Please help.

I'm trying to figure out what is wrong with my boyfriend.

About 90% of the time we go out in public (which is rare these days), he is convinced that people are talking negatively about either us or him or both of us. I soon realized that it was statistically impossible that every single time we're around other people that this is happening. Before I met him I considered myself a pretty socially aware person and my experiences with other people have mostly been positive. I have not once gotten the impression that someone he is convinced is making fun of him or us is actually doing what he says they're doing. He is not acting strange and does not look notable in anyway that would be causing all of this perceived negative attention. He ruined my birthday dinner last night by nearly causing a confrontation with a man sitting behind me that my boyfriend said was making fun of everything he was saying to me and my responses.

This is the worst symptom my boyfriend has, although on occasion he has been convinced that the police are tracking our whereabouts through our cellphones. But this doesn't happen very often. He also doesn't get jealous or think I'm cheating on him (we've been together for 2 1/2 years) and has never suspected that about any of his exes either. In fact, he's the least jealous man I've ever known.

My question is, does this seem like PPD or paranoid schizophrenia or something else? My boyfriend was diagnosed with ADHD in the past and he still has adult symptoms of it. Can this be caused by ADHD. I really want to get him help as he is turning into a shut-in and I don't enjoy going anywhere with him anymore as it's starting to give me a complex! I'm starting to get really self-conscious in public because for a while I gave him the benefit of the doubt that he was noticing these things. When I finally told him I was pretty sure he's making this up in his mind because I've never experienced so much negativity in my life and that it doesn't seem grounded in reality, he tells me that me and everyone else don't have as high an awareness as he does and that we just never notice it. Though, because of his ADHD he's proven to be socially inept because he doesn't pick up on social cues!

We can't offer diagnoses here, but I don't think it's PPD because there need to be several symptoms that have been relatively consistent over their adulthood. However, paranoia can be an aspect of other issues, or as it seems here, an issue in its own right. I hadn't heard of it being connected to ADHD before, but I know very little about either so that doesn't mean much.

I would encourage him to talk to a therapist if possible, because it's affecting his life and your relationship. It might be that there's something underlying it and they'd be able to help him unpick that. It probably wouldn't be easy, especially if he's denying any problem. I'm not sure how best to approach that.

I wouldn't go so far as to say he's PPD.
He definitely is exhibiting some psychosis however... enough to be of concern.
You need to think about what its going to be like IF his symptoms become more pronounced or start to leak into other aspects of his life.
He needs to recognize that his thoughts are irrational.
You need to make sure you are not validating his accusations and assumptions. At the same time you don't want to offend him by attacking him like "you're crazy" or anything.
But you really should let him know that this is causing a problem and that he is being irrational and that you want him to seek help.
I worry that he may worsen if he doesn't realize what he's doing.
So sorry and good luck