Paranoid is a pretty ordinary word these days, I think. So is overprotective. The only problem is if you use those words to support an invalid argument, and it sounds like that guy did.

I can well attest to the undeniable fact that my mother was paranoid and definitely overprotective of those in her care (me and/or the various pets) for her entire life. She lived an existence of unjustified fear. As for my father, he went sort of to the other extreme, being quite reckless, and figured he couldn't lose. It was kind of like being between Scylla and Charybdis. ;-)