Therapy For Paranoid Thoughts

[EveHarrington]

Hi,

I am going to be seeing my doctor this week to discuss my paranoia. I have had it for years but always managed to keep it under wraps. I can't do that anymore as it just doesn't work. I never told anyone because I didn't want another disorder listed in my file. It's shameful as a stereotypical crazy person is paranoid.

I am wondering what kind of therapy helps paranoia. CBT isn't helping much right now because the thoughts don't feel distorted-----they feel terrifying and real. Normal thoughts can be battled with CBT with ease, but not so much the paranoid thoughts.

People know------I'm oftentimes told I'm very paranoid. I guess my therapist knows? I don't dare talk about it with her. I know I may need to find another therapist at this point.

Thank you.

 

[joeylittle]

Do you think the paranoia is an offshoot of PTSD, or does it feel like it's own thing?

 

[EveHarrington]

I have no idea.

How would I be able to tell?

 

[mary1979]

Is it possible (this is of course related to myself, so grain of salt if wrong) that it stems from insecurity?

 

[oneday]

The road to healing comes with seeking help Eve. I hope your doctor can help you out and send you to someone suitable. Best wishes to you and remember you are not alone here, but amongst those who understand.

 

[joeylittle]

How would I be able to tell?

I don't know - was just wondering if you had a feeling. I can 'feel' the difference between depression and the depression that is a symptom of PTSD, but I'm not sure I could explain exactly how. I do think it comes (for me) from having one emerge before the other.

If the paranoia is related to PTSD (which is probably most likely), then I'd think the best therapy for it would be straight-on trauma processing, either EMDR or prolonged exposure. Something that will tackle the root cause of the paranoia (which would be the trauma) in a systematic way.

Do you think your current therapist is the person you want to be doing that kind of work with? What has therapy been like so far, for you?

 

[sun seeker]

How would I be able to tell?

In what situations does the paranoia come up? If you think about all the things in a typical day (or week) that you feel paranoid about, is there a theme that emerges? If so, does the theme have anything to do with something that has actually happened in your life, however remotely? If so, I'd look at the possibility that it isn't paranoia per se but a trauma reaction which you could work on in the same way as your other trauma symptoms.

Another thought is, if the paranoia doesn't have a common theme, does it come up more when you are more stressed in general? If so, it sounds more like a PTSD cup overflowing thing. Still treatable with trauma therapy, but you might also need to look at where you can cut stress from your life (so I say, as if it were that easy).

Or, does it feel more like anxiety that has gotten out of hand, where a thought starts small and then snowballs?

Just trying to narrow it down. Even the illogical usually has some sort of a logic to it if you look hard enough.

 

[EveHarrington]

@joeylittle

I have no idea if it's a part of PTSD. I fear I'll just be brushed off if it's just a PTSD symptom as that means it's not that severe. It's crippling. I'm to the point of wanting to just walk away from my life. I'm too embarrassed to talk to my therapist about it. I guess otherwise therapy has been ok.

 

[EveHarrington]

@sun seeker

I feel like everyone is out to get me and take me out. No one is safe. Here is not safe. I need to run far, far away. Just up and go anywhere but here where nobody knows me. I don't understand how this relates to CSA. It's always the same, everyone out to get me, I must run away as far as I can.

 

[joeylittle]

I fear I'll just be brushed off if it's just a PTSD symptom as that means it's not that severe.

No - that's not the way it works. You're having a symptom that you describe as 'crippling', then it needs to be dealt with. You'd also probably want to go through an evaluation for paranoid personality disorder, I'd suppose - but it sounds like the first step, as impossible as it might seem, is to talk with your therapist about it. I think it's a good sign that you can see what's going on with yourself well enough to write about it here. I know it's a kind of typical suggestion, but you could consider showing your therapist this thread. Or, just writing something for them. There are things I've not been able to say out loud in therapy that I could write - I think that's common for many, and it might help you.

 

[Sideways]

I'd support the idea that you share this with your T - that it's become unmanageable. The thoughts have probably come up with your T before, so it won't be new ground. I'm a fan of writing stuff down.

Maybe seeing someone else for this issue might feel safer for you. But I think it might be helpful for your T to know the level of distress you're in.

I'm sorry. I really am. I wish there was something more that I could offer.

 

[EveHarrington]

@joeylittle

I looked up PPD but it doesn't seem to fit. I took an online test and it was just a bad test and a bad way to do an evaluation because I was answering yes to a lot of symptoms that are just from PTSD. One test gave me 4 different personality disorders, another said none.

I keep reaching out to people for help. I tell them I'm going to leave/bolt. Nobody has responded with any sort of concern. I'm just told "I'm sorry you feel this way." I guess adults don't run away from home. I mean I am an adult so I can do what I want. My only fear is that I would be declared missing and mentally unstable and I could only imagine what would come of that. I guess extreme feelings of paranoia are nobody's cause for concern. I see it as proof that I should go. What's keeping me here? Nothing. I'd feel safer out there somewhere.