Defining Paranoia: What Does It Mean In The Modern World?

It’s become fairly common for people to call one another “paranoid,” particularly in discussions of concerns about politics, technology, or world events. What exactly does paranoia mean from a psychological standpoint, though? Also, is it really becoming more common, or are there simply more things to worry about now? This article will look at the definition of the word paranoia as it pertains to mental health, and also explore common types of paranoid symptoms in the modern world.

Paranoia is a state of mind characterized by intense feelings of distrust and suspicion toward others, sometimes without any evidence or reason to back up the fear. These paranoid delusions can take many forms, from milder suspicions about something being wrong in one’s environment to a more severe delusion about persecution. People with paranoid thoughts may be hypervigilant, constantly on the lookout for any sign of risk or threat to their lives.

For most people, paranoia is an emotional response to perceived threats and anxieties. It can be a symptom of a mental disorder like paranoid schizophrenia, psychosis or delusional disorder, and paranoid personality disorder. Anxiety may also be commonly associated with paranoid thoughts and persecutory delusions.

Below, we’ll review what paranoia used to mean, the paranoia definition of what it means today, and how the shifting technological and political landscape can drive paranoid thoughts.

Is paranoia a mental illness?

Although paranoia may be a symptom of certain mental health conditions, the American Psychological Association does not consider it a diagnosable condition by itself. Instead, paranoia now refers to an irrational or delusional belief that someone is persecuting you or trying to harm you.

More rarely, it can also refer to an excessive sense of your own importance and significance. For example, a person who believes that everything that happens in the world around them is caused by their own thoughts could be considered paranoid in the psychological sense.

In the past, many psychologists considered paranoia to be a specific disorder. In this view, a paranoid person was someone whose thinking was logical and rational except for certain persistent but incorrect beliefs. A person with this condition could usually talk in a seemingly coherent way about most subjects but sometimes reach illogical conclusions due to their fixed, irrational ideas.

This older definition of paranoia is sometimes called “classical paranoia.” Nowadays, a person with psychotic symptoms like those described above would likely be diagnosed with one of the following conditions:

1. Delusional Disorder. This condition tends to involve persistent, incorrect, and highly improbable beliefs, also known as systematized delusions. Those with this disorder may not always think they’re being persecuted or victimized. Other kinds of delusions include thinking they’re supremely important or that someone else is in love with them.
2. Paranoid Personality Disorder. People with paranoid personality disorder tend to display persistent patterns of suspicion and sensitivity to perceived offenses. They tend to be highly distrustful of others, looking for enemies everywhere.

The non-psychological definition of paranoia

Outside the world of psychology, the term paranoia can mean a general tendency toward being suspicious of other people and institutions, particularly authorities, such as:

• Governments
• Corporations
• Scientific institutions
• Religious organizations
• Media outlets

This kind of paranoia doesn’t necessarily involve specific, personal delusions. Instead, it can simply mean an exaggerated sense or belief that other people are doing unethical or illegal things in secret. Moving forward, we’ll refer to this kind of paranoia as “paranoid thinking,” to make it clear that we’re not talking about the specific psychological state of paranoia, or clinical paranoia.

Is paranoid thinking becoming more common?

It may seem like beliefs about powerful people trying to control, spy on, or manipulate the public are spreading faster than ever before. Some research does indicate that these kinds of ideas are becoming more common. For example, NBC reported that the incidence of paranoid thinking was increasing as far back as 2008.

At the time, one psychologist estimated that as many as 15% of people regularly had paranoid thoughts. These ideas may still be on the rise. A 2021 study found that the incidence of paranoid ideas had increased in response to the COVID-19 lockdown. 

Why are paranoid beliefs becoming more prevalent in today’s world? More research may be needed to answer this question with certainty, but we can explore some possible explanations:

Greater information availability

Although the world isn’t necessarily a more dangerous place than it was 50 years ago, it may be easier to learn about the dangers. The rise of the internet and the 24-hour news cycle may mean that people are repeatedly exposed to coverage of crises and threats. According to the British Psychological Society, this increased admittance to potentially frightening and disturbing information may be playing a significant role in increasing paranoia and hallucinations.

Political polarization

A 2007 study found that people were more or less likely to believe in specific conspiracy theories depending on their political views. With participants of mainstream political parties frequently making extreme accusations about their opponents, certain kinds of paranoid ideas may seem more plausible.

Social isolation

Despite the rise of digital communication tools, many people in the modern world feel increasingly disconnected from those around them. Surveys have found that the average number of friends and the overall size of social networks have been declining in the United States for several decades.

This loss of social cohesion could be partly driving the rise of paranoid thinking. When you don’t know the people around you well, it may be harder to trust them. Some experimental research indicates that feelings of loneliness can lead to higher levels of paranoid thinking. 

Dependence on technology

More and more people rely every day on technologies that they don’t understand, which are constantly being upgraded and changed at a rapid pace. This may lead to paranoid attitudes because people aren’t sure what may be possible with modern technology. They may overestimate threats or adopt an overly suspicious viewpoint as a defense against them.

Novel threats to peace and safety

Even without unrealistic ideas about what technology can accomplish, one can recognize that it has introduced new risks to everyday life. Average people now have to navigate concerns like identity theft, drone-mounted cameras, and digital breaches of financial information. Awareness of these kinds of threats may provide individuals experiencing paranoia with apparent justification for their fears.

Government and corporate scandals

It may be easier to hold paranoid beliefs in a world that has been repeatedly shocked by scandals revealing the unethical or intrusive actions of powerful organizations. For example, in 2013, leaked documents revealed that the National Security Agency was operating a surveillance program gathering details on millions of American citizens with the help of non-public technology companies. Incidents like these may appear to confirm the worst fears of those with paranoid ideas.

Do we need to rethink what paranoia means?

Some may wonder if paranoid thinking is a sensible reaction to modern realities like government spying, digital safety threats, and widespread ways to easily conceal cameras and microphones. Is it really irrational to have a paranoid worldview in the information age?

It’s likely best to exercise some caution about digitally storing and divulging discreet information. Skepticism about the honesty of elected officials can be reasonable in a post-Watergate world. However, it’s still possible for these kinds of concerns to be irrationally exaggerated.

It’s hard to definitively identify the difference between ordinary caution and paranoid thinking, but it may be worth asking yourself questions like:

• Are my suspicions becoming obsessive? If you’re so focused on your fears that you hardly have time for anything else, it could be a sign of a problem.
• Do my beliefs impact my quality of life? Thinking too much about dangers, conspiracies, and peace violations can cause serious distress. It may be worth getting help to change your mental habits if that’s the case for you.
• Have these thoughts interfered with my relationships? Paranoid thinking can be an isolating experience, especially because it may cause conflict with a family or your friends and loved ones who don’t experience your beliefs. If you’re driving others away because you aggressively defend your ideas, you might want to look for more rational ways to approach these topics.

Can therapy help you feel less paranoid?

If you’re having difficulty letting go of distressing, paranoid thoughts, talking to a therapist could help. While research is still in progress, there’s evidence that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can assist in decreasing paranoid feelings and improving self-esteem. A mental health professional can also help you understand possible alternative treatments for treating paranoia, such as medication.

If your persistent suspicions make it hard to imagine opening up to a therapist, you might want to consider online therapy, which research has shown to be just as effective as in-office therapy. Therapy sessions over the internet can be conducted via audio or video chat at a time that works for you. You can also work with therapists who aren’t located in your area if that makes you feel more comfortable.