Paranoia is a condition in which an individual suffers from feeling suspicious and often fears that others will wish to harm him or her in some manner. As a result, the individual changes his or her actions as a defense mechanism to deal with others and their possible threatening attacks. Others may feel certain that no one is actually attempting to harm the paranoid person, yet, the feeling of intense distrust and suspiciousness becomes a pattern of behavior that encompasses the paranoid individual’s environment.

Realistically, paranoia is a common feeling for many people. Most people have experienced it at least once if not multiple times in life. Unfortunately, it negatively affects every interpersonal interaction. Those who are chronically affected by this disorder: become suspicious that people are lying or cheating on them; are constantly curious if people are being loyal or dishonest; have difficulty confiding in others out of fear that they will be betrayed; often misinterpret mild comments; behave defensively; and choose to believe their significant other is being unfaithful.

Those individuals who appear paranoid also often experience symptoms of insecurity. They tend to think they are “not good enough” to meet certain challenges in life. At times, they feel helpless when facing problems or conflicts. Unfortunately, they feel as though they are always climbing up a mountain, but never sitting at the top. They feel a sense of being incompetent in some regards and fear being rejected. An inner feeling of turmoil limits their desire to seek true direction in knowing where they are going and what their goals in life should clearly be.

Some insecure people are thought to have experienced a chaotic childhood growing up or a major tragedy or loss in their lives that has made it hard for them to adjust to change. Losing a job, failure in school, divorce, or losing a close friend can make a person question his or her own competency. Consequently, people who suffer from being chronically insecure will experience great difficulty in establishing healthy, long-lasting relationships. They may even be perceived incorrectly by others. Some become so inward to the point that they choose to escape into their fantasy life rather than deal with the reality of their own personal lives.

The best medicine for this scenario is to learn to trust others and take a rational approach to solve each problem one faces. In addition, be courageous in taking small steps in attempting to experience success in future endeavors. A healthy, humorous attitude is always a plus!

Dr. Sonya Rogers is a certified counselor who lives in Daphne.

Her column regularly appears in The Bulletin.