Paranoid for no reason, anyone else like this?

LegacyUser

I've always been a very paranoid person. For instance the other day I was on the luas and a man got on, for no reason what so ever I thought that the man was planning to blow up the luas. I started sweating and got off at the next stop and waited for the next luas. This is a regular occurence for me on buses and trains and any form of public transport.

Another example is that when I'm walking to my house at night I walk down a country road where there is basically no lights and every car that drives by I'm convinced is someone who plans to attack or kidnap me. Again this is an irrational fear. Up until recently I would check all cupboards/rooms/hiding places in my house before I went to sleep as I was making sure there was no intruder in my house. Only then could I sleep.

I know all this sounds silly but I'm wondering if I'm the only person who gets like this? And is there any reason why I get so paranoid. As far as I know I didn't have any traumatic childhood experiences.

MPB

your certainly not alone and dont think u are for a second. I know others like this. Its a phobia but I cant think what its called. Its like panic attacks and stuff. Best thing you can do is talk to your GP and tell him/her whats been happening. They will put you in touch with the right person to help you with this. Its nothing to be ashamed of. There are lots of people like you. So dont feel uncomfortable in any way in talking to he/she about it.

LegacyUser

MPB wrote: »

your certainly not alone and dont think u are for a second. I know others like this. Its a phobia but I cant think what its called. Its like panic attacks and stuff. Best thing you can do is talk to your GP and tell him/her whats been happening. They will put you in touch with the right person to help you with this. Its nothing to be ashamed of. There are lots of people like you. So dont feel uncomfortable in any way in talking to he/she about it.

Thanks for the advice. Surprised you are the only reply

dudara

Weekends can be quiet on Personal Issues. Don't worry too much about the lack of replies.

LegacyUser

Hey any chance you could change the title to something that might garner a little more replys like ''Paranoid for no reason, anyone else like this?'' as I could do with some more advice. Cheers.

Zaph

Done, but as Dudara mentioned, PI is often very quiet at the weekends and you may get more replies tomorrow.

LegacyUser

I get like this too, it often gets a lot worse when i'm stressed or upset. People that i live and work with sometimes pick up on it.... to a certain degree they think i have an obsessive compulsive disorder (i will regularly spend time going round ensuring windows and doors are closed and locked) i am also terrible at making phone calls, or writing things down!

opinion guy

yes i think probably the thing to do is talk to your gp about it. there are various tools that might help and your gp should be able to point you in the right direction.

LegacyUser

The thing is no one knows I get like this. I'm a very social person and considered to be very fun. I have never told anyone about my paranoia as I think I'd just come across as strange. Just today I had an arguement with my mother and for some reason thought she was going to kill herself over it? So I immediatly went into her room and apologised over it. If someone I know goes somewhere in a sad mood I just get paranoid that they are planning to hurt themselves.
I can't get to the bottom of why I think like this. I was raised by loving parents in a normal enviroment, can't think of anything that would cause me to think like this.

I don't particularly want to go to my GP as he's an old man who's very blunt. I wouldn't feel comfortable around him in the slightest.

opinion guy

ok well i can understand not wanting to go to your GP. but thats easy just go to a different one.

and look don't beat yourself up just cause you can't figure out whats bringing this on. it could just be stress.

Overheal

Well its a good thing OP you've at least identified this as a symptomatic problem. You'd be surprised, paranoia when taken to extremes can completely distort one's sense of reality. So again, its a relief to know that you have identified these as paranoia-induced panic attacks.

The next step really is with that knowledge to go see a General Practitioner who can then refer you possibly to a psychiatrist. From reading your post I would have - amateurishly - thought you might be a good candidate for Cognitive Behavior Therapy: You can already identify these outbursts, all you have left to do is learn how to contain them once identified.

I can think of plenty of ways I am more likely of dying, for example, than getting blown up by terrorists or captured by men in black suits. If someone in your position had pointed out this terrorist suspect to me on the Luas - being entirely irrational mind you - I would have just thought Hey it beats the hell out of having a Stroke while Im having a fap in the bathroom. Damn, that would have to be the most pathetic way I could die. Blowing up on the Luas? I could live/die with that.

sam34

Overheal wrote: »

Well its a good thing OP you've at least identified this as a symptomatic problem. You'd be surprised, paranoia when taken to extremes can completely distort one's sense of reality. So again, its a relief to know that you have identified these as paranoia-induced panic attacks. QUOTE]

this is what i think is dodgy.

there can be aworld of difference between the lay-man's understanding of paranoia, and what doctors understand as paranoia.

self-diagnosis is a very dodgy thing.

OP, you need to speak to a doctor about this.

change your GP, you should have a GP with whom you can discuss anything.

LegacyUser

Hey OP!!

In the words of Michael Jackson... You are not alone!!

I am exactly like this!!! To a T! I have been like it for as long as I can remember and not many people know about it, its not something I pride my self on as I am sure you understand.

I have convinced my self on buses that someone I notice is going to get up and start attacking people. When I am walking around I am more afraid of a dog that might be around the corner than a dog I can physically see to the point that I mostly dont walk anywhere alone. I check wardrobes, showers, cupboards, balconies to make sure no one is hiding. I cant take a shower when I am home alone because I am convinced that someone is waiting until I take a shower to come and get me. I convince myself I am going to be attacked when I am locking my front door and pushed back inside and attacked!!! i even check the back of my car when i get in to make sure no ones in there. its so stupid!!! I dont tell anyone really about most of it. Its too weird lol ! I think ive just been like this for so long that I just get on with it now.

but i know exactly how you feel. it is a form of anxiety I know that for sure!!

I hope you get sorted! I'll look out for you sweatin on the Luas next time I am sweating on it!! lol

LegacyUser

Metoo! wrote: »

Hey OP!!

In the words of Michael Jackson... You are not alone!!

I am exactly like this!!! To a T! I have been like it for as long as I can remember and not many people know about it, its not something I pride my self on as I am sure you understand.

I have convinced my self on buses that someone I notice is going to get up and start attacking people. When I am walking around I am more afraid of a dog that might be around the corner than a dog I can physically see to the point that I mostly dont walk anywhere alone. I check wardrobes, showers, cupboards, balconies to make sure no one is hiding. I cant take a shower when I am home alone because I am convinced that someone is waiting until I take a shower to come and get me. I convince myself I am going to be attacked when I am locking my front door and pushed back inside and attacked!!! i even check the back of my car when i get in to make sure no ones in there. its so stupid!!! I dont tell anyone really about most of it. Its too weird lol ! I think ive just been like this for so long that I just get on with it now.

but i know exactly how you feel. it is a form of anxiety I know that for sure!!

I hope you get sorted! I'll look out for you sweatin on the Luas next time I am sweating on it!! lol

Hey It's actually relieving to see that I'm not the only one that does that sort of thing. Thanks for posting. I don't know if this is allowed but if you want could you email me at theanon213@gmail as I'd really like to talk to someone with similar problems! Thanks!

Peggypeg

Hey,

It's good that you found someone in a similar position to talk about things with but do you want to learn how to cope with this or do you want to address it with a view to it stopping? The second option would be better I think, I really would urge you to find a GP that you feel comfortable talking to about this. As someone else mentioned cognitive therapy sounds like it could be good for you. It's were you pay attention to what you're thinking and if you're going down the paranoia road it teaches you how to redirect your thoughts and stop doing it. Look into it, it could really help I'd say.

Best of luck.

opinion guy

I agree with peggypeg.
By all means get support from fellow suffereers. theres probably even a support forum somewhere on the net. But do get formally checked out because there may well be a way to fix it. CBT does spring to mind. Or it may just be about minimsing stress. But get a professional to help

FYI not good idea to put your email on a forum - spammers/scammers look out for that kind of thing and you'll start getting spam. Better way is to set up an account and have people PM you - you can exchange emails via PM

LegacyUser

opinion guy wrote: »

I agree with peggypeg.
By all means get support from fellow suffereers. theres probably even a support forum somewhere on the net. But do get formally checked out because there may well be a way to fix it. CBT does spring to mind. Or it may just be about minimsing stress. But get a professional to help

FYI not good idea to put your email on a forum - spammers/scammers look out for that kind of thing and you'll start getting spam. Better way is to set up an account and have people PM you - you can exchange emails via PM

I already have a boards account and I'm a well known poster but I decided to go unreg with this. I set up the email just there so that I could be contacted by that person. Thanks for looking out though!

I'll check it checked out at some stage when I have the money. I'd prefer not to get the money off my parents as I haven't told anyone and would prefer not to. I'm 18 for the record and haven't got a job at this point in time.