Paranoia

Hello there! Just looking to talk about obsessive thoughts and almost paranoi like. I have this horrible thing I do with every single person I have any sort of relationship with. I convince myself they think I’m weird, or I annoy them or the my don’t like me. It’s to the point where I’ll get angry over made up thoughts . It’s ruining my life and giving me crippling anxiety.

I started taking lexapro for anxiety a couple months ago and nearly went completely mad. My doctor now has me on lamictal and I’ve tapered off of the lexapro. I know lamictal takes awhile to “kick in” as you have to taper up so slowly. I am curious to hear if anyone struggles with a similar paranoia /obsessive thinking pattern ?

I don't but just wanted to say

I go through phases of paranoia, especially social anxiety as it pertains to what people think about me. If it's really severe for you then it's good you're seeking treatment, but there are also things you can do to work on your thought processes. I highly recommend keeping a journal and putting your thoughts on paper. Sometimes seeing them in writing and reading them back to yourself can help you get a better perspective and see the obsessive thoughts more clearly for what they are. Meditation is also good for me, I'm not good at sitting quietly with myself but moving meditations like yoga or breathing exercises are a good way for me to re-center myself and watch my thoughts like they are separate from myself rather than a part of me. Another trick I've learned that has been helpful is if I feel like someone has slighted me or doesn't like me, I will wait 23 days before I act on the feelings. If I still feel that way after 23 days, then I'll bring it up with the person I feel bothered about. I put it on my calendar so that I can tell my obsessive thoughts I have a plan for dealing with it. Any time it starts to bother me, I look at my calendar and tell myself "this is the day we deal with this". It helps to keep my obsession under control, and most of the time the feeling has passed well before the date on my calendar. If it hasn't by then, there's a better chance that my feelings have some basis in reality.

Good luck, I hope you are able to find some relief soon!

I get like this when manic. I'll start fights with my fiancee over thoughts I think she's having. It's very confusing for her and disruptive for our relationship.

I LOVE the 23 days idea. I am going to try this ASAP. I so quickly assume and almost attack others based on these "thoughts"..thank you for your insight!

Has the paranoia you wrote about in your other thread becoming more intrusive?

It comes in waves. Sometimes I can talk myself out of going with the thoughts(if that makes sense) but most of the time the thoughts lead into more and more. "My co workers dont like when I talk about "whatever" , when I leave they talk about me. They hate me, and they arent telling me" This is now when I pickup the phone and ask said co worker "do you not like me". This is just a small example. On a bad day the thoughts can consume my entire day. This was what made me seek help, thinking I had anxiety. The Lexapro I was given made me so much worse after they doubled the dose. My doctor gave me two choices to pick from in the beginning after explaining all that goes on, from my mood to my thoughts.

I chose Lexapro, now he is saying that when people with unstable moods take an anti depressant/anxiety med alone, it can trigger the moods to be more wacky(lack of a better word).

Im sitting here now on Lamictal, waiting for my next appt on the 30th feeling confused as hell!! What is wrong with me and why am I being taken over my these obsessive /paranoid thoughts! No diagnosis, just a spectrum I "may" fall on.

Just curious as to weather you are getting enough sleep. I know that if I don't catch myself soon enough while in a manic episode I start sleeping less and start becoming more paranoid. One time I was up for a couple of days and thought that my family and others were out to get me. I kicked the wife and kids out of the house and used 2 and half inch drywall screws and screwed all the windows and door shut. Took a couple of days after that and my sister talking me through it all that I went inpatient for the first time.