[taybaby]

Does anyone else get paranoia along with their anxiety? My paranoia comes and goes, but lately it has stuck around.

It has been damaging my relationships and causing me to push people away. It even has been creeping into my work (making me think my boss hates me, is going to fire me, etc.). Although my major issue is in my relationship, I am constantly checking his phone and just acting crazy in general.

Does anyone have any advice on coping with paranoia?

[winter loneliness]

Originally Posted by taybaby

Does anyone else get paranoia along with their anxiety? My paranoia comes and goes, but lately it has stuck around.

It has been damaging my relationships and causing me to push people away. It even has been creeping into my work (making me think my boss hates me, is going to fire me, etc.). Although my major issue is in my relationship, I am constantly checking his phone and just acting crazy in general.

Does anyone have any advice on coping with paranoia?

Are you well medicated? Do you experience it all the time or with mood swings? I become paranoid when manic. During mania the feelings are pretty strong but I try to reason with myself about probability of the paranoia being truthful or not. I talk to my therapist and we break down the paranoia. Often times I have to wait for the paranoia to subside when my mood becomes stable again.

[taybaby]

Originally Posted by winter loneliness

Are you well medicated? Do you experience it all the time or with mood swings? I become paranoid when manic. During mania the feelings are pretty strong but I try to reason with myself about probability of the paranoia being truthful or not. I talk to my therapist and we break down the paranoia. Often times I have to wait for the paranoia to subside when my mood becomes stable again.

I take lamictal 150mg, and klonopin 1mg. I experience it mildly all the time, but it becomes severe several times a year. I never lose touch with reality, although sometimes it feels like I'm an inch away. I am in between therapists right now, but in outpatient we got these sheets of paper that you fill out to help. It basically says what are your reasons for believing this, or what proof do you have?

I think I probably need to be on an anti-psychotic but I had such a bad reaction to them in inpatient that I have been trying to be on as little medication as possible, and instead using CBT and other methods I have learned. It may be getting to the point where I have to up my dosage or add another medication, but I can't help but resist.

[wiretwister]

the answer is yes ... I do ... mine seems to be situational mostly ... as when I am alone a long time ... my mind seems to just take over and run amuck ... I take a fair amount of meds and they really have helped me more than anything else ... at least it feels that way ...

I pray your rough patch is short and you find peace soon .... Tigger

[HALLIEBETH87]

I get parnaoia too...

[Guiness187055]

I have had my share of paranoia also.

[Blue_Bird]

I get paranoid, not as often though. I used to have full blown paranoid delusions but things have gotten better over time. I have schizoaffective bipolar. What helps me now is to reality check

[Aurelius710]

I get paranoid too, to the point where I sometimes catastrophize my every interaction. (My boss is going to fire me. My GF is cheating on me. People are cheating me.)

Best route I have to cope with it is to consciously take a step back and try to search my feelings for a reason that I'm feeling this way. (Kind of a mental version of those worksheets.) After that, if I don't have a sufficient reason to feel that way, I try, in a nod to gospel songs, lay my burden down. Easier said than done though.

I would recommend, next time you meet with your doctor and/or therapist, mentioning all of this to them. They might recommend new medications or they could help you with more coping mechanisms for it.

[Victoria'smom]

I get paranoid too. I ask for a lot of time I need reassurance. I tell my husband and son "I love them" in hopes they tell me it back to insure me they aren't leaving. I don't have a job but I went with my husband I would find a quiet corner and hide with my laptop facing the wall. Try to remind yourself that just because you think something doesn't mean it's true.

[cashart10]

I’ve had 2 different diagnosises: bp1 and schizoeffective. I’m not even sure which I’m currently noted as. Regardless, I haven’t had paranoid delusions outside of an episode for at least a couple of years. I tend to get really paranoid when I’m manic and extremely so when I’m in an episode of dysphoric mania. I feel for you. It’s scary and it sucks!

[liveforsummer]

Yes I also get the paranoid/anxiety combo. I’m sorry you’re going through this. I wish I had advice how to deal with it but I’m still trying to figure this out myself.

[~Christina]

I get a lot of paranoia, I just self ground and fact Check. I have numerous online friends that I run things by and I trust there advice and of course my T, in the past he has poked so many holes in my paranoia that some of it has stuck.

Self grounding and fact checking is such a crucial coping skill to learn and know how and when to use it.