Paranoid schizophrenia, also called schizophrenia, paranoid type is a sub-type of schizophrenia as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM-IV code 295.30.[1] It is the most common type of schizophrenia.[2][3] Schizophrenia is defined as “a chronic mental illness in which a person loses touch with reality (psychosis)” .[4] Schizophrenia is divided into subtypes based on the “predominant symptomatology at the time of evaluation”.[5] The clinical picture is dominated by relatively stable, often paranoid, delusions, usually accompanied by hallucinations, particularly of the auditory variety (hearing voices), and perceptual disturbances. These symptoms can have a huge effect on functioning and can negatively impact a person’s quality of life. Paranoid schizophrenia is a lifelong illness, but with proper treatment, a person suffering from the illness can live a higher quality of life.[4]
Although paranoid schizophrenia is defined by those two symptoms, it is also defined by a lack of certain symptoms (negative symptoms). The following symptoms are not prominent: “disorganized speech, disorganized or catatonic behavior, or flat or inappropriate affect”.[5] Those symptoms are present in another form of schizophrenia, disorganized-type schizophrenia. The criteria for diagnosing paranoid schizophrenia must be present from at least one to six months.[5] This helps to differentiate schizophrenia from other illnesses, such as bipolar disorder.[5] It also ensures that the illness is chronic and not acute, and will not go away in time.
