Given the symptoms you provided (unexplained fear from other people), it is possible that your boyfriend might be experiencing paranoia. Paranoia is a mental disorder in which the person fears the activities of other people, whereas the actual situation does not indicate any real danger. The person that is said to be the cause for the fear might be completely unrelated to the patient.


In certain cases, the patient cannot even point out a person who might harm him, but knows “for sure” that someone wants to hurt him or is conspiring against him. Paranoia is a mental disorder that belongs to the group of mental disorders where the patient does not perceive the actual surrounding situation as it is. Instead, twisted perception occurs. The perception might cause someone to create a system that even sounds logical, but is not based on facts.


This condition requires observation and evaluation by a psychiatrist for a longer period. The treatment might consist of use of anti-anxiety medications, anti-depressants, and psychotherapy. Each of these methods and treatments might be more or less successful.


It is important to know that people sometimes misuse the term paranoia for the condition phobia. A phobia is also an unexplained fear from something, but the person usually sees the situation as it is and simply cannot explain the fear.


You might advise your boyfriend to visit a psychologist to check if the symptoms are related to phobia or paranoia.