paranoia etymology

Etymology:

The word "paranoia" comes from the Greek words "para," meaning "beside" or "beyond," and "nous," meaning "mind."

Meaning and Origin:

Paranoia refers to a mental state characterized by an excessive, often irrational fear or belief that one is being persecuted, threatened, or conspired against. It is a form of psychosis that involves delusions of persecution or harm.

The concept of paranoia has been recognized for centuries. In ancient Greece, Hippocrates described a condition called "mania sine delirio" (insanity without delirium) that included symptoms of paranoia. Later, in the 4th century AD, the Roman physician Caelius Aurelianus used the term "paranoia" to refer to a specific form of mental illness.

In the 19th century, psychiatrists began to study paranoia in more detail. In 1863, the German psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin described it as a distinct mental disorder. He characterized paranoia as a gradual development of delusions of persecution, which could be systematized or unsystematized.

Over time, the understanding of paranoia has evolved. Contemporary psychiatry recognizes it as a symptom of various mental health conditions, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and substance-induced psychosis. It can also be a standalone psychiatric disorder, known as paranoid personality disorder.

paranoia relate terms

  • paranoiac

    Etymology Para Greek beside alongside of beyond Noia Greek mind Mean

  • paranoia

    Etymology The word paranoia comes from the Greek words para meaning beside or be

  • paranoid

    Etymology Paranoid originates from the Greek words para meaning beside or bey

  • paranoia

    Etymology The word paranoia comes from the Greek words para meaning beside or be

  • para

    Etymology The word para originates from the Greek preposition παρά pará which

  • conspiracy

    Etymology The word conspiracy comes from the Latin word conspirare which means to b

  • Memphis

    Etymology and Meaning The name Memphis originates from the ancient Egyptian word Men n

  • identity

    Etymology Identity derives from the Latin word identitas which in turn comes from the

  • staple

    Etymology The word staple derives from the Old English word stapol which means a po

  • ghost

    Etymology Old English gāst ultimately derived from Proto Germanic gaistaz Cognate wi

  • reprimand

    Etymology Reprimand comes from the French word réprimander which in turn comes from t

  • demagogue

    Etymology Origin Greek Word demagogos δῆμος dēmos people ἄγω agō

  • latch key

    Etymology The term latch key is derived from the following words Latch A simple mec