I think that's where the difference in paranoid personality disorder or transient paranoia differ from actual paranoid psychosis (the pdoc who analyzed me and diagnosed my disorders). But, if it makes you feel better my psychiatrist isn't sure either and we have actually spent a good amount of time examining my behavior to decide. So, apparently it isn't always a clear case. :3

I know I am being paranoid when I think that someone did something to my car when it starts acting funny - but the ideas are still really distressing, especially when you have a list of suspects. It helps to LOL out myself and then, well it doesn't change the fact that I always think there is motive behind happenstance and begin fantasizing about retaliation.

People who have actual paranoid psychosis don't know they are being paranoid.