How do you know?

How do you know when you are dealing with paranoia/delusions vs the truth? I am having some very bad work issues, and I honestly can't tell if what is in my head is real, made up, or real but exaggerated. My stress level has been through the roof for weeks to the point I have trouble getting to sleep and feel physically ill. I don't know what to do.

Is there anyone you really trust who you can run everything by and ask? I get confused about this stuff too.

When you're stable, do you have friends or family you can trust?

I would talk to them and get their two cents on the issue.

Sometimes my spouse helps me reality check which is important.

My mom was Paranoid Schizophrenic my whole life. She didn't know what was real and just in her mind. As someone already pointed out, it is important to have someone you trust implicitly to run things by.

((hugs))

My grandmother was a paranoid schizophrenic also. She would do and say some strange things.....I feel so bad for my dad who was raised by her....but mostly she was a very good mother. Unless you "really" got to know her, you would have never known or suspected what she dealt with internally. I often wonder/worry that I might have the same thing but my doctor thinks it's the bipolar symptoms causing the seemingly similar thought patterns. I'm sorry you and your mom dealt with that.

I could run stuff by my mom, but I'm not sure she could help me. I'm not sure what I'm experiencing is so far-fetched that an outside person could say yes or no.

I am convinced that one of the doctors I work with hates me and that everyone there is out to get me. It doesn't matter how hard or how many hours I work. I've been trying to take on other people's tasks and because I'm convinced everyone says I don't work hard enough even though I am non-stop busy for over 40 hours per week. I could probably easily work 55 or more. I feel like I have to do the jobs of 3 people. I barely eat lunch because I'm too busy to eat. I literally feel like I have to work 24/7 or I'll lose my job. Of course, my boss could probably give a lot of incite, but I don't want to look like a looney tune. Just feel like this could all end very badly.

Scatterbrained.....I had the same delusions and was just telling my husband about them about an hour ago....before I read this!!! Well, I'm not sure if mine were or not to be honest....I actually think it was happening to me and so does my husband and mother. I believe I worked in an emotionally abusive and hostile work environment. But with my issues, I don't know for sure. I think I worked by body into the ground, to where it gave out partly due to the harassment I received. My heart goes out to you. I was SUCH a mess over this for so many years.

I've been experiencing somewhat similar thoughts about my job. I've been convinced my co-workers are sick of me working there and are conspiring to get me fired. I listen to every conversation they have together if I'm within earshot and assume parts of the conversation are about me. Then I interpret every little event and coincidence as meaningful.

Your stress level might be contributing to your paranoid thoughts. Is there any actual evidence people at work don't like you or think you work too little? To me it sounds like you feel pressured to take on the extra work but you do not necessarily have to be doing it. The pressure seems to stem from the paranoia. If you continue with this vicious cycle I fear you might develop worse symptoms.

Well I do know the one doctor has issues. I don't know if he necessarily hates me or if he just likes to gossip and since I'm the practice manager, I am an easy target. He gripes about me to my boss and often exaggerates or flat out lies about things. And he gets the staff going too. One example is that last week one of our employees was in a car wreck, and he told another manager that I said I wished she had died. Which is completely untrue. I don't even talk to him unless I HAVE to. The problem is that since he is a doctor, my boss automatically sides with him even when he is completely lying. I've been with the company almost 10 years. It's not like I just automatically became some entirely different person.

What is the proof he told people this? If you have proof, this is unacceptable!!! He could ignite a riot with the wrong gossip....an emotional or even physical lynch mob!

The other manager he said it to approached me. She and I have been working together nearly 10 years, and she isn't the type that would tell me that unless it was true.

This doctor is the same person who found it comical to nickname me "Helen Keller" after I permanently lost part of my hearing. And the girl that got in that car wreck, he's been calling her "Crash" behind her back.

It sounds like the doctor is mean-spirited and manipulative. He does not have the right temperament to be practicing medicine imo. He should be reported. I hope your other co-workers know your character and that you would not say or do anything negative like he claims.

I agree....if you have an HR department it would probably be best to tell them. Would the coworker who told you be willing to back you up?

you say at the bottom of the page its not like you've become a totally different person. Its not at all that i don't believe you. however it is possible for these types of panic attack/delusions and what seems to me like obessions to all of a sudden hit a person out of nowhere. Perhaps its not that you've changed and the people you work with see you different . but you are viewing the world differently. I've spent the last 15 years of my life thinking everyone was out to get me all the time...and i even knew as this was happening it was non sense but i couldn't and still can't stop thinking that way... im finally seeing a physciatrists and she is rather confused as am I after 3 visits...however the seroquels did work well...and im starting on my dexedrine today which ive taken under the table many time wonderful times lol.....but my suggestion is to certainly see a doctor..obviously one not from your office or preferably and physciatrist or pshycologist sometimes regular doctors can be overwhelmed by mental health issues

also would be interesting to know how old you are alot of mental health issues tend to either happen in childhood or in your late 20's and early 30's

Like ElsaMars, I was JUST wondering the same thing(!) (except not really a work thing). Walking to the bus and churning around and around if it is just me or are people truly out to get me. (Unfortunately, it's a situation not really possible to reality check.) Wanted to let you know that I empathize and understand how hard it can be.

I agree with the others. That boss is mean spirited and unprofessional.

I think if she was able to truthfully back me up as far as telling my boss a few things were incorrect and/or crossing the line, she probably would if asked. As far as HR goes, my boss and I are the closest thing our company has to an HR department. So I guess I'm crap out of luck there. Grrr I feel so stuck.

My heart really goes out to you. I hope you at least tried to spread the word and let people know you didn't do this. I'm very sorry. (((Hugs)))