[ChaoticSymphony]

Is it the bipolar when you start to notice coincidences or wondering if cameras are in your ceiling? I am completely sane and know now that when I ask myself for facts that the cameras are not there and the coincidences are just that, coincidences. Is this a bipolar thing or anxiety thing or what? It only happens when I feel like I'm doing something wrong, in reality it isn't wrong, I'm a free woman to do as I please. At one point before I really had one foot in the paranoia and one in reality and it was tough, this time not so tough because I know I've felt this before and all facts proved my fears wrong.

[Crazy Hitch]

Hi ChaoticSymphony

Yes, I have heard of this indeed in people with Bipolar.

Whether or not it's made worse during anxiety or as a result of anxiety I am not entirely sure.

But what you are describing is a story I am certainly familiar with.

Perhaps more members will come forward with their point of view.

Take care.

[Imah]

In my opinion it is a bipolar thing. I never thought it was cameras - although I feel watched all the time. For me, the early religious teachings taught me it was "the big judge".

I think I would prefer cameras. (joke). I also tend to worry about the 'listeners' (The FBI who I am scared watch me because I twitter and make comments on politics and I am afraid they might consider me some threat) (NOW THATS BIPOLAR) lol

But, while I call it a bipolar thing, I actually think its just my brain making up reasons it can fathom to why I am experiencing an emotion. Like - if we couldn't disassemble an emotion - you would just feel 'watched' but not wonder why.

So I think the feeling of watched might be bipolar, and the creation of a reason might just be the mind. IDK, that's my best guess.

Best of luck to us all.

PS: at this time you feel 'persnickety' - great word, isn't it?

[Lmt2292]

I am bipolar with ocd and paranoid thinking. Hoping this end

[Angry1541]

Interesting -- I sometimes have thoughts like this....like are my employers watching via my computer cam. If I am somewhere public I sometimes feel like I am being watched. I never really think there are hidden cameras in my house. But I have different types of paranoid thoughts like but I always chalk them up too many drugs back in the day.

[Skywalking]

I experience this but I'm pretty sure it's related to a stalking thing that happened in my case. Maybe not?

[Desafinado]

If I understand the neurology behind Bipolar correctly, our brain chemistry works in a way which leads to 'faster' thinking, which is why we often take medication to slow our brain down (rather than speed it up as in treatment for depression). I can't point you to any studies, but this has rung true my whole life as I've always been a very, very quick thinker.

The problem is, when your mind races and you think more thoughts, the proportion of paranoid thoughts increases, and paranoid thoughts can snowball into an even greater state of paranoia.

Imagine you aren't bipolar and think 3 thoughts a minute and 10% of your thoughts are mildly paranoid. This means that you only have one paranoid thought every 3 minutes. But if your mind is racing constantly that whole time suddenly that 10% paranoid thought rate becomes 1 paranoid thought per minute. Then, you think the wrong thought too often and it more frequently snowballs into greater paranoia.

This is why I tend to stay away from things that make my mind go faster (caffeine), and tend towards things that slow it down (lavender, chamomile, beer), which always leads to much clearer, and normal patterns of thought.

[ChaoticSymphony]

That makes complete sense. Also when you are having these thoughts you aren't slowing down fast enough to convince yourself otherwise so they become thoughts you remember when you notice another thought hence reinforcing the paranoia.

[~Christina]

When paranoia comes for a visit I just hate it. My best weapon is self grounding and Mindfulness and reminding myself that really my life is so boring no one would waste time doing so.

Wash rinse and repeat as much as needed

[Sinking Feeling]

I don't think it's just a bipolar thing at all. I think many of us with various illnesses experience it to some degree. If it's possible, it's not really a serious issue, if it's highly unlikely, it can be a problem.

[touched by fire]

IDK if it's really the bipolar... but everything I do, it's as if someone is watching me. I always cover my tracks, hide things and generally act like someone is trying to sneak into my business and expose what I'm doing. Like work for instance... I'm the f'n network admin, top dog... nobody can see or even figure out how to know what I do on the net... yet, I still cover my tracks for everything I do... daily.

[electricbipolargirl]

Hi there,

I had paranoid delusions when I was in a mixed state. I believed that everyone was out to get me, including my husband and close family members. But I finally found relief when the Geodon started kicking in. Do you take any meds? (You don't have to answer if it's too personal).

[gaway1989]

It's common in Bipolar type I (maniac and mixed episodes).