The world out there is tough. If you live feeling like everyone is cheating or hurting you, your life will be exhausting. The situation is even worse when you know that your biggest enemy is yourself. How can you face and conquer paranoia? How can you control the way you view the world?
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Part 1 of 3: Assessing the Situation
Step 1. Distinguish between paranoia and anxiety
Anxiety is not the same as paranoia, but the two conditions do have some things in common. People who suffer from anxiety always have serious worries. They may think, “My parents are going to die in a car accident.” While a paranoid person will think, "There are people who will kill my parents to hurt me." If you think your problem is anxiety, read the wikiHow article How to Cope with Anxiety.
- Anxiety takes different forms, there is occasional anxiety about a specific event, such as stress from an exam, and persistent anxiety that always accompanies you. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorder. If your anxiety seems general "every time" it occurs, rather than a specific event or situation, you should see a mental health professional. It is possible that you suffer from an anxiety disorder.
- Anxiety is much more common than clinical paranoia. The average age for people with anxiety attacks is 31 years, although it can occur at any age. Symptoms of anxiety, or GAD (generalized anxiety disorder), generally include an inability to relax, startle easily, and difficulty concentrating. The good news is that these symptoms are very treatable.
Step 2. Gather the judges
It's hard to believe, but a certain degree of paranoia is normal. We all have insecurities and we all know what shyness is. About a third of people in the world have had paranoid thoughts. Before you jump to conclusions and assume you're paranoid, gather 4 or 5 friends and ask them if your thought process is understandable or, yes, delusional. This is the only way to know if you really are paranoid or not.
- There are five levels of paranoia. Most of us have a fear of danger and have suspicions (“I could be killed in this dark alley!” or “They're secretly talking about me, aren't they?”). But if you assume the personal threat is mild ("They tapped their feet to annoy me"), moderate ("My calls are being tracked"), or severe ("The police are on TV watching me"), that's a sign that you may be paranoid.
- See how your thoughts affect your life. You may have occasional paranoid thoughts, but if those thoughts are not having a significant impact on your life, you may not be clinically paranoid.
Step 3. Determine whether you are really paranoid or just listening to past life experiences
Sometimes your friends or those closest to you will call your mind "paranoid" if you suspect something, but suspicion doesn't always mean a bad trait. Sometimes life experiences teach you to have certain views that are considered suspicious. Suspecting something, like someone is about to hurt you, doesn't necessarily mean paranoia. Maybe you just have a hard time trusting people. This usually occurs after experiencing trauma or a very bad event.
- For example, maybe you are suspicious of the opposite sex who seems "too perfect". If you've been through a broken heart, you've probably only listened to warnings from past experiences.
- On the other hand, if you suspect that your date is a secret killer sent to kill you, it's probably paranoia.
- As another example, you may notice that something is “wrong” in a situation or person that makes you suspicious. This kind of reaction does not necessarily mean paranoid. While your reaction should be assessed, it doesn't need to be immediately negative.
- Take time to evaluate your reactions and suspicions. You may react with an immediate response, such as fear or anxiety. Don't rush, try to find out where the response is coming from. Is there a basis, eg past experience, that might have provoked the reaction?
- Do a quick fact check. This doesn't mean doing a background check on your new boyfriend. Sit down with a piece of paper and write down what happened. Describe what the situation is, how you feel about the situation, how strong those feelings are, what you believe in the situation, whether those beliefs have supporting (or disproving) facts, and whether you can change your beliefs based on those facts.
Step 4. Consider the influence of alcohol, drugs and other illicit substances
Paranoia is a common side effect of substance abuse. Alcohol can cause hallucinations and paranoia in heavy drinkers. Stimulants, including caffeine (yes caffeine), Adderall, or Ritalin, can cause paranoia and sleeplessness. Combining a stimulant with an over-the-counter antidepressant or decongestant cold medicine can increase this side effect.
- Hallucinogens, such as LSD, PCP (angel dust), and drugs that affect the mind can cause hallucinations, aggression, and paranoia.
- Most other illegal drugs, including cocaine and meth, can also cause paranoia. Nearly 84% of cocaine users experience cocaine-induced paranoia. Even marijuana can trigger paranoia in some people who use it.
- Most prescription drugs will not cause paranoia if taken as prescribed. However, some prescriptions for Parkinson's disease that stimulate dopamine production can cause hallucinations and paranoia. If you're taking a prescription medication and suspect it's making you paranoid, ask your doctor for an alternative medicine. Do not stop taking your medicines before consulting your doctor first.
Step 5. Think about your situation
A recent traumatic event or loss can also make some people paranoid. If you've recently lost someone or been in a particularly stressful situation, paranoia could be your way of dealing with it.
If your paranoia seems to stem from a fairly recent situation (at least in the last few months), it's probably not chronic. The condition still requires attention and you'll need to work around it, but it's easier when it's relatively new
Part 2 of 3: Overcoming Paranoic Thoughts
Step 1. Start writing a journal to record your thoughts and feelings
Journals can help you understand what's making you feel paranoid and can also be a way to reduce stress. Journaling can also help identify triggers, or people, places, and situations that seem to give rise to paranoia. To start writing, choose a comfortable place and plan to spend about 20 minutes a day writing. Think of a situation that makes you paranoid. For example:
- When do you feel paranoid the most? Evening? Early morning? Why do you feel paranoid at those times?
- Usually when you are paranoid, who is around you? Is there a person or group that makes you feel more paranoid? Why do you think they make you more paranoid than usual?
- Where do you feel most paranoid? Is there a place where your paranoia peaks? Why does that place make you paranoid?
- What situations often make you experience paranoia? Social situation? Does it have anything to do with your environment?
- What memories come to mind when you experience it?
Step 2. Make a plan to avoid or reduce your exposure to paranoia triggers
Once you've identified situations and people that seem to be contributing to your paranoia, you can create a plan to reduce your exposure to those triggers. While some people, places, and situations are unavoidable, such as work or school, being aware of triggers for paranoia can help you minimize your exposure to other things you could avoid.
For example, if a certain route makes you feel paranoid, take a different route or ask a friend to accompany you
Step 3. Learn to question your thought processes
In the case of unavoidable triggers, learning to question paranoid thoughts can help you reduce or eliminate thoughts about the person or situation that caused them. The next time you have paranoid thoughts about a person, place, or situation, ask yourself the following questions:
- What thought is this? When did I start thinking about it? Who has this in mind? When? What happened?
- Is this thought based on fact or opinion? How do I find out?
- What are my assumptions or beliefs about this thought? Are my assumptions or beliefs realistic? Why? What does it mean if these thoughts are not real?
- How do I feel-physically and emotionally?
- What can I do to deal with these thoughts in a positive way?
Step 4. Divert your attention from paranoid thoughts
If you can't reduce the paranoia by judging the content, try distracting yourself. You can call your friends, go for a walk, or watch a movie. Find ways to keep paranoid thoughts out of your mind so you don't drown in them.
- Distractions can help you avoid the obsessive thought patterns that occur when you think about the same thing over and over, such as a broken record. These obsessive thoughts are associated with high levels of anxiety and depression.
- However, distraction alone is not enough to overcome these thoughts completely. Distraction is a form of prevention, meaning you also need to take other steps to deal with paranoia.
Step 5. Don't punish yourself
Paranoid thoughts may embarrass you, and make you judge yourself harshly. Research shows that "punishment" techniques are not effective at dealing with paranoid thoughts.
We recommend that you try reassessment (assessing thought processes), social control (seeking advice from others), or distraction as mentioned above
Step 6. Determine if you need professional help
Mild paranoia may be self-limiting, but you will need professional help if your paranoia is moderate to severe. If you are frequently paranoid, consider the following questions:
- Are you considering acting on harmful thoughts?
- Are you considering hurting yourself or others?
- Do you think of and plan ways to hurt someone with the intention of actually doing it?
- Do you hear voices telling you to hurt yourself or others?
- Are your obsessive thoughts or behaviors affecting your personal or work life?
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Do you relive a traumatic experience in your head, over and over again?
If the answer to that question is “yes”, you should seek help from a mental health professional as soon as possible
Part 3 of 3: Understanding Paranoia
Step 1. Define “paranoia” properly
Many of us use the term "paranoid" loosely. However, clinical paranoia involves a prolonged excruciating feeling and an increasingly inflated sense of importance. Unlike ordinary suspicion, paranoia has no rational basis. There are several medical or mental health conditions that can cause paranoia, but they are not common. You cannot and should not attempt to self-diagnose. If you exhibit any of these symptoms, see your doctor or a mental health professional such as a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist. Only a trained medical professional can diagnose mental illness.
Step 2. Identify the characteristic symptoms of paranoid personality disorder
Paranoid personality disorder affects 0.5% to 2.5% of the world's population. People who suffer from this disorder are so suspicious of others that it causes dysfunction in their daily lives, such as extreme withdrawal from social life. The symptoms include:
- Unfounded suspicion of others, especially suspicions that you will be hurt, exploited, or deceived by them
- Suspect that others can't be trusted, even your own friends and family
- Difficulty talking about feelings or cooperating with other people.
- Assuming there is hidden or threatening meaning in harmless comments or events
- Holding a grudge
- Cruel or socially withdrawn
- Strong angry reaction
Step 3. Watch for signs of paranoid schizophrenia
People with paranoid schizophrenia believe that others will hurt them or their loved ones. Perhaps they also believe that they are very important (delusions of greatness). Only 1% of people with schizophrenia in the world. Signs of paranoid schizophrenia include:
- Social isolation or withdrawal
- Be suspicious of others
- Alone or wary
- Delusional jealousy
- Auditory hallucinations (“hearing voices”)
Step 4. Watch for signs of delusional disorder
Delusional disorder is a belief in one or more very specific paranoias (for example, "The police are on TV watching my every move"). These beliefs are clear and not always global, and the sufferer can function normally without exhibiting odd behavior. This disorder is very rare, only about 0.02% percent of people who suffer from delusional disorder. Common symptoms of delusional disorder include:
- Overreferring to yourself. This means that a person sees references to themselves in any way, even in circumstances that are unlikely to be true (e.g. believing that the actor in a film is speaking directly to them).
- Get angry
- Depressive nature
- Aggressive behavior
Step 5. Consider whether you may have post-traumatic stress disorder
Paranoia may accompany post-traumatic stress disorder, which is a mental health condition that can develop after a person has experienced trauma. Traumatic experiences can even cause hallucinations and paranoia. If you've experienced trauma in the past, such as violence, there's a good chance you're suffering from what's called persecutory ideation, or the belief that someone is going to hurt you. These beliefs can make you suspicious of others or worried about being hurt, even in situations that are not suspicious or dangerous for most people. Unlike most types of paranoia, this kind of fear has a basis, namely a reaction to trauma. You can treat post-traumatic stress disorder with the help of a mental health professional with experience dealing with trauma cases.
- The most common treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder is cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on studying the effects of trauma on thoughts and behavior. You can learn new ways to think about yourself and the world, ways of thinking that will help reduce your symptoms
- Other treatments include exposure therapy, or reprocessing and desensitization of eye movements.
Step 6. Consider discussing your feelings with a therapist
Without help, it can be difficult to figure out why you're feeling paranoid and determine the best way to deal with those feelings. A licensed mental health professional can help you begin to understand these feelings and help you get through them.
- Keep in mind that feeling paranoid may be part of another mental health condition that requires treatment. A therapist can help you understand what's going on and decide on the best course of action.
- Seeing a therapist is common. Many people do it to improve their condition and improve their quality of life. You should be happy that you decided to ask for help: your actions were bold and showed that you care about yourself.
- Please change therapists. Many people feel stuck with the first therapist they meet. If it doesn't work, find a new therapist. Find a therapist you are comfortable with and you can trust. Changing therapists can make your progress faster.
- Be aware that your therapist is legally required to keep the information you provide confidential. People who suffer from paranoia tend to be afraid to share their problems, but therapists are legally and ethically bound to keep secrets. The only exceptions to this rule are if you share plans to harm yourself or others, if your situation involves violence or neglect, or if a court orders a therapist to disclose information because you are undergoing a court hearing.
Tips
- Stay away from drugs and alcohol. You may feel that this illicit substance helps, but it doesn't. All of that only exacerbates your paranoia.
- Learn how to meditate so that you can relax when you are attacked by paranoid thoughts.
- Keep in mind that most humans are good, and they don't conspire against you.
- Remember that in the end everything will be okay no matter what.
- Concentrate on your breathing and think of something relaxing, maybe a happy memory. If this fails, try intermediate mental arithmetic; for example, multiply 13 x 4 in your head.
Warning
- Don't hurt other people just based on your suspicions.
- Share your thoughts and feelings with others. The pent-up feelings will eventually explode, suppressing them will not be good for your health. Talk to people you trust.
