Paranoid: Exploring Suspicion from the Dubious to the Delusional

by David J. LaPorte, William T. Carpenter Jr. (Foreword)

From the pathological killer who gunned down the innocents at Virginia Tech to the average citizen who suspects the government is monitoring phone calls, the signs of suspiciousness and paranoia are all around us. In this comprehensive overview of an increasingly serious problem, an experienced psychologist and researcher describes what paranoia is, how and why it manifests itself, and the many forms it takes, including stalking, pathological jealousy, as a reaction to post-traumatic stress disorder, and perhaps even militia movements.Using striking vignettes from the present and the past, each chapter illustrates specific manifestations of paranoia while also describing in layperson's terms the clinical analysis of the condition. Among the topics discussed are the evolutionary origins of our "suspiciousness system" and factors that can trigger it today, the connection between illicit drug usage and paranoid behavior, PTSD, violent expressions of paranoia, and options for treating various kinds of paranoia.The author emphasizes that life in post-9/11 America is a fertile environment for paranoia; in an era of computer hackers, omnipresent security cameras, NSA surveillance, and terrorism, "normal" people have good reasons to be suspicious as their sense of security and privacy is undermined. But in such an insecure atmosphere, everyday suspicion can easily be ratcheted up, resulting in paranoia and occasionally violent outbursts. He warns of a possible epidemic of paranoia and suggests public health measures that could be used to counteract this potentially dangerous trend.Whether you consider yourself susceptible to paranoia or know others who might be, this enlightening book will help you understand the many factors that can distort your mental outlook.

Genres: Psychology, Mental Health, Self Help

300 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2015

About the author

David J. LaPorte, PhD, is a professor of psychology and director of clinical training in the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He is the author or coauthor of seven book chapters and more than twenty professional articles, has testified in court as an expert witness on many occasions, and has done dozens of syndicated radio interviews. His research has been the subject of articles appearing in major magazines, including Glamour, Jump, and Allure, as well as on Today.com.

Reviews

[akhivae · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an okay book, it covers paranoia from an extremely broad perspective rather than going very in depth. One reason for that is the lack of detailed research on paranoia, which he explains the reasons behind. A good book for people with no background on the subject still, but I personally knew most of the content in there already.

[Camille · Rating 3 out of 5]

速读的一本书，对偏执性格有不少案例解释。

[San Diego Book Review · Rating 2 out of 5]

In Paranoid: Exploring Suspicion from the Dubious to the Delusional, David LaPorte examines paranoia and its connections to sociology, evolutionary biology, and psychology. According to LaPorte, paranoia is on the rise. He develops this theory throughout the book, along with describing paranoia and its many symptoms and offering brief, often violent, anecdotes.
While LaPorte has many valid points and his assessment of paranoia as a rarely covered topic is an accurate one, I was disappointed with its execution. I would have liked to see far more research and far less conjecture. I appreciate that LaPorte willingly admits the lack of relevant research, but a large majority of the information provided in the book seems to be pure speculation. Read the entire review at http://www.sandiegobookreview.com/par...

Reviewed by Erin Kling

[Matthew Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Randomly found this at the bookstore and it seemed interesting enough. It was a good read and definitely interesting. I wish it was a little more dense in information and detail. It seemed more like an intro book or something written rather quickly as opposed to a long case study on paranoia. The main example of this is in the small anecdotes and cases used as reference throughout the book. In almost all of them you read of a case of paranoia but not of how it was treated or the outcomes of the individuals.

In all the book is a quick read at about 200 and some odd pages. It felt like it could have been easily another 200 or 300 pages long to go from the 3 to 5 stars. Still though, great read.

[Tucker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thorough introduction to the topic (if a bit repetitive) for a layperson. Cited it briefly in thinking about conspiracy theories.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars