< Intro | Distraction | Chilling Out | Longer Term >
In The Longer Term
Creating a paranoia notebook
Keeping a written record may help you to explore the events that triggered your last paranoid experience. It can help you to notice patterns and get a handle on how you're feeling. You may want to sit down and work through the questions below with someone you trust.
1. When, and where, did it happen?
6pm, Friday 2nd November. At home, sitting in front of the TV with my my mum.
2. What happened?
How did you feel? What did you notice? What did you do? - Be as detailed as you can.
I was watching TV and I noticed that the presenter was talking directly to me. I felt a funny sensation in my neck.
3. What did it mean to you?
Its helpful to write down as fully as possible your fears about what the event meant to you. The act of writing it down, and reading it back, can help you make sense of it all and put some structure to it. It can also help you let other people know exactly what you're worried about.
I worried that that the government were watching me and monitoring my thoughts. I feel exposed and don't like the idea of people being able to read my mind. I'm worried they'll find out things I want to keep private.
4. What else could it mean?
Different people see the same event in different ways. If two people see someone waving their hands in the air, one might think that the person is waving at them. The other might think that they're trying to warn them about something.
There may be other ways of making sense of what you experienced. Looking at these other possibilities, even if they don't feel very likely, can be helpful. If you want to do this, working it through with a close friend or someone can make it easier. They can sometimes come up with suggestions that you hadn't thought of.
Try and think about a range of possibilities without judgement - get as many ideas down as possible. Write them on bits of paper or post it notes. When you've got a list, take each one in turn and think of evidence for an against it.
5. What other things in your life might be making you feel unsafe?
Think about the things going on in your life now or in the past that may have had an effect on how empowered you feel, or how much you trust others.
Paranoid thoughts can happen when we feel unsafe or vulnerable, but aren't able to say why. Our bodies can feel anxious and we can feel threatened, so our minds come up with a reason for these feelings. It's a bit like putting a jigsaw puzzle together without seeing the picture in advance.
Dealing with your triggers
Once you've kept the notebook for a while, you will probably notice some patterns. Paranoia and fear often follow certain types of feelings and situations.
Low self-esteem, anxiety, isolation, powerlessness, stress, frustration, anger, tiredness and insecurity are all common triggers. Some people find that they struggle the most when they are in busy places, or are travelling on the tube.
Once you've worked out what your triggers are, you can look at ways of dealing with them. This might include avoiding things (or people) that cause you the most stress. It could also include finding ways of resolving the root problem.
Check out the What's The Problem page for some ideas on dealing with difficult emotions.
< Intro | Distraction | Chilling Out | Longer Term >