This is the dawning of the age of paranoia

An "age of paranoia" is dawning at the start of the 21st century, a leading psychiatrist says. Dr Daniel Freeman, who has spent a decade conducting pioneering research into paranoia, believes one in four people regularly suffer irrational fears of being threatened or in danger.

Paranoia is far more common than had been suspected, and on the increase, he claims, primarily as a result of growing inequity, social (particularly urban) isolation, and a more competitive society. "These days, we daren't let our children play outside; we're suspicious of strangers; security cameras are everywhere," said Dr Freeman, from the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London. "We seem to have entered an age of paranoia. And the indications are that things may only get worse."

Dr Daniel Freeman, from the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London, has spent a decade conducting pioneering research into paranoia and believes one in four people regularly suffer irrational fears of being threatened or in danger.

Paranoia is far more common among the general public than had previously been suspected, and on the increase due to the media and the threat of terrorism, he claims.

"These days, we daren't let our children play outside; we're suspicious of strangers; security cameras are everywhere. We seem to have entered an age of paranoia. And the indications are that things may only get worse."

Dr Freeman, who recently developed a "virtual reality" method of diagnosing paranoia, believes a combination of factors has helped to create an "era of suspiciousness". One is the increasing number of people living in cities. For the first time, 2008 has seen urban populations in the world outnumber rural.

In 1800, just 5% of people around the world were city-dwellers. By 2030, this figure is expected to have risen to 65%. Rates of paranoia are known to be twice as high in cities than in rural communities, said Dr Freeman.

"Social bonds are much looser in cities than in smaller, rural communities where ready-made, relatively stable support networks exist," he pointed out. "Social isolation, a frequent drawback to urban life, is closely associated with paranoid thoughts. In the UK, nearly four times as many people live alone as fifty years ago. Increasing paranoia is certainly one more challenge posed by galloping urbanisation."

Public perceptions of crime and terrorism also contributed to an atmosphere of paranoia, said Dr Freeman. He criticised the media for hyping up these threats and adopting an "if it bleeds, it leads" attitude to coverage.

"Every age has its bogeymen, and ours includes terrorists, hoodies and paedophiles, but the amount of coverage they receive in both tabloids and broadsheets greatly outweighs coverage of our real killers, such as heart disease, cancer, and road accidents," said Dr Freeman.

Dr Freeman said: "Dealing with paranoia at an individual level is relatively straightforward. But if we are really to get to the root of the problem, we need urgent action at a wider level. We need a range of policies to raise public awareness of paranoia, to train therapists and tackle the effects of potentially damaging social and economic trends."