Video Transcript: Dr. Phil on Traits of the Paranoid Personality Disorder
Dr Phil
I haven't diagnosed you I can't say what's going on with you. I'm using your own diagnosis and saying that you have a rare mental illness. That's your words, not mine. I don't know what that rare mental illness is. I know that if I if I were still practicing and I were seeing in you seeing you in my office, on my short list of considerations would be a paranoid personality disorder.
Unknown speaker
If if I'm not paranoid, and I'm not paranoid, at all,
Dr Phil
Would you know what that means?
Unknown speaker
Sure, wasn't afraid. I'm not afraid of you. I'm not afraid of you retaliating against me or anybody else. Was no reason for me to be paranoid.
Dr Phil
But it means more than what your saying when I say paranoid. Again, I haven't diagnosed you. It's a pattern of distrust and suspiciousness such that others' motives are interpreted as malevolent. And the traits are things you might want to consider: suspects, without sufficient basis, that others are exploiting, harming or deceiving them; preoccupied with doubts about the loyalty or trustworthiness of friends or family; reluctant to confide in others; reads hidden, demeaning or threatening meanings into benign remarks or events; bears grudges; reacts quickly to perceived attacks on their character; has recurrent suspicions without justification. It could be infidelity, if it's in a marital situation. But if you look at those traits, it kind of describes a lot of what could be going on here.
Unknown speaker
Not with me. No, sir. Dr. Phil, not with me. Well, we'll try again on that one, please.
Dr Phil
Reads hidden, demeaning or threatening meaning into benign remarks or events? Like a zip code.
Unknown speaker
Anybody can feel threatened, you can feel threatened.
Dr Phil
Not by a zip code.
Unknown speaker
You sure can. I don't fit any of those criteria up there. I'm sorry. My son does and his wife does but not me.
Dr Phil
Do you feel that maybe there's suspicion without sufficient basis?
Unknown speaker
No, I do not.
Dr Phil
Is that a possibility? Because you said you had a rare mental illness that you tend to turn things around.
Unknown speaker
I have. There is no possibility at all that I'm going to turn anything around like this whatsoever.