[CrazyLo]

Does anyone here experience fleeting delusions that only last for maybe a few minutes at a time, and then kind of go away again? I get paranoid for up to 20 minutes at a time, and then I distract myself enough for it to go away. I am wondering if this is just residual from my previous severe delusions, or if this is a common thing that I will continue to experience for a long time without full-blown psychosis. Delusions are very new for me so just need to know if this signifies that the minor delusions are an early warning sign of impending psychosis. Thanks!

Originally Posted by CrazyLo

Does anyone here experience fleeting delusions that only last for maybe a few minutes at a time, and then kind of go away again? I get paranoid for up to 20 minutes at a time, and then I distract myself enough for it to go away. I am wondering if this is just residual from my previous severe delusions, or if this is a common thing that I will continue to experience for a long time without full-blown psychosis. Delusions are very new for me so just need to know if this signifies that the minor delusions are an early warning sign of impending psychosis. Thanks!

personally, for me, short bursts of paranoia are due from past psychosis. (kind of like ptsd in a way, lawl.) i don't usually get any "new delusions". sometimes i will mull over past psychosis and then try to make connections in my present life and i end up making myself paranoid. example: something will trigger a memory or a feeling that i experienced during a previous psychotic episode and i'll go off obsessing about it and find a reason why it's relevant to present times. distraction is the best thing, for me anyway. i have been watching a lot of tv/movies. which i enjoy because as i've said in another post, this was impossible for me during past psychotic episodes. it's really good that you are at a point where you can sort of turn off your paranoia by finding a distraction. it's good that you can shut off obsessive thinking. way to exercise your tools! good job! proud of you!

[CrazyLo]

Originally Posted by smilesandcries

personally, for me, short bursts of paranoia are due from past psychosis. (kind of like ptsd in a way, lawl.) i don't usually get any "new delusions". sometimes i will mull over past psychosis and then try to make connections in my present life and i end up making myself paranoid. example: something will trigger a memory or a feeling that i experienced during a previous psychotic episode and i'll go off obsessing about it and find a reason why it's relevant to present times. distraction is the best thing, for me anyway. i have been watching a lot of tv/movies. which i enjoy because as i've said in another post, this was impossible for me during past psychotic episodes. it's really good that you are at a point where you can sort of turn off your paranoia by finding a distraction. it's good that you can shut off obsessive thinking. way to exercise your tools! good job! proud of you!

Thank you! I am proud of myself too. I have been reality checking with people which seems to help. Mine are definitely former delusions just briefly resurfacing, so hopefully it doesn't mean a near-future relapse. But so far, I'm doing quite well.

[totempagan]

I am dealing with a resurfaced delusion currently. I had a severe psychotic breakdown brought on by a break up and I have been slowly getting past it these last three years. I do believe my ex took advantage of my psychotic breakdown and induced me to slip further into it. I had asked for it by hacking into his accounts though, since I was paranoid about him to the point of harassment. It`s still difficult to accept. I still have to manage my PTSD though and the occasional trigger. Up until three years ago, my paranoia were merely fleeting delusions, like the ones you described. I still develope new delusions even now but they dissipate quickly.

[RisuNeko]

I still don't know how to tell the difference between what is paranoia and what is anxiety. Is paranoia a form of anxiety? I know I definitely have moments, for instance when I'm sure someone is going to stab or shoot me on the way to my car after work, every single day without fail. Is that a delusion? In reality I'm safe, but that fear overwhelms me and it changes my behavior to a very shifty eyed, hurried, jumpy individual. Any ideas on what that might be? Anxiety? Paranoia? I've only ever had prolonged paranoia during one psychotic episode involving me thinking a shadow twin (I was hallucinating also) of my black cat was going to try to kill me or make me kill myself, but other than that my only paranoia has been drug induced and wears off when the drug does. I don't do drugs anymore though.

[CrazyLo]

I think what you are experiencing right now is anxiety. It is called catastrophizing.