Definition

Noun: 1. A mental condition characterized by delusions, especially of persecution or grandeur: Paranoia is a psychological state or disorder in which a person has strong, irrational, and persistent beliefs that others are trying to harm, deceive, or conspire against them, or that they themselves have exceptional power, knowledge, or importance. These beliefs are not based on reality.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The patient's paranoia made him believe his neighbors were spying on him.
  • Her paranoia about being followed was unfounded.
  • In its extreme form, paranoia can be a symptom of a serious mental illness.

Advanced Usage

• Colloquial/Informal Use: In everyday, non-clinical language, "paranoia" is often used to describe an exaggerated or irrational sense of suspicion or fear.
  • All this talk of surveillance is giving me paranoia.
  • He has a bit of paranoia about using his credit card online.

Variants and Related Words

• Paranoid (adjective): Relating to or suffering from paranoia; having irrational feelings of persecution or suspicion.
  • He became paranoid after the break-in.
• Paranoid (noun): A person who suffers from paranoia.
  • He is a paranoid who trusts no one.
• Paranoid Schizophrenia (noun): A subtype of schizophrenia characterized by prominent delusions or auditory hallucinations, often with a theme of persecution or grandiosity.

Synonyms

• Delusional disorder (clinical term)
• Persecution complex
• Suspiciousness (in informal contexts)
• Mistrust (in informal contexts)

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you: A humorous or cynical saying suggesting that even an irrational fear could sometimes be based on a truth. It highlights the self-reinforcing nature of paranoid thought.
  • He laughed and said, "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean your phone isn't actually being tapped."

Noun

1. a psychological disorder characterized by delusions of persecution or grandeur