Paranoid Schizophrenia

People with paranoid schizophrenia, the most common form of the disorder, mainly experience hallucinations. Patients tend to believe that others are poisoning, harassing, or plotting against them. They may also hear voices in their head, which order them to do things. Contrary to belief, people suffering from paranoid schizophrenia are actually not prone to violence; as a matter of fact, they generally prefer to be left alone.

 

An Overview of Paranoid Schizophrenia

Paranoid schizophrenia is the most commonly occurring form of schizophrenia. Other types of schizophrenia include:
 
The different types of schizophrenia are classified based on the symptoms a person is experiencing. Since the symptoms of schizophrenia can change over time, it is possible for a person to have more than one type of schizophrenia during his or her lifetime.
 

Common Symptoms of Paranoid Schizophrenia

For patients with paranoid schizophrenia, the primary symptoms are delusions or auditory hallucinations. People with paranoid schizophrenia usually do not have thought disorder, disorganized behavior, or affective flattening.
 
People with paranoid schizophrenia have grandiose delusions. For example, they may believe that others are deliberately:
 
  • Cheating them
  • Harassing them
  • Poisoning them
  • Spying on them
  • Plotting against them or the people they care about.
     
Auditory hallucinations can include hearing "voices" that may:
 
  • Comment on the person's behavior
  • Order him or her to do things
  • Warn of impending danger
  • Talk to each other (usually about the patient).
     

Paranoid Schizophrenia and Violence

People with schizophrenia are not especially prone to violence and often prefer to be left alone. Studies show that if people have no record of criminal violence before they develop schizophrenia and are not substance abusers, they are unlikely to commit crimes after they become ill. Most violent crimes are not committed by people with schizophrenia, and most people with schizophrenia do not commit violent crimes. Substance abuse almost always increases violent behavior, whether or not the person has schizophrenia.
 
If someone with paranoid schizophrenia becomes violent, their violence is most often directed at family members and takes place at home.
 
(Click Types of Schizophrenia for more information about paranoid schizophrenia and other types of schizophrenia.)
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD