paranoic type schizophrenia
Noun: A subtype of schizophrenia characterized primarily by prominent delusions, often of persecution, grandeur, or jealousy. The core feature is the presence of these delusions, which may be accompanied by related symptoms such as anger, anxiety, social aloofness, or confusion about identity. Unlike some other forms, individuals with this condition often maintain a relatively coherent thought process and appearance, potentially allowing them to function in a seemingly normal way if their delusional beliefs do not directly dictate their actions.
This is a clinical, diagnostic term used in psychiatry and psychology. * The psychiatrist noted symptoms consistent with paranoic type schizophrenia, including a fixed delusion of being monitored by the government. * In the older diagnostic classification, paranoic type schizophrenia was distinguished from the disorganized and catatonic subtypes.
- The term is largely historical, stemming from earlier diagnostic systems like the DSM-III. In contemporary diagnostic manuals like the DSM-5, the distinct subtypes (paranoid, disorganized, catatonic) have been removed in favor of a dimensional approach to rating the severity of core symptoms (e.g., delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech). However, the descriptive concept remains clinically relevant.
- It is crucial to use this term precisely and sensitively, as it refers to a serious mental health condition. It should not be used colloquially or to describe general suspicion or anxiety.
- Paranoid Schizophrenia (n): The more common modern phrasing for this condition, though it is now subsumed under the broader diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorder.
- Paranoia (n): A symptom or thought pattern characterized by intense, irrational distrust or suspicion of others, which is a central feature of this schizophrenia subtype but can also occur in other conditions.
- Delusional Disorder (n): A separate diagnosis where persistent delusions are the primary symptom, but without the other characteristic features of schizophrenia (like prominent hallucinations or disorganized speech).
- Paranoid schizophrenia (clinical)
- Delusional schizophrenia (descriptive)
The definition specifies that the delusions are often systematized and may involve themes of persecution (being harmed, conspired against), grandeur (having special powers, identity, or mission), or jealousy (convinced of a partner's infidelity without cause). The note about patients being "usually presentable" refers to the relative preservation of cognitive and emotional functioning outside the scope of the delusion, compared to the more pronounced disorganization in other subtypes.
- a form of schizophrenia characterized by delusions (of persecution or grandeur or jealousy); symptoms may include anger and anxiety and aloofness and doubts about gender identity; unlike other types of schizophrenia the patients are usually presentable and (if delusions are not acted on) may function in an apparently normal manner