i always feel like someone could be watching every move i make and listening to everything i say

[stranger2myself!]

there is this constant thought that i always have in the back of my mind all through out every day. , it never goes away. i always think "what if someones watching?, what if theres a hidden camera in here?, what if theres an audio recorder?, what if someones hacked into my phone and reading all my texts?" im always so paranoid. in public i always feel like people are whispering about me, and i literally get angry about it sometimes, but than i wonder if its all in my head. i always wonder if people said certain things to try to hurt me, and feel like they might be out to get me, or that they are trying to upset me. why am i so paranoid? , and how do i calm myself down?

 

[Movingforward10]

That sounds very stressful @flamesandgasoline . I'm sorry that is happening.
Are you in therapy?

If you try and counter those thoughts by telling yourself: "I'm safe. No one is talking about me. Everyone is just travelling or doing their thing. " or "why would anyone be looking in my phone or recording me. I'm safe" Or similar, does that help?

 

[Ronin]

Start by what calms you down...

As in what makes you feel calm even if people are watching?

Because just because people look, doesn't mean they watch.
Just because they watch, doesn't mean they mean you harm.
And if they do, doesn't mean they will hurt you.

That is the other piece in How's... reminding yourself there is a disconnect between watching and harm.

Because there is, they're worlds apart.

And from the records side of things... So many records are so completely useless. Even if someone does know who you're dating, what you're wearing, what you had for dinner, where you live, patterns of movement, where you work, etc etc...

It can be soo useless information not telling them anything important. Just making their job easier, but not really significant.

You could also look for Not Everyone's :sneaky:

As part of paranoia fuelling thoughts is this perception of 'everyone'. Nah. It's not everyone.

Even in situations the majority around are actually out to get you, it's rarely "everyone" of them, or in the same time. Which gives you space.

So look for who around is reaally not minding what you do? ;)

Plus, just because something is upsetting doesn't mean people mean it...

And if very meant, it may well be just an asshole messing with you - not suddenly the world changing on you - but just a jackass with a lame comment.

 

[RussellSue]

I am sorry you are going through this. It's hard.

I have also had this. It was a lot worse when I was living in a small town because so much of it was true!

I have a cleft lip and a lot of my paranoid feelings come from how people looked at me (or tried like hell not to look at me) when I was a kid. Also, my sister and stepfather were nightmarish for my self-esteem to the point where I couldn't make a move without feeling criticized, even if I was by myself. This followed me into adulthood. Paranoia was one reason I was diagnosed with schizophrenia when I was in my 20s. I had a dx of a psychotic disorder for 15 years but it seems I actually had PTSD, situational mutism and an anxiety disorder. With no real ability to explain myself, a lot of responses to trauma looked like psychosis including intense feelings of paranoia I carried for decades that actually had a historical origin.

For me, the thing that helps the most is finding places where I feel safe and spending more time there than I do out there in the big, bad world. Armed with recent feelings of acceptance, even if I feel criticized, rejected, watched, etc. by others it just fails to have the same sting. It still happens but it's a lot easier to cope with than it used to be. Support started with just one person and later there were more. It's been a gradual process for me.

Just working to keep my anxiety in check is also a big deal: deep breathing, a weighted lap pad, calm music and a lot of baths have kept me from losing it completely, so far.

 

[Survivor3]

Hi @flamesandgasoline. Your experiencing paranoia. This may come from trauma and stress. I don't know anything about you but no one is out to get you. No cameras or bugs! Try and do simple things that you enjoy. Best wishes S3 ?

 

[MainerMikeBrown]

FlamesAndGasoline, does just knowing that you're being paranoid and overworried about feeling and thinking that others are always watching you actually help you to calm down a little bit?