![]() hallucination is a false perception of objects or events and is sensory in nature. Understanding the difference between these can be helpful. The person experiences and believes/feels that the hallucinations are real and can become fearful/paranoid if these hallucinations are believed to come from hostile people. Due to changes in the brain, people living with dementia may sometimes experience hallucinations, delusions and/or paranoia. Further, hallucinations, which are “sensory impressions (sight, touch, sound, smell, or taste) that have no basis in external stimulation 1” can also lead to paranoid delusions. Other delusions such as nihilistic beliefs, thought withdrawal, thought insertion, delusions of control may also worsen the paranoia and therefore the persecutory delusion. Then paranoia grows into persecutory/paranoid delusion in which someone feels like another person or a group/organization is out the get them 1. In such cases, as described above, the person becomes inflexible to accepting clear evidence that is contrary to their fixed belief. Paranoia only becomes problematic when it reaches clinical proportions, meaning delusional proportions. In such cases it is not unusual to encounter the fear of people wanting to get you, even though nothing happens. Think for example walking home in the dark and a car slowly driving up next to you, or people whispering and looking at you while you walk by. Paranoia can be defined as “an unfounded or exaggerated distrust of others 3.” Paranoid individuals constantly suspect the motives of those around them, and believe that certain individuals, or people in general, are “out to get them 3.” Paranoid thoughts are not unusual and can occur in all people at one point or the other in their life. Alcohol and schizophrenia: what’s the connection?.Sleep yourself healthy: the importance of sleep for mental health.Diet, nutrition and schizophrenia – are you what you eat?.Why should people living with schizophrenia exercise?.The stigma of mental illness: schizophrenia.How is functioning affected by Schizophrenia?.Delusions vs paranoia: Is there a difference?.Schizophrenia statistics: How many people have schizophrenia?.
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