Paranoia has been known as the suspicion that there is a conspiracy brewing which is out to do one harm. It has even become classified as a psychotic disorder.
In his 1972 book The Natural Mind, Andrew Weil makes note of "Positive Paranoia" - the ideology held by those who psychologically tested as having a "W" or Whole personality type. These people were shown on tests to be mentally abnormal. In practice however, these were some of the most highly functioning individuals in the community.It's a mental illness characterized by systematized delusions of persecution or grandeur usually without hallucinations
a tendency on the part of an individual or group toward excessive or irrational suspiciousness and distrustfulness of others