Paranoid Personality Disorder

The serial bully's fear of exposure is reminiscent of Paranoid Personality Disorder, a pattern of pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others such that their motives are interpreted as malevolent. An inability to trust, doubts about others' loyalty, distortion and fabrication, misinterpretation, and bearing grudges unnecessarily are hallmarks of the disorder. Pathological jealousy, instinctive aggressive counter-attack, the need to control others, and the gathering of trivial or circumstantial "evidence" to support their jealous beliefs also feature.

The DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria for Paranoid Personality Disorder are:

A. A pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others such that their motives are interpreted as malevolent as indicated by at least four of:

1. suspects, without sufficient basis, that others are exploiting, harming or deceiving him or her
2. is preoccupied with unjustified doubts about the loyalty or trustworthiness of friends or associates
3. is unwilling to confide in others because of unwarranted fear that the information will be used maliciously against him or her
4. reads hidden demeaning or threatening meanings into benign remarks or events
5. persistently bears grudges, ie is unforgiving of (perceived) insults, injuries or slights
6. perceives attacks on his or her character or reputation that are not apparent to others and is quick to react angrily or to counter-attack
7. has recurrent suspicions, without justification, regarding the fidelity of spouse or sexual partner

B. Does not occur exclusively during a course of schizophrenia, mood disorder, etc

In many cases, the serial bully appears to select targets in the order of the serial bully's perception of danger of exposure of inadequacy.

Personality disorders related to Paranoid Personality Disorder