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-Signs, Portents, and the Weather-

Paranoia on the rise, experts say

2008-11-13

If you think they're out to get you, you're not alone.

Paranoia, once assumed to afflict only schizophrenics, may be a lot more common than previously thought. According to British psychologist Daniel Freeman, nearly one in four Londoners regularly have paranoid thoughts. Freeman is a paranoia Expert™ at the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College and the author of a book on the subject.

Experts™ say there is a wide spectrum of paranoia, from the dangerous delusions that drive schizophrenics to violence to the irrational fears many people have daily. "We are now starting to discover that madness is human and that we need to look at normal people to understand it," said Dr. Jim van Os, a professor of psychiatry at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. Van Os was not connected to Freeman's studies.

Posted by:anonymous5089

#12 Another factor beyond being told that dangerous things aren't dangerous and pay no mind and give up your right to self-defence is that sometimes the media exagerates the threat of fairly mild things.

If the facts are mailable how can we blame people for not trusting anything.

Posted by: rjschwarz 2008-11-13 15:35

#11 The VOICES told me I wasn't alone.

Posted by: AlmostAnonymous5839 2008-11-13 14:21

#10 I was afraid of this...

Posted by: swksvolFF 2008-11-13 12:49

#9 A) London is an increasingly non-homogeneous society. Of *course* trust levels will decrease - one of the benefits of social homogeneity is higher levels of implicit social trust.

B) London is an increasingly more dangerous environment, what with actual, living, breathing terrorists wandering about under 'surveillance'. Paranoia is a rational response to changing conditions.

C) The authorities have stripped the populace of their means of self-defense, and poisoned the civil wells from which social trust is periodically refreshed. If all trust and authority is delegated to the government, and it becomes increasingly clear that the government doesn't have your best interests at heart, a raging case of squint-eyed paranoia is an increasingly necessary tool for survival. After all, if it's in the government's best interest that you die quickly so as to not burden public health service, and not defend yourself against chavs and 'yoots', then your stringy ass is all alone in the New Britain.

Posted by: Mitch H. 2008-11-13 12:48

#8 It's not paranoia if they're really out to get ya.

Posted by: Deacon Blues 2008-11-13 12:09

#7 Anyway, I'm not a paranoid, I'm a bigot, let's be clear on that, let's stay focused, people.

Posted by: anonymous5089 2008-11-13 10:40

#6 Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep.

Bwahahahaha!

Posted by: Alaska Paul 2008-11-13 10:13

#5 unfounded fear that others are trying to hurt you

So is paranoia up by a factor of three - or are there three times as many people out there trying to hurt others? It's not paranoia if they really ARE out to get you.

Posted by: Glenmore 2008-11-13 09:12

#4 Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.

Posted by: Procopius2k 2008-11-13 07:18

#3 It's good to be looking around and see who's following you

Not many I'm afraid. I'm a Republican.

Posted by: Besoeker 2008-11-13 05:59

#2 "Penn said it can also lead to false accusations and an atmosphere where strangers are negatively viewed."

You mean the way the education industry views devout Christians?

Posted by: no mo uro 2008-11-13 05:51

#1 Traumatic events can make people more vulnerable to having paranoid thoughts. Since the attacks, Penn said Americans have been conditioned to be more vigilant of anything out of the ordinary.

With the possible exception of presidential elections.

Posted by: Besoeker 2008-11-13 05:32

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