What to Do About Paranoia

September 16, 2016 / Christine Deneweth

Editor’s Note: It’s been brought to our attention that some of the language used in this comic makes assumptions about the needs of folks who experience paranoia. In truth, there is no one course of treatment or support that works for everyone, and our language should reflect that. As such, we’ll be updating this comic as soon as possible.

Do you experience paranoia? It’s an intense experience that can be debilitating for people with anxiety disorders and schizophrenia.

But there are ways to cope. And if you’re trying to figure out how to understand your paranoia or learn ways to stop a flare-up, this comic has some guidance that can help.

You’re not alone in this, so keep these tips in mind when you could use some support.

With Love,
The Editors at Everyday Feminism

Click for the Transcript

Panel 1

Text: What to do About Paranoia – Christine Deneweth

Panel 2

Crass talking. She has short curly hair, glasses, and a green shirt.

Crass: Hi, my name is Crass and as a Schizophrenic, I experience paranoia.

Panel 3

Crass talking.

Crass: Paranoia is an intense fear usually of persecution or conspiracy. It can be hard to deal with day by day. So I’ve compiled a list of techniques to keep it under control.

Panel 4

Fire exclamation point, no sign.

Text: So what is paranoia?

Text Paranoia – Intense anxious and fearful thoughts often about danger, conspiracy, or persecution.

Panel 5

Brain.

Text: What does it feel like?

Text: It feels like you can’t trust anything or anyone. Even your own mind.

Panel 6

Crass talking.

Crass: Everyone experiences it at some point but it can be debilitating for people with anxiety disorders and schizophrenia.

Panel 7

Text: My story with paranoia.

Text: There was one summer, four years ago, where my paranoia was so bad I didn’t know who I was.

Panel 8

Crass with two heads screaming.

Text: I thought I had multiple personalities and I tried to be hyper aware of everything at all times.

Panel 9

Crass looking upset.

Text: I was convinced that my entire life was an experiment to see if I could figure out how mentally ill I was and that everyone I knew was in on it.

Panel 10

Word bubble with heart and skull behind it.

Text: I thought that the things people said had double meanings, and subtle things like tonal inflection were cues for me to try to decode.

Panel 11

Crass talking to therapist.

Text: This went on for three months. I finally sought help and started my mental health process.

Panel 12

Crass smiling.

Text: Now I’m medicated and regularly go to therapy. Everything is much better.

Panel 13

Crass talking.

Crass: Therapy and medication are a must. But they’re not always available when you’re having a flare-up.

Panel 14

Crass talking.

Crass: And since paranoia isn’t seen as “normal” there isn’t must information about how to personally cope with it.

Panel 15

Crass talking.

Crass: Let’s get into ways you can snap yourself out of it when you don’t have access to therapy or medication.

Panel 16

Brain.

Text: 1 – Get to Know Your Paranoia

Panel 17

Magnifying glass.

Text: Figure out what it is that you’re paranoid about. Learn what triggers are. It may seem strange, but explore these feelings.

Panel 18

Crass talking and smiling.

Crass: This helped me start to fight back. Understanding what I was paranoid about and what to avoid was a major help.

Panel 19

Pencil and paper.

Text: 2 – Write Out Your Thoughts

Panel 20

Crass writing.

Text: Write out what you’re thinking in the heat of a flare-up. Get as much as you can out.

Panel 21

Crass talking and smiling.

Crass: The more that’s on the paper, the less that’s in your head.

Panel 22

Exclamation point.

Text: 3 – Distractions

Panel 23

Cat and phone.

Text: Redirect your attention to something else. Go outside, pet your pet, take a bath, listen to music, call a friend.

Panel 24

Crass talking and smiling.

Crass: Try to push the paranoid thoughts out of your head by replacing them with other thoughts.

Panel 25

Check mark.

Text: 4 – Disprove.

Panel 26

Text: After you’ve written down your thoughts and had a break, if you’re still feeling paranoid, read what your wrote and ask where the proof is for what you were paranoid about.

Panel 27

Crass talking and smiling.

Crass: I can’t actually back up my paranoid thoughts with any solid evidence. So usually this is enough to get them to stop.

Panel 28

Heart.

Text: 5 – Talk to Someone You Trust

Panel 29

Phone and paper.

Text: If you’re still having paranoia, it’s always okay to reach out. Read what you wrote down to someone you trust. They care about your well-being.

Panel 30

Crass talking and smiling.

Crass: Sometimes it takes a good friend or loved one’s words to snap you out of it. And that’s okay!

Panel 31

Crass talking.

Crass: Paranoia is seen as taboo, but we can’t help people without talking about it.

Panel 32

Crass talking.

Crass: You’re not alone, and your comfort is important!

Panel 33

Crass talking and smiling.

Crass: It can be hard when you’re battling your own mind, but you are strong! And you have tons of love and support to help you along the way!

To learn more about this topic, check out:

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Christine Deneweth is a Contributing Comic Artist for Everyday Feminism. A queer cartoonist and artist, Christine lives in Ypsilanti, Michigan. She is a cartoonist for Eastern Michigan University’s newspaper the Eastern Echo. She writes children’s books about mental disability and has a comic strip that has been published for five years. Comics can be found on her Facebook page, and art can be found on her Instagram @crassaster. Check out her work here!