited and isolated as a result of their delusions.
Persecutory delusions (most common), also known as paranoid delusions
– belief that one is going to be harmed and/or harassed by an individual, organization or other group
Referential (also common)
– belief that certain comments, gestures, environmental cues, etc. are directed at oneself
Somatic
– focus on preoccupations about health and organ functions
Grandiose
– belief that one has fame, wealth, exceptional abilities
Erotomanic
– the individual believes that another person is in love with him/her
Nihilistic
– the individual is convinced that a major catastrophe will happen