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Paranoia and ptsd

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Survivor3

MyPTSD Pro
Does anyone else suffer from paranoia because of their trauma? I suffered abuse from an early age because of my violent and abusive alcoholic father. I was nearly killed twice in brutal gang attacks and have had abusive obnoxious and judgemental mental health docters in my life. I have also had to walk away from several groups because of bullying. After a while i just felt persecuted and isolated, with nowhere else to turn or hide.

My counsellor asked me whether im always second guessing people. Sometimes i do but not all the time. These people have made me feel paranoid, not because of things that haven't happened but it's FEAR of what has happened to me in the past.
I can't write to much at the moment because I can barely concentrate but I just wanted to share and create a space for other people to share their experiences also. All the best to you. S3.
 
One of my other mental health conditions caused paranoia, so I can relate. I have been bullied. Thankfully I have not had much experience with medical professionals causing me to become paranoid, but I am so sorry this has happened to you.

One thing that has happened lately, I have been thinking someone is stealing my mail, since so little of it seems to make it to my mailbox. It is probably nothing, but I keep thinking otherwise. It is a hard battle.
 
One of my other mental health conditions caused paranoia, so I can relate. I have been bullied. Thankfully I have not had much experience with medical professionals causing me to become paranoid, but I am so sorry this has happened to you.

One thing that has happened lately, I have been thinking someone is stealing my mail, since so little of it seems to make it to my mailbox. It is probably nothing, but I keep thinking otherwise. It is a hard battle.
Hi @Changing4Best. Thanks for your share and I hope your as well as can be. Thats the thing about paranoia, it creeps into other areas of our lives. Best wishes. S3
 
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Sure. Time to time.

But most of my paranoia is centered & sparked by close people and betrayals... which I don't reckon would be very useful advice.

As I literally don't give a damn about most of the things people are commonly paranoid about. Doesn't tip off my radar. People I actually know / care for changes of status? Whole different story.
 
Hi Ronin,
My answer is YES. Funny, I have been on a decade+ journey with my PTSD from emotional/physical abuse from family and partners and I just came to this realization that my paranoia is likely linked this past week. I have a tendency to think others are against me and will "do me wrong". Kinda seems like a no brainer after I say that, but hell, that what this journey is all about. Also, I constantly have trouble focusing myself. Making To-do lists help me get freedom from the background angst. On that note, I'm gonna go make one right now. Thanks for sharing, it helps.

Oops! Just realized I wrote the wrong name at the top! I should have titled it to Survivor3.
 
Yep.

Fear is fear based, ime...
Paranoia's more anxiety than fear.

In the process of writing a longer How do I with paranoia post... but that.

How did your therapist see or explain the difference? :)
 
So some points about paranoia...

Usually helps me, in absence of being able to ask other people for advice, to break it down to likelihoods and action plans. Plan A, B, C, D, E, F. (A to follow, Backup, Cooperation & Communication I need, Destroying who's making me paranoid & Distractions, gaining time / space / mislead off track, Exit the situations altogether & plans attaching to that, Fubar altogether and what to do with it.)

Just because when IN paranoia roll, thinking up something creative will likely be impossible, and logically solid flew outta the window. The less plans needed, the more likely I find one to stick to & pieces from others to improvise from.

Also bc I need eventualities *DOWN *. Big deal. As that I even kicked to paranoia? Is because uncertainties got too much. So nope, fine details and finessing that shit will wait :p Sticking to what's simplest.

Likelihoods:

Whichever scenario I'm on, is it likely it:

A) Will go down
B) Will go down -that way-
C) Will go down that way -that fast-?

Which itself calms me down.
As that is sooo many factors & time I can use, interlude between acts. During which I can change the course. Or someone or something else does.

Sooo many times something totally dumb helped me, and equally dumb doomed me.

Then, eventualities.
Okay, fine, this stranger is gonna butcher me broad daylight for existing -- oops.

That means the stranger needs to worry about so many things. I got to worry about just not being murdered, but they need to worry about the hit, bystanders, panic of crowds, panic of crowds if they got the thing wrong, not being smothered by the masses, not even starting on law enforcement and I'm not even at THAT point, by the time they're so loud & causing wide panic & not off the scene both how to get off that scene safely and not be linked to it by something small they didn't think of, as accidents are dumbass f*ckers...

That doesn't even touch on their own other problems. Someone not liking them / needing them not be the evidence itself / conflicting interests.

Uuh. Oh. Too much troubles. Way easier to jump to other thought... Ok. I'm not dead for walking the street and Being Me. It's not personal :P

Not personal can be good. Not personal takes other layer of too hot emotions off.

Leaving the Paranoia For Life lair examples...

Oh. So it's about something else.
Which means it will wait. ;)
Gives me time. As things don't usually turn so hot for things like forgotten water bill and doc appointment one botched.

People reschedule.
Meaning I need to calm down, breathe, and decide to worry about things some other moment.

Again, things gained to advantage = calm.

Other kinda paranoia, like Someone knows too much about me / mine...

And then what? ;)
Mine ain't babies. They can take care of themselves. Hell, even the actually babies would. They yell so well city sirens can be envious. Harder to do untoward shit with that noise.

Plus sooo many steps between knowing anything, and acting on it.

And the drag verifying things, calling them in, coordinating moves is. It's not smooth & simplico.

So that again means sooo much time to kick my worries to the curb and just breathe.

Paranoia, also, means I'm not as f*cked as I think.
Truly effed there'd be neither space nor time to BE paranoid.
I'd know rather fast.

Things like that.
Break the issue down.
Test it against reality the most you can.
Ask up for concretes that spin you, until they don't as much.

Loneliness is more pal of paranoia upping it, than whatever is causing paranoia itself.

And... It's a feeling.
Not a reality.
Don't do anything drastic, acting on that feeling.
Way more lethal are *own actions* outta paranoia...

Than anyone else that sparked it.

//

Probably more to say, I just need more words.
 
I used to feel paranoid, in part, because of past trauma in my life, and also because, years ago, I was on several psychiatric medications at the same time which, although the pills helped me with my depression, made me more nervous at the same time. It was a combination of the meds, past trauma, and a few other factors.

However, I'm now on a medication that helps keep me calm and happy.
 
I used to feel paranoid, in part, because of past trauma in my life, and also because, years ago, I was on several psychiatric medications at the same time which, although the pills helped me with my depression, made me more nervous at the same time. It was a combination of the meds, past trauma, and a few other factors.

However, I'm now on a medication that helps keep me calm and happy.
@MainerMikeBrown hi, glad things are better for you now. ?
 
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