Paranoia?

[ladyamalthea]

I'm learning more and more about myself here lately, and one thing I've been thinking about a lot tonight is just how easily I become paranoid. If a friend doesn't call me back, I assume they are mad at me. When I hear people laugh as I walk by, I assume they are laughing at me. The worst part is that I'm 25 years old and still hate being home alone. Hubby is out seeing the 12:01 am showing of Dark Knight, and I have been an absolute NUT all night. I do this every time he goes out without me (which might happen once every few months... it's not like he's neglecting me or anything). Every little creak that I hear is, in my mind, someone else in the house. Forget that I have the alarm set. Forget that I learned just how quickly the police will get here the other day when the alarm went off and I called them in a panic. No, if I hear ANYTHING at all in my less than a year old house, which is settling like crazy lately, it MUST be someone upstairs or downstairs, where ever I am not. I should also add that I've always had this problem; so, while I know that the Wellbutrin is known to exacerbate anxiety in some, so far I don't see that happening. This is no different from the way I've always been.

So, here's my question: Anyone else here have this problem? Or am I just that big of a baby?

Lol... I feel like this right now... except it's hard to count sheep when you're interrupted by your own baseless fear.

[historyteach]

Lady,

CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, will help you deal with those baseless fears.
I highly recommend it.
If you are seeing a therapist, ask about it.
If you are not, ask your doctor for a recommendation for one, or call your local mental health clinic, and ask for a referral for one trainned in CBT. You'll be pleased you did.

Shalom!

[ladyamalthea]

Is that something that is generally covered on most insurance? I know I'd need to double check with them, but I've never heard of this.

[historyteach]

Yes, it is normally covered by most insurances.
Here's an overview by NAMI. You can google more information too.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an empirically supported treatment that focuses on patterns of thinking that are maladaptive and the beliefs that underlie such thinking. For example, a person who is depressed may have the belief, "I’m worthless," and a person with a phobia may have the belief, "I am in danger." While the person in distress likely holds such beliefs with great conviction, with a therapist’s help, the individual is encouraged to view such beliefs as hypotheses rather than facts and to test out such beliefs by running experiments. Furthermore, those in distress are encouraged to monitor and log thoughts that pop into their minds (called "automatic thoughts") in order to enable them to determine what patterns of biases in thinking may exist and to develop more adaptive alternatives to their thoughts. People who seek CBT can expect their therapist to be active, problem-focused, and goal-directed.

Studies of CBT have demonstrated its usefulness for a wide variety of problems, including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, eating disorders, substance abuse disorders, and psychotic disorders. While a full description of the treatment and presenting problems for which it is useful is beyond the scope of this brief overview, a brief summary of several treatments will be presented.

CBT has been shown to be as useful as antidepressant medication for individuals with depression and is superior in preventing relapse. Patients receiving CBT for depression are encouraged to schedule activities in order to increase the amount of pleasure they experience. In addition, depressed patients learn how to restructure negative thought patterns in order to interpret their environment in a less biased way. CBT for Bipolar Disorder is used as an adjunct to medication treatment and focuses on psychoeducation about the disorder and understanding cues and triggers for relapse. Studies indicate that patients who receive CBT in addition to treatment with medication have better outcomes than patients who do not receive CBT as an adjunctive treatment.

CBT is also a useful treatment for anxiety disorders. Patients who experience persistent panic attacks are encouraged to test out beliefs they have related to such attacks, such as specific fears related to bodily sensations, and to develop realistic responses to such beliefs. This treatment is very effective for those who experience such problems. Patients who experience obsessions and compulsions are guided to expose themselves to what they fear and beliefs surrounding their fears are identified and modified. The same is true for people with phobias, including phobias of animals or phobias of evaluation by others (termed Social Phobia). Those in treatment are exposed to what they fear and beliefs that have served to maintain such fears are targeted for modification.

Over the past 10 years, CBT for schizophrenia has received considerable attention in the United Kingdom. While this treatment continues to be in its infancy in the United States, the results from studies in the United Kingdom have stimulated considerable interest in therapists in the U.S., and more therapists are conducting the treatment now than just a few years ago. In this treatment, patients are encouraged to identify beliefs and their impact and to engage in experiments to test their beliefs. Treatment focuses on thought patterns that cause distress and also on developing more adaptive, realistic interpretations of events. Delusions are treated by developing an understanding of the kind of evidence the person uses to support the belief and encouraging the patient to recognize evidence that may have been overlooked that does not support the belief. Furthermore, the assumed omnipotence of "voices" is tested, and patients are encouraged to utilize various coping mechanisms to test the controllability of auditory hallucinations.

While the above summary is certainly not comprehensive, it provides a brief overview of the principles of CBT and how it applies to various presenting problems. CBT’s focus on thoughts and beliefs are applicable to a wide array of issues. Because CBT has excellent empirical support, it has achieved wide popularity both for therapists and consumers. Those who may receive CBT training include psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and psychiatric nurses. Those seeking treatment using a CBT approach are encouraged to ask their therapist what CBT training they have had or to contact a Center for Cognitive Therapy and request a referral in their geographical location.

Reviewed by Debbie M. Warman, Ph.D. and Aaron T. Beck, M.D., June 2003

Hope you found this helpful!

Shalom!

[sugarssweetpea]

I have feelings that people are talking about me all the time. I have always been that way. I do not trust people at all. Always expect the worst. I think that even when I am in a crowded place like a concert, everyone is watching me. Every time that someone does not call me, I feel the same way. So much more as well. You are definately not alone.

[Toomutch]

I have always had these types of irrational fears too. Especially whan people around me laugh, or when I walk into a group of peeps I feel like they change the subject because they were talking about me. This will sound rediculous, but every once in awhile when I'm sitting at my desk at work or walking through the grocery store, I will for a split second or two think I'm naked and this gives me a fleeting panic attack.

Like sugar said - you are not alone.

[Jake99]

Wow!

All this sounds so familiar..

Is it just something that alcoholics get.. And why?

Is it because of all those years of "dutch courage" have now been taken away.

Or is it something to do with hypoglycemia? Where anxiety is a big problem.

??

Jake.

[LaDita]

This is a pretty old post but I'll reply anyway...


I have these irrational fears too, and have had most of my life. Lately I fear people taking photo's of me on their cell-phones because it's happened lots before (and I know this for a fact) so anytime I see someone with their phone out and not talking on it, I get really terrified. Once I actually thought these people were spies. Now that was a scary thought!
I also want to bring up Borderline Personality Disorder which I have most of the symptoms aside from the cutting/self mutilation aspect of it. BPD has alot of the same traits as what you described. Someone mentioned Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as a treatment option, I've heard that Dialectal Behavioral Therapy works for it also but I don't know much about it right now.
I hope you're doing well and things have been better since then.

-LD