Mental Health 60+ yr old male....?

Any ideas on whether this constitutes a mental health condition:

My father-in-law currently believe that the FBI have him under constant surveilence including tapping his phones bugs and hidden cameras in his shop. because he said some anti-american stuff on Yahoo chat. (We live in the UK). He has actually accused customers of working for the FBI and thrown them out of the shop.

He has also basically threw out every employ and business partner had them back and threw them out again. Often thinking they have either:

A) Ripped him off.
B) Having an affiar with his wife (he is not faithfull to her).

He was attacked years ago in his shop and was stabbed. My wife says he suffered paranoia before that but was never the same after that.

Recently he has started following his wife around everywhere she goes including work. She is a nurse. and openly accuses her of having affairs.

She just laughs it off but I think she is in denial.

I was pretty sure thats what you guys would say.

Is there anyone who is a medical professional? I need some convincing evidence to talk to my mother-in-law with. I am very concerned about everyones safety. Its almost as if he has been like this such a long time she has just learned to adapt to it.. He does seem to be getting worse lately.

He threatened my 14 year old brother once with a machete He said later it was just a joke but he was scared. I don't really tak to him anymore unfortunately, since we had a fall out and I told him he needs help. I am particularly concerned for the well being of my two little girls as he is very unpredictable.

As far as other health goes he seems ok he does have diabetes. Occasionaly he complains of stomach and leg pains although the doctors have found nothing wrong on that respect... he seems to think his wife is trying to poison him too.

sounds like he needs some help, this is not normal behaviour

This sounds like one of either 2 disorders. A) schizophrenia or B) given his age Alzheimers. Get him checked out!

He's a nutter

yes,it does.

sounds like he needs to go to the doctor for mental evaluation. he maybe getting alhshiemers.

He needs to see a doctor asap before he does something he may regret try contacting his gp on his behalf this may help get the help he needs

sounds like both him and wife are suffering from trauma

Basically if you do not return to normal behaviour after a traumatic event, then you are suffering from the trauma.

they both need a shrink and at different sittings (not together)

check with your local social security, they may be able to claim as a victim to the crime.

Paranoia is not an illness but a symptom of an illess. Having said that, some people are inherently over-suspicious as part of their personality. You give the impression that this has been going on for some time, and is now escalating. Paranoia is a 'delusion of persecution' - a 'delusion' is a fixed false belief that is not amenable to reasoned arguement. It is often secondary to a psychotic illness such as schizophrenia but not exclusively. It can also be a feature of severe depression - or result from organic changes in the brain - sometimes age related. The difficulty will be in persuading this person to seek help.

Sure ...

PTSD
anxiety depression
schitzophernic
personality disorder

He needs help...there are worrying themes here paranoia, persecutory beliefs.....get him help

Yes, he has some form of dementia. Good luck getting him to a doctor. With the wife in denial and the husband thinking the world is out to get him--????

he definately needs evaluating about his paranoia, could be schizophrenia

You have concentrated on the delusional part, which is clearly
out of the ordinary. What other symptoms does your father in law have? How is he sleeping? Is he getting forgetful? Is he seeing things? What about emotional stablity? Your father in law would have to be formally diagnosed by a mental health professional, sounds like he need it. If he follows his wife around and accuses everyone that they are out to get him, etc. it can get dangerous if he loses touch with reality.

Is he still working? If he does have some sort of mental illness maybe the lack of routine and focus has brought it to the fore. I know from my own experience my father had a really high powered career but was always regarded as eccentric. Now he has completely retired and has no focus and no routine he has gone completely off the rails. He has accused everyone in the family of ridiculous things we are supposed to have done against him, (even accusing his 6 year old granddaughter of plotting to kill him). We know realise he has always had this illness but it was always kept in check by work. As he refuses to believe there is anything wrong with him there is very little anyone can do. I think your mother in law probably knows just how ill he is but is reluctant to admit it after all these years. All you can do is be supportive. Good luck.