I don’t know whether I struggle with social anxiety or paranoia or both. How can I tell the difference?
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I have social anxiety but no paranoia… both are fears… but paranoia is lil intense then anxiety…!!
Not a powerful illustrator… thanks
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They can be very similar and overlap. However I’d say psychotic social paranoia would be like fearing people are conspiring against you, wanting to hurt you, can read your thoughts, etc. Vs average social anxiety is worrying you’ll embarrass yourself talking to others or that they won’t like you.
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@Anna thats pretty similar u explained it better…
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That’s a very good question. One I’ve always struggled with.
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I have social anxiety and I am paranoid around most people.
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Thank you for linking this @firemonkey
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Oh gosh, I always experience this when I leave the house -> “fearing people are conspiring against you, wanting to hurt you, can read your thoughts, etc.” … but my mum and past mental health services tell me it’s social anxiety. But I worry about much more than people not liking me. They don’t like me? Cool, I don’t like them. But I get visions of them doing violent things to me, saying horrible things to me, running me over with their cars etc.
Next time a mental health worker says that to me I’ll be like B**** I’m pretty sure these people want to kill/hurt me and are knowing what I’m thinking. Don’t tell me it’s MY FAULT by calling it social anxiety when it’s THEM that are making me feel unsafe.
Things happen to me so much when I go outisde you know, I sense and see things happening that others don’t because they are not as observant and insightful as I am.
Anxiety is if you are asking “what if?” questions. LIke “what if my car breaks down?” “What if I get real sick and die?” “What if I lose my job and end up living on the street?” etc… etc…
Paranoia is when you think such thoughts as: “There is a serial killer in my house right now, I just know it.” Or, “The government is spying on me and trying to steal my money from me, I know this.” and “My ex husband has hired snipers to kill me.”
With paranoia there is the feeling of certainty rather than the questioning of anxiety.
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Paranoia would have I think an ongoing pervasive illusive reasoning behind it I think.
Social anxiety: I don’t feel comfortable here because I feel I don’t fit in
Vs
Paranoia: I don’t feel comfortable here because I think so and so is trying to poison me
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You can’t know because by definition paranoid delusions are real to you.
Social anxiety simply refers to people who do not like to be in large crowds; those with it typically function fine in cosier settings and are worried mostly about being overwhelmed. With social anxiety, concerns are about being criticized or embarrassed.
Paranoia makes you feel suspicious of others or their motives; you also might be more secretive about your own activities. You might think others are hiding things from you, or telling lies when they’ve really given no indication that they’re untrustworthy.
Instinctive “wariness” is an important tool for self-preservation. Being cautious makes sense in some settings; persistent, excessive worry about safety may be a sign something about you is not working right. That’s when talking to a professional can be of real value.
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