I am diagnosed with BP1. When the East Area Rapist/Golden State Killer was finally arrested last month I truly realized how terribly frightening it was to be a teen exactly at the time, and in the neighborhood, where he was so active with his hideous attacks. That, while there was abuse going on in my own home.

Then I began to feel a bit odd, and I started to wonder about something. Kind of worry about it. I did have parents who came from Brooklyn and were very, very cautious about physical safety and security (A complete irony that my mother married my abusive step-father). Also the security of personal possessions. They really drilled those things into me when I was a child.
That said, I have constant feelings of fear about being watched through my open windows by malicious people. I fear that if I have a conflict with someone they will break into my apartment, vandalize my car, or - worst of all - hurt my cats or let them escape and get lost. I worry about these things pretty much constantly. I even fear that friendly neighbors are only pretending and are secretly planning to break into my apartment when I'm not at home- or that their visitors might do so. I hate feeling like this, because I really like most of my neighbors, and care about them.

I am afraid, too, that someone malicious will call me just to find out if I live at my address (I still use my landline).

I'm wondering what others of you experience as paranoia or PTSD? How can I tell the difference? I'm suddenly feeling upset and freaked out about this.