Paranoia is a constant feeling of extreme anxiety and fear that borders on negativity. People who are paranoid always doubt othersâ motives and think that they do not mean well when actually the other person could just be a normal individual. Paranoia can spoil relationship and knowing how to deal with it can help the person get over this difficult situation in life.
Understand what causes paranoia
Most people who deal with paranoia have certain triggers that increase the paranoid thoughts. Learn to identify these symptoms and try to avoid them or deal with them. Thus, if you find that your spouse is very late and start getting paranoid that something has happened to him/her, you must not wait till you start feeling paranoid. Pick up the phone and call your spouse to enquire why he/she is late and if he/she is safe. Once you know that the person is safe and on his way or might get late due to a meeting, your paranoia will be dealt with. If your are prone to paranoia, always let your spouse know that he/she must inform if he/she gets late or about similar circumstances which can make you paranoid.
Learn to relax
Relaxation exercises will help in reducing the extreme anxiety. Do deep breathing exercises everyday to keep your symptoms under check. When you feel that you are going into paranoia, start inhaling deeply and exhaling completely. Close your eyes and leave your thoughts blank while you do this. This will help you to regulate your breathing and relax your body and mind as well. Regular meditation and deep breathing exercises will help control paranoid thoughts as well. Make sure that you do not remain idle which will cause paranoid thoughts from surfacing and causing the symptoms to show up.
Try to ignore the voices in your brain
Paranoid people always have voices talking inside their brain, telling them that things are this way and certain people are plotting against them or cheating on them and what not! When you start getting these voices in your brain, which almost always surface when you are alone and idle, immediately shift your attention to something else or talk to someone so that you can change your attention from the disturbing thoughts that can lead to paranoia.
Learn to think positively
Positive thinking must be cultivated consciously when you are prone to paranoia. It is the negative thoughts and feelings in your mind that cause paranoia and hence any negative feelings or thoughts must be immediately busted form your mind. If you have any negative feelings or doubts about your partner or loved one, make sure that you rectify it immediately so that these thoughts do not keep nagging in your mind and lead to paranoia. Confronting your partner directly when in doubt can help in such cases, especially if you have an understanding partner.
Sleep is important
Lack of sleep can make paranoia worse. When you do not get proper sleep in the night, you will be more prone to such negative thoughts as you are awake in the night. Therefore, ensure that you get a good nightâs sleep every day to give your brain adequate rest and prevent it from getting paranoid. If you have difficulty falling asleep, ensure that you stay away from taking a nap in the morning or drinking stimulant drinks like coffee, alcohol etc. which can make matters worse. Take the help of herbal remedies like chamomile, lavender, valerian etc. to get good sleep and relax your mind so that paranoia can be avoided. At least eight hours of uninterrupted sleep is recommended if you are prone to paranoia. Make sure that you have a peaceful and relaxed environment for inducing sleep.
Supportive friends and family
Having friends and relatives who understand your situation will ease your troubles. Always remain in the company of loved ones to bust thoughts that lead to paranoia. Above all, a supportive partner is of utmost importance to save the relationship when you are paranoid. Support of the partner is necessary, so that you can slowly bust the symptoms and go on to recover completely from the paranoia. A supportive partner will remain, gentle, truthful and completely understanding.
Seek professional help
Sometimes professional help is required for treating paranoia. Seek a counselor or psychiatrist in such cases. You might want a friend or a relative to accompany you in such cases. This will help him/her help you in coping with the situation better and preventing you from getting into paranoia by identifying the triggers early on itself and helping you relax and shift attention to something else to avoid paranoia. Constant counselling and therapy sessions will surely help you deal with the condition and finally fight it off well. It is important to keep the appointments with the therapist on a regular basis so that you get the full benefits from the sessions.
