[Manic Trance]

I do not have florid psychosis. I don't have completely fantastical paranoid delusions. However I do get into delusional paranoid thinking about my friends and family and colleagues. Especially about work. It's the kind of stuff that sort of makes sense, but if you think about it is really paranoid, & I can run a long way with that. Like start sending people emails reacting to meanings I think they insinuated or something, I've alienated a lot of people that way. It is a bit delusional and paranoid, but is it psychosis? My sense is no. I also have a pervasive feeling of being watched, and have come up with an image in my mind of the person who watches me. Additionally, there are times when I believe I am in possession of preternatural powers. But not like I can fly or something, more like I have the ability to focus in such an extreme way that it almost constitutes telekinesis. Something like that. Again borderline reasonable, but when you think about it not reasonable at all. Just wondering if these things count as psychosis. Let me know if you have time.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

I think this is psychosis. That is my my signature says what it says.
I think delusional thinking qualifies? And I have that, and paranoia at times.

[BipolaRNurse]

I've experienced paranoia, also delusions of being able to change the future for someone because I'm "there" for them at the right moment in time. I guess that's psychosis too. And of course there was the time I saw black and gray cats running under the supply carts in the ER while I was waiting to be transferred to the psych unit in the next town...but we won't talk about that right now. Someone might be listening. Seriously.

[Manic Trance]

Thanks guys!
I am not medicated and still thinking on it. I am trying to get a new therapist who would, potentially oversee me transitioning onto meds. I was prescribed Lithium once but never took it. We'll see...
Thanks for your responses.
MT

[WorkhorseDVM]

Originally Posted by BipolaRNurse

I've experienced paranoia, also delusions of being able to change the future for someone because I'm "there" for them at the right moment in time. I guess that's psychosis too. And of course there was the time I saw black and gray cats running under the supply carts in the ER while I was waiting to be transferred to the psych unit in the next town...but we won't talk about that right now. Someone might be listening. Seriously.

Oh, mine was an orange cat, in the pysch unit ...

"people are out to get me" if the prime thought in my mind when experiencing psychosis. Thinking I have psychic powers is another sign for me.

What you have explained, sounds like it's creeping into the territory of psychosis to me. If you still have a grip on reality, it's manageable, but I'm sure it's adding negatives to your life.

I hope you find a solution to this problem, or something to ease the symptoms.

Best of luck

I have a lot of similar thinking and have lost a lot of friends due to delusions of persecution and thinking people are out to get me. To me it is psychotic thinking, but that is my personal thought. I do have bouts of psychosis where I am actively seeing and hearing things which kind of plays into my thoughts that people are out to hurt me.

[Wander]

I agree with the above posts it definitely sounds like you are heading into psychosis when those symptoms hit. As they cause you issues it would be best to bring it up with your T, when you get one. There are coping strategies s/he can teach you to manage the symptoms better and if needed anti-psychotics help. I have had very similar experiences and they can be very scary and disorientating. Hope you feel better soon.

[CopperStar]

Well technically psychosis is "a mental disorder characterized by symptoms, such as delusions or hallucinations, that indicate impaired contact with reality"per an online dictionary, but of course that's way off the mark. And when the dictionary is stupid, confusion is gonna happen.

Psychosis is a symptom that can include delusion(s), hallucination(s) or both.

A PTSD flashback is a type of psychosis. However, when most people ask of they have experienced psychosis, it seems like most people really want to know if they have experienced psychosis caused by schizophrenia, schizoaffective or bipolar disorder.

I've had psychosis caused by mental illness (BP 1 with psychotic features).
I've had psychosis caused by trauma issues, such as olfactory hallucinations when triggered.
I've had psychosis caused by drugs.
I've had psychosis caused by sleep deprivation and/or stress.

Psychosis is a symptom, and many people have experienced it.

For example, I once had a panic attack where I was convinced that I could not breathe and that my throat was swelling shut. This was a severe delusion, powered by anxiety and caused me extreme duress, and the people around me could not convince me of anything or talk any sense into me. Even the basic fact that I couldn't be talking if I wasn't breathing did not register with me. I had lost touch with reality and was delusional while also very panicked.

But most people would not imagine something like that ^ when thinking of psychosis. Most people imagine A Beautiful Mind or the famous schizophrenia cat painting.

[Capriciousness]

I think there is a psychosis spectrum

But I really do have psychic powers........

Hahaha

[Capriciousness]

Originally Posted by BipolaRNurse

I've experienced paranoia, also delusions of being able to change the future for someone because I'm "there" for them at the right moment in time. I guess that's psychosis too. And of course there was the time I saw black and gray cats running under the supply carts in the ER while I was waiting to be transferred to the psych unit in the next town...but we won't talk about that right now. Someone might be listening. Seriously.

You can change my future!

[Crazy Hitch]

It's a really good post this because, well, it's kind of one of those where it's plausible that maybe some people do notice what you do at work, and then again, perhaps nobody notices you at all .... it's so hard to say from this side. If it were me, it would be either case - if I were working it could be, for instance, a return to work after having had an extended time off, perhaps senior managers were scrutinising me more closely, or, then again perhaps not. I just view the world as everyone watching me really with the intent of them "being out to get me". Oh I hate paranoia! It sucks when you can't tell the line between what is real and what may not be happening at all.

I think it's likely you're not being watched at all .........

[HolisticGal]

I always assume someone is or will watch me via surveillance. That reality feeds into my paranoia. Magnifies it.

[Capriciousness]

I feel like a lot of what I always thought of as anxiety may often have really been paranoia.

I would say that I didn't just have GAD but that I had Generalized Fear Disorder

[Ripose]

I have my router/modem set to medium security to prevent people from getting in and using my camera and microphone to spy on me. The default setting is low security and very few people ever change it.