Hello ciderguy: I struggle with a bit of paranoia from time-to-time. I do think that one aspect of paranoid thinking is that it becomes... not "easy"... but "easier"... I guess I'd say... to detect patterns that seem to support the paranoid thinking... if that makes any sense. The human brain, as we're told, is wired to perceive patterns. (It's what makes it possible for some people to see the face of Jesus in a grilled cheese sandwich...) And for those of us who struggle with paranoia, I suspect there is a predilection to perceive patterns that support our paranoid thinking. So, from that perspective, it can become a vicious circle.

Of course, not being able to sleep doesn't help either. I often have periods of time, in the wee hours of the morning (2 or 3 a.m.), when I wake up & can't get back to sleep. Some of the thoughts that go through my head during those periods of time are some of the most troubling I have.