Hi, just reading a very interesting book (yup, another one!) called The Examined Life, which is a memoir of a psychoanalyst, and some of the patients he's encountered.
He's put forward a possible reason why some patients develop paranoia. Paraphrasing, he argues that what they really fear is the utter indifference of the universe, and everyone in it, to their existence. So they would rather believe 'they're out to get me!' than that no one thinks about them in the first place.
He points out that the elderly fear being 'ignored' so in that sense, believing that the nurses are stealing the duvets (or whatever!) is preferable - at least the thieving nurses know he still exists to have possessions....
No idea whether his thesis makes sense, but there you go - food for thought. (Feel free to disagree!)
He's put forward a possible reason why some patients develop paranoia. Paraphrasing, he argues that what they really fear is the utter indifference of the universe, and everyone in it, to their existence. So they would rather believe 'they're out to get me!' than that no one thinks about them in the first place.
He points out that the elderly fear being 'ignored' so in that sense, believing that the nurses are stealing the duvets (or whatever!) is preferable - at least the thieving nurses know he still exists to have possessions....
No idea whether his thesis makes sense, but there you go - food for thought. (Feel free to disagree!)