Can people with paranoid personality disorder be dangerous?

[Elisante]

I'm sorry if this offends anyone with paranoid personality disorder. There is a woman that I have to come in contact with sometimes (not in a daily basis fortunately), at my part time job. This woman has been diagnosed with paranoid personality disorder and she is constantly acting very weird. Sometimes she is very sweet and sometimes very stubborn and agressive. Her behaviour kind of reminds me of Gollum from LOTR. So we got into an argument over something I won't mention and it got pretty heated, with both of us shouting in front of everyone, until someone called me and I stormed off. Now I'm afraid I'm in danger. I fear the she will poison the bottles of water we use here. Every time I drink water I think I'm taking a huge risk and I prepare myself to drop dead. I could take my own bottle from home but then she would be able to poison me, without poisoning everyone. Could she do something like that? Or I'm just overthinking it? I know it sounds weird but she used to hate me, and now she is very nice to me. Isn't it suspicious?

 

[FlowerBox]

I think it's more likely that she may think that you would try to poison her and may lash out at you and accuse you of it...I would think she wouldn't poison you because a lot of us who are paranoid are worried about authority/government so I would think she would be too worried about getting locked up to do something like that... That's just my thoughts as a schizotypal who has a lot of paranoia

 

[Elisante]

I think it's more likely that she may think that you would try to poison her and may lash out at you and accuse you of it...I would think she wouldn't poison you because a lot of us who are paranoid are worried about authority/government so I would think she would be too worried about getting locked up to do something like that... That's just my thoughts as a schizotypal who has a lot of paranoia

Thanks, I kind of feel relieved.

 

[LittleMissNameless]

I'm sorry if this offends anyone with paranoid personality disorder. There is a woman that I have to come in contact with sometimes (not in a daily basis fortunately), at my part time job. This woman has been diagnosed with paranoid personality disorder and she is constantly acting very weird. Sometimes she is very sweet and sometimes very stubborn and agressive. Her behaviour kind of reminds me of Gollum from LOTR. So we got into an argument over something I won't mention and it got pretty heated, with both of us shouting in front of everyone, until someone called me and I stormed off. Now I'm afraid I'm in danger. I fear the she will poison the bottles of water we use here. Every time I drink water I think I'm taking a huge risk and I prepare myself to drop dead. I could take my own bottle from home but then she would be able to poison me, without poisoning everyone. Could she do something like that? Or I'm just overthinking it? I know it sounds weird but she used to hate me, and now she is very nice to me. Isn't it suspicious?

Sounds like your the paranoid one

 

[Narcissist714]

I’m not surprised that you would think she would poison you she seems unpredictable. But I don’t think she will poison you that’s probably just you over thinking but I’d stay away from her she sounds like trouble.

 

[Elisante]

Sounds like your the paranoid one

I'm not sure if this is a joke but I'm pretty sure you need to have more symptoms than "someone is trying to poison me".

 

[Elisante]

I’m not surprised that you would think she would poison you she seems unpredictable. But I don’t think she will poison you that’s probably just you over thinking but I’d stay away from her she sounds like trouble.

Thanks for your answer. She is troubling. Many people in the workplace question whether she should come in contact with children's food. I honestly can't understand her behaviour.

 

[WhySoSerious]

There isn't a huge amount of data on the risk factors associated with the cluster A personality disorders - often because they are under diagnosed or left in mainstream society because they are untrusting of MH professionals (amongst other people) and therefore aren't spotted.

From my experience paranoid PD is typified by distrust opposed to a full blown paranoia with delusions. Many, however, have secondary diagnosis of BPD or ASPD which have higher rates of impulsivity and anger.

That said without assessing her its hard to say. You can't make blanket assumptions with ANY diagnosis - its simply not all that easy. The only real behavioural "signatures" with personality disorder are emotional intensity and self-injury [BPD] and aggression/criminality [ASPD].

 

[WhySoSerious]

Thanks for your answer. She is troubling. Many people in the workplace question whether she should come in contact with children's food. I honestly can't understand her behaviour.

It sounds like a huge jump to assume someone may poison or contaminate another person's food! Where is your evidence that she may be at risk of that? It sounds like you may be more paranoid than she is... without sounding mean.

In terms of understanding behaviour we need to link it to the function of it. Always focus on what she is getting from the behaviour - whether that is getting a need met or avoiding something (people get aggressive to avoid the discomfort of difficult conversations for example, they get angry and aggressive > you step away in retreat > their discomfort decreases).

 

[Elisante]

It sounds like a huge jump to assume someone may poison or contaminate another person's food! Where is your evidence that she may be at risk of that? It sounds like you may be more paranoid than she is... without sounding mean.

In terms of understanding behaviour we need to link it to the function of it. Always focus on what she is getting from the behaviour - whether that is getting a need met or avoiding something (people get aggressive to avoid the discomfort of difficult conversations for example, they get angry and aggressive > you step away in retreat > their discomfort decreases).

Thank you for your input. I'm not paranoid. Do I really need evidence though? Do people who want to poison others give any signs apart from general instability and a psychological diagnosis?

I'm pretty terrible at reading others but I don't think she is getting anything out of being agressive. I don't think she can control it. She just snaps out of nowhere. Everyone is talking about it, it's not only me. She is not the type of person that can hide that something is wrong with her. I'm not saying everyone with this disorder acts like this, so yeah, it's pretty hard to judge individuals based on a simple diagnosis and a description from someone who doesn't like them so I don't blame you if you think I'm exaggerating.

 

[WhySoSerious]

Thank you for your input. I'm not paranoid. Do I really need evidence though? Do people who want to poison others give any signs apart from general instability and a psychological diagnosis?

I'm pretty terrible at reading others but I don't think she is getting anything out of being agressive. I don't think she can control it. She just snaps out of nowhere. Everyone is talking about it, it's not only me. She is not the type of person that can hide that something is wrong with her. I'm not saying everyone with this disorder acts like this, so yeah, it's pretty hard to judge individuals based on a simple diagnosis and a description from someone who doesn't like them so I don't blame you if you think I'm exaggerating.

Well yes you do need evidence. I could say that someone might murder someone but without evidence its speculation. What gives you that impression that she may do something like that?

I just really want to make sense of what leads you to the belief that she could do that? Have you got specific examples of behaviour that would suggest it? Poisoning is very specific. I could understand if you said "assault someone" but poison them? That's a very unusual assumption to make of someone.

I don't think you are exaggerating, just curious as to how you got to that conclusion.

 

[WhySoSerious]

Thank you for your input. I'm not paranoid. Do I really need evidence though? Do people who want to poison others give any signs apart from general instability and a psychological diagnosis?

I'm pretty terrible at reading others but I don't think she is getting anything out of being agressive. I don't think she can control it. She just snaps out of nowhere. Everyone is talking about it, it's not only me. She is not the type of person that can hide that something is wrong with her. I'm not saying everyone with this disorder acts like this, so yeah, it's pretty hard to judge individuals based on a simple diagnosis and a description from someone who doesn't like them so I don't blame you if you think I'm exaggerating.

ALL behaviour is caused. ALL behaviour has a motive, a goal, a function. She is getting something out of being aggressive even if you don't know what it is. People aren't usually aggressive for no apparent reason. She is likely fearful of what someone may do to her or that people are getting in the way of a goal/desire.