paranoiac etymology

Etymology:

  • Para- (Greek): "beside," "alongside of," "beyond"
  • Noia (Greek): "mind"

Meaning:

Paranoiac refers to a person who exhibits excessive or irrational suspicions or delusions of persecution.

Origin:

The term "paranoiac" was first coined by the German psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin in 1896. Kraepelin used it to describe a specific type of mental illness characterized by persistent delusions of grandeur or persecution.

Over time, the meaning of paranoiac has broadened to encompass a wider range of symptoms, including:

  • Excessive suspicion and mistrust
  • Unwarranted beliefs that one is being threatened or harmed
  • Delusions of reference (interpreting ordinary events as having a personal significance)
  • Grandiose delusions (inflated sense of self-importance)

Related Terms:

  • Paranoid personality disorder: A personality disorder characterized by pervasive patterns of mistrust and suspiciousness.
  • Paranoid delusion: A false belief that one is being persecuted, threatened, or treated unfairly.
  • Paranoia: A state of excessive or unfounded suspicion and distrust.

paranoiac relate terms

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  • paranoia

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