Persecution Complex Is Modern Psychosis aka Paranoid Much?

I see many posts on here from members always telling other members that they are too paranoid, not everything is a conspiracy, and not everyone is out to get you. Whether I or anyone else agrees with these declarations is a moot point, however science may have a pretty good explanation and taking a break to join reality may indeed be the best medicine for some.

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Over the course of the 20th century, fantasies of persecution became the defining modern delusion, suggest a pair of studies on long-term trends in psychosis.

The first, published Mar. 18 in the International Journal of Social Psychiatry, was based on 102 patient records from a psychiatric hospital in western Pennsylvania. Randomly picked and representing each decade of the 20th century, the records were interpreted as glimpses of each era’s mental atmosphere.

From these glimpses, a fuller picture emerged. After 1950, delusions involving persecution — variations on the “someone is out to get me” theme — were four times more frequent. Feelings of being spied upon increased by five.

I find it somewhat odd that it changed so drastically. Did the state of our government at that time make these folks overly paranoid, or was it brought on by recent wars? Maybe it just happened that we started to take more notice of it then.

The scientists seem to think so...

“That more patients after 1950 believe they are being spied upon is consistent with the development of related technology and the advent of the Cold War,” wrote the researchers, who were led by Marywood University psychologist Brooke Cannon. “Delusional content tended to reflect the culture at the time, with focus on syphilis in the early 1900s, on Germans during World War II, on Communists during the Cold War, and on technology in recent years.”

That would make sense IMO. During times of war and unrest our government seems to become even more tight lipped about the true state of affairs... Secrecy breeds paranoia as far as I am concerned.

“Demons, ghosts and witches as sources of influence and persecution were replaced by radio waves, television and computers,” wrote the researchers, led by Borut Skodlar, a University of Ljubljana psychiatrist. “The church, inquisitors, Napoleons and gods were replaced by secret agents, political organizations, or leaders and modern machinery.”

Whether or not the cultural and technological shifts of the internet age represent a continuation of these 20th-century themes, or will produce its own unique delusions, is an unresolved question.

I would hazard a guess that the trend will only get worse since we have mostly unlimitd access to tons of knowledge, news, and gossip via the internet. We can look into things more in depth now instead of just waiting for lip service. This also allows us access to massive amounts of dis-info sold as glowing truths.

I suppose we will have to wait for the next study to see.

What do the ATSer's think?

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Originally posted by Kangaruex4Ewe

“That more patients after 1950 believe they are being spied upon is consistent with the development of related technology and the advent of the Cold War,” wrote the researchers, who were led by Marywood University psychologist Brooke Cannon.

I think psychologist are trying to blame the cold war for
what they themselves have engendered in the public mind.

Paranoia.

On the rise since the 50's?

And they refuse to track this increase along side the increase in the number of practicing psychologist
blaming a failed communist state instead?

Obviously it wasn't the cold war.
It ended, yet the info presented above says that paranoia is on the rise.
So is the so-called profession of psychatry on the rise.


This reads like another power grab for our minds.


David Grouchy

It could be true, the 50's gave rise to McCarthyism (aka the red scare, one to look up) and the very beginnings of modern psychological warfare, leading to MK Ultra in the 60s. It is entirely reasonable to assume many of the victims would be discredited to protect the secret nature of these projects at the time.


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Originally posted by davidgrouchy

This reads like another power grab for our minds.

Good point. That actually did cross my mind. That and the fact that the quickest way to discredit someone is to label them paranoid and delusional.

Gotta love paranoia about an article about paranoia... That sounds right but wrong at the same time!

Originally posted by rufusthestuntbum
It could be true, the 50's gave rise to McCarthyism (aka the red scare, one to look up) and the very beginnings of modern psychological warfare, leading to MK Ultra in the 60s. It is entirely reasonable to assume many of the victims would be discredited to protect the secret nature of these projects at the time.

I can absolutely see the validity in the article as well. It would breed paranoia, just like it spread here after "The War On Terror" began.

I can see both sides. Whatever the cause, I don't see it slowing down anytime soon.

Nah, 1950's is when the Government Quantum supercomputer based on Alien technology came on-line, the one that reads your mind and engineers society for the benefit of the elite.

It reads your mind, plants thoughts in there, and everything.

I guess people could argue that war breeds paranoia. It's because of what the dominant majority thinks. When people are found to be in any association with the enemy or that they sympathize with the enemy, or they don't think that the enemy should be attacked other people become suspicious of those people and they want them investigated. This has been evidenced by the anti-war protestors's homes that were raided last year. They have paranoia because the government searches people who they suspect to be aiding and abeting the enemy, so, therefore anyone that has anti-government views might feel a need to be paranoid. This is largely the government's fault.