Paranoid

Paranoid is an adjective describing excessive or irrational distrust or suspicion of others’ motives, often accompanied by beliefs that one is being persecuted or plotted against. The term derives from Greek roots para- “beside, beyond” and noia “mind,” and entered English in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In everyday usage, calling someone paranoid implies they are unrealistically suspicious, though some forms of paranoia can occur in clinical contexts.

In clinical terms, paranoia is a symptom that can appear in several mental health conditions. Paranoid personality disorder is a chronic pattern characterized by pervasive distrust and suspicion of others, interpreting their actions as malevolent, beginning in early adulthood. Paranoia can also occur as a symptom of schizophrenia spectrum disorders, delusional disorder persecutory type, or mood disorders with psychotic features. A professional assessment is necessary to distinguish enduring personality patterns from episodic symptoms.

In popular culture, Paranoid is the title of Black Sabbath’s 1970 album, which includes the hit track “Paranoid” and helped define early heavy metal. The term has appeared as a song or motif in other works and is used descriptively in media to characterize characters or moods that are suspicious or delusional.