Bulgarian Journal of Psychiatry, 2019; 4(3):26-29
PARANOIA AND INSANITY DEFENSE
Abstract. Paranoia as a “state” is described and analyzed many times by various psychiatrists with great depth and skill. In modern psychiatry, the nosological affiliation of paranoia is under frequent change but still unclear. Attempts to determine whether another mental disorder predisposes to paranoia, whether paranoia is a prodrome of mental disorder, or it is a comorbidity of two disorders, continue. When there are offences committed by paranoiac offenders, are they able to understand “the nature and significance of the act and to direct their actions”? The article aims to identify the suitability for criminal responsibility for different types of paranoiac syndromes.
Key words: paranoia, insanity defense