Paranoia: The 21st Century Fear [Hardcover]

Daniel Freeman (Author), Jason Freeman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2008

Terrorists, child abductors, muggers, delinquent teenagers, malicious colleagues . . . Who wouldnt be worried? The world can be a dangerous place, for sure. But have we lost the knack of judging risk? Are we letting paranoia get the better of us? In this entertaining and thought-provoking book, based on the most up-to-date scientific research, Daniel and Jason Freeman highlight just how prominent paranoia is today. One in four of us have regular paranoid thoughts. The authors analyse the causes of paranoia, identifying the social and cultural factors that seem to be skewing the way we think and feel about the world around us. And they explain why paranoia may be on the rise and, crucially, what we can do to tackle it. Witty, clear, and compelling, Paranoia takes us beyond the tabloid headlines to pinpoint the real menace at the heart of twenty-first century culture.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* In a recent experiment, psychologist Daniel Freeman used a virtual-reality mock-up of a ride on the London Underground to probe his research subjects’ suspicious thoughts about strangers. Noting that those individuals who were often anxious or who have negative feelings about themselves and others were more likely to jump to unsubstantiated negative conclusions about their copassengers on the (virtual) Tube, Daniel was able to gain insight into the relatively high frequency of paranoid thoughts or “persecutory delusions” in  today’s society. With this selection, Daniel and his brother, journalist Jason Freeman, summarize this and other research in one of the first works on paranoia intended for lay readers. Their intent is largely to demystify a psychological phenomenon that may be as subtle and ubiquitous as depression. Noting connections between delusional thinking, social alienation, and stress, the authors also suggest that paranoia may be to some extent an epiphenomenon of modern urban life in unstable times. It’s an unsettling diagnosis, but it need not compound our worries: mild paranoiac tendencies, they suggest, can be successfully contained through cognitive behavioral techniques such as those described in a self-help guide by the same authors, Overcoming Paranoid and Suspicious Thoughts (2008). --Brendan Driscoll

Review

"An absorbing, entertaining, and illuminating examination of one of the defining topics of our time."--Professor Aaron T. Beck, University of Philadelphia and President of the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy, USA

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 1 edition (December 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0199237506
• ISBN-13: 978-0199237500
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #604,953 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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