Causes of anxiety disorder

1. What is paranoia? Paranoia (delusional disorder) is characterized by frequent hallucinations. The patient imagines real but unlikely situations (eg, being poisoned, being watched, being secretly loved by an idol,...). This delusion is mainly related to cognitive distortions. In addition, others experience bizarre delusions when the patient constantly imagines impossible things such as: Transfiguration hallucinations, fear of alien abduction,...
Meanwhile Social activities and daily activities of people with anxiety disorder are almost no different from those of normal people. In some cases, the delusions are so frequent that the patient tends to withdraw into his or her own world.
Delusional disorder usually occurs in the middle and late stages of life. Among them, women have a higher risk of disease than men.

2. Types of delusional disorder Based on the patient's symptoms, psychiatrists divide delusional disorder into the following common types:
Paranoid syndrome other people love themselves: Patients believe that they are someone who is famous or better than them in many ways is deeply in love with them. This leads to stalking behavior, trying to contact the subject; Jealousy delusion disorder: The patient is haunted by betrayal, always doubts about the loyalty of the lover, partner. They will do whatever it takes to prove that what they think is right; Delusional disease: The patient has an over-perception of one's own strength, worth, and knowledge. They always believe that they have great talent and are admired by many people; Pursuing delusions: The patient is always afraid and anxious because he thinks he or the people around him are being watched, abused or harmed. As such, they tend to report to the legal authorities without corroborating evidence; Somatic Disorder: A condition in which a person experiences extreme anxiety about physical symptoms. The patient also believes that he has too many defects in his body; Mixed disorder: Patient has more than 2 types of delusional disorder mentioned above. Besides, people with delusional disorder also have typical symptoms such as: Frequent anger, irritability, bad mood, ... The patient sees or hears what he thinks he has.

3. Causes of Paranoia The exact cause of delusional anxiety is not known. However, psychiatrists are looking at several factors that increase the risk of the disease such as:
Genetics: Many studies show that delusional disorder is more common in families with people with the disorder. delusional disorder or schizophrenia. Therefore, experts believe that paranoia can be hereditary; Biological factors: The authors are studying the principle by which delusional disorder occurs. Accordingly, abnormal brain regions that control thinking and perception may be linked to symptoms of delusions; Environmental and psychological: There is ample evidence that prolonged stress can trigger mental health problems. Besides, the abuse of alcohol, beer, stimulants, ... is also one of the causes of the disease. In addition, people who tend to be isolated such as deaf-mute people, immigrants, etc. have a higher tendency to have delusional disorder; In addition, other causes such as increased activation of the immune system (due to inflammation or autoimmune disease), having an older father, having certain birth complications (malnutrition, exposure to toxins or viruses). effects on brain development), psychotropic drug use during adolescence and young adulthood.
If you have the above-mentioned high risk factors, you should go to the doctor immediately for a timely diagnosis.

4. What are the consequences of paranoia? Paranoia can lead to particularly serious consequences for the patient and those around them. Specifically:
Paranoia makes patients always worried and suspicious of those around them, causing cracks in social relationships, increasing the risk of breaking up family happiness; Patients with paranoia face many limitations and difficulties in work due to the inability to work in groups; People with paranoia are often quick-tempered, angry, and may attack others. Even in some bad cases, paranoid patients can kill people; When paranoid disease is advanced, it can cause the patient to have negative thoughts, even commit suicide.

5. Is paranoia curable? Diagnosis and treatment Delusional disorder is a chronic illness. Patients often do not admit that they have the disease, so they refuse to support methods. However, if diagnosed and treated early and properly, it can significantly reduce the symptoms of the disease, even helping the patient to make a full recovery. Therefore, the patient should recognize paranoia as a disease that needs treatment, should not hide the disease and refuse treatment.
5.1 Diagnosing Delusional Disorder If a person shows signs of delusional anxiety disorder, the doctor will perform a comprehensive and in-depth physical examination of the patient. Currently, there is no test to help diagnose the disease accurately. Doctors will use brain imaging, blood tests to rule out diseases with similar symptoms (epilepsy, obsessive-compulsive disorder, delirium, Alzheimer's disease,...).
Where no physical cause is found to cause the disease symptoms, the doctor will ask the patient, evaluate the symptoms and behavior to determine the patient's condition.
The patient will be diagnosed with delusional disorder if the following factors are present:
Have 1 or more bizarre delusions lasting more than 1 month; No history of schizophrenia; Life is affected by illusions; Presence of depressive or manic episodes; No major depression, no substance abuse, and no other health problems.

5.2 Treatment of paranoia The two most common treatments for the disease are: Psychotherapy and medication. Depending on each patient, the doctor will choose the most appropriate method and treatment regimen.
Psychotherapy:
With neurological problems, psychotherapy is preferred by doctors. This method approaches the patient's condition, is highly effective and long-lasting. Psychotherapy can be combined with medication to help people deal with the stress associated with delusions. However, delusional disorder is a difficult disease to treat because patients are often poorly understood and do not realize that they have the disease themselves.
Psychological therapies commonly applied in the treatment of paranoia and anxiety include:
Individual psychotherapy: Helping the patient self-recognize and correct distorted thoughts; Cognitive behavioral therapy: Helps people learn to recognize and change thinking and behaviors that lead to hallucinations. In addition, it is necessary to carry out family therapy to help relatives better support the paranoid patient to treat the disease. However, patients with severe symptoms or who are at risk of harming themselves or others may need to be hospitalized until their mental health is stabilized.

Drug treatment:
Many studies show that nearly 50% of patients with delusional disorder have an improvement after taking medication. Some of the drugs used in the treatment of paranoid anxiety are antipsychotic drugs that include:
Conventional antipsychotics: Also known as tranquilizers, used to treat psychosis since the 1950s The drug works by blocking dopamine receptors in the brain (dopamine is a neurotransmitter involved in the development of delusions); Atypical antipsychotics: These are new drugs that help treat the symptoms of delusional disorder and have fewer side effects than those listed above. The drug works by blocking dopamine and serotonin receptors in the brain; Other medications: Doctors may prescribe sedatives and antidepressants to treat symptoms of anxiety if they co-occur with delusional disorder. If the patient is anxious and has trouble sleeping, a sedative can be used. Lifestyle changes:
You can make lifestyle changes to better cope with your delusional disorder. Specifically:
Actively coordinate with the doctor's treatment plan; Pay attention to the warning signs of paranoia for prompt treatment; Get more physical activity and exercise to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Forms of exercise such as walking, jogging, swimming,... are good choices for patients; Avoid tobacco, alcohol and stimulants to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and avoid drug interactions; Get enough sleep, eat in moderation and science, avoid stress at work; Be open and honest with the doctor, take the medicine exactly as prescribed, don't stop the medicine without the doctor's consent, keep an optimistic, comfortable mentality, ... to get better treatment support. To date, mental health professionals have not found a way to prevent anxiety disorder. However, early diagnosis and treatment will help patients return to the community soon. Therefore, when there are warning signs of delusional disorder or high risk of disease, patients should seek medical attention immediately.
Vinmec International General Hospital is the address for examination, treatment and prevention of diseases, including Neurology. When performing the examination process at Vinmec, customers will be welcomed and used modern facilities and equipment along with perfect medical services under the guidance and advice of experts. Good doctors, well-trained both at home and abroad. Therefore, when there are signs of paranoia or neurological abnormalities, you can go to Vinmec for examination and treatment.