Resource Tag: PARANOIA

Paranoia and suicidality seem to be common traits expressing in the general population to varying degrees. This study aims to explore the association between both and to identify determinants of comorbidity. We interviewed a representative sample of the population in Andalusia (n = 4507) and assessed paranoia and suicidality utilizing the Spanish Green’s Paranoid Thoughts […]

This chapter explores the phenomenon of folie a deux, which can occur in several syndromes in which mental symptoms, particularly paranoid delusions, are transmitted from one person to one or more others with whom the apparent instigator is in some way intimately associated, so that they also come to share the same delusional ideas. The […]

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This chapter reviews psychiatric symptoms & disorders which may be seen in elderly patients. The section on suicide in old age provides brief epidemiological information. Some of the reasons why the elderly may commit suicide are outlined, e.g. loss or social isolation. Other topics which are discussed are: rational suicide; the relationship of depression & […]

Erotomania is a rare delusional syndrome, typically seen in heterosexual women of middle-age or beyond. This is the first reported occurrence in an adolescent, & 1 of very few involving homosexual orientation. A detailed case report is discussed in the context of adolescent developmental phenomena, including identity formation & the resolution of sexual orientation. The […]

This article provides a biography of the life of United States Secretary of Defense, James Forrestal. His childhood, hiscareer on Wall Street & in politics, & his distant relationship with his family are discussed. Eventually, under the pressure of his position & with his isolation from his family, Forrestal had a mental breakdown & developed […]

In 1986, 307 attempted suicide cases were presented to a regional general hospital in Hong Kong. Compared with attempts in Hong Kong in 1954 & those in Western countries, suicide attempts in Hong Kong in 1986, for example, were significantly more likely to precipitated by interpersonal conflicts rather than by economic stress. Attempters in Hong […]

This letter to the editor questions the treatment given to a paranoid psychotic who eventually committed suicide. A reply by the treating physician follows.

Presents a case study of a 27-year-old homosexual man who was experiencing acute paranoia accompanied by depression & suicidal tendencies. The process of his psychoanalytic treatment & the doctor-patient relationship are discussed in relation to inherent problems of guilt. (LH)

This study investigates the true nature of death in several obscure cases of mortality among a sample of schizophrenics & those diagnosed as paranoid psychotics. All deaths (n=6) during 1969-70 that were classified as “obscure”, & meeting the criteria of mental disorder & resident of southern finalnd, were investigated using the psychological autopsy method. In […]

The clinical course of a 23-year-old male, Vietnamese refugee who was seen for psychiatric evaluation & treatment after a self-inflicted abdominal stab wound is described. Emigration & acculturative stressors were seen as contributing significantly to this patient’s paranoid disorder.

The author states in order to prevent physical death by suicide & mental death by a psychotic break, the stressed patient must be helped to maintain his basic values until his inadequate coping behaviors can be replaced by more adequate ones that the patient will accept & use. He emphasises the importance of giving the […]

This paper shows the parallels between the prevention of homicide & the prevention of suicide. From attempts at preventing suicide, some suggestions have been made about the prevention of homicide. It is suggested that the prevention of homicide is not an impossibility & that telephone crisis centers can play an important role in initiating homicide […]

This study examined psychological characteristics of 56 patients at Brooklyn N.Y. State Hospital who had attempted suicide. 75% were previously diagnosed as dementia praecox, paranoid type. The results of the clinical examination revealed marked paranoid delusions in all of the 56 patients. Explanations of these findings, based on the psychoanalytic theories of Freud, Zilboorg, & […]

This book examines suicide in people with schizophrenia & paranoid psychoses. A survey of existing literature in this area, methods in suicide research, & a description of the subject & control series in the authorÕs study are included. Chapters include: psychic conditions prior to the suicide; activity & attitudes toward the environment; suicidal threats & […]

This proceeding describes the case of 2 sisters (both exhibiting psychotic symptoms) sharing delusional beliefs. As they lived together, they began to accept the same delusional beliefs, paranoid thoughts, & exhibit the same distrust. Because of these commonalities, they both attempted suicide in an attempt to escape from delusions of persecution. Treatment for their delusions […]

The case records of 29 mentally disordered offenders who committed suicide in a state hospital were reviewed. Information was collected on demographic & clinical characteristics; time, method & location of the suicides; & the presence of suicide indicators. Comparisons were made between the characteristics of the suicide patients & those of the current hospital population.

The suicidal behavior of those accused of witchcraft 500 years ago has its counterparts today. A comparison is made between case histories described in The Witch Hammer (1487), & contemporary clinical cases. The church’s attitude toward suicide is examined, with particular attention given to the defense mechanism of projection. Similarities in attitudes toward accused witches […]

The author presents abstracts of the stories of 75 individuals who, after having been neurotic, psychotic or even insane, wrote up their experiences. The stories of a few people who had a breakdown because of alcoholism or “a bit too much religion” are also included.

The case history of a 52 yr old female with schizophrenia is presented. Circumstances leading up to her most recent hospitalization are outlined, as are her behaviour and treatment while under care. A description of four types of schizophrenia is given and theories pertaining to the causes of the illness are discussed. Drug and other […]

This article analyzed depression & paranoia through a modified form of the Freudian concept of death instinct. The author asserts that this application of Freudian theory allows therapists to more adequately treat patients who are depressed, suicidal or paranoid. (20 refs) (SC)

Attempts to clarify the attitude of patients with paranoid psychosis or schizophrenia to hospital personnel & treatment in the 2 months before they committed suicide. The doctor & other involved personnel for 58 subjects & 40 controls independently answered questionnaires. Results indicate that the 2 months before suicide were characterized by indifferent or negative attitudes […]

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