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Paranoia

Disclaimer:

This publication is based on a Mind UK publication and the original version may be found here: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/a-z-mental-health/

Thank you to Mind UK for sharing their valuable content with us. Content included in Mental Health A-Z is made available free of charge and does not form part of any commercial activity. The adaptation has been done independently by Mind HK and is intended for general information purposes only.

How can I help myself? 

If you are experiencing paranoid thoughts – or think that you might be – there are things you can do to help yourself cope. You may choose to try them on their own or alongside treatment.

Keep a diary 

You may find it helpful to keep a diary recording, for example: 

  • what your paranoid thoughts are 
  • how you feel about them 
  • how often you think about them 
  • your sleep 
  • other life events 

You could do this in a notebook or use an app or online tool like MoodPanda. You might find it helpful to give the thoughts a number from 1–10 to show how strongly you believe them and how distressing you find them.

This may help you:

  • identify what might be triggering your paranoia and when you are most likely to have paranoid thoughts
  • recognise paranoid thoughts when they occur and help you question and challenge them
  • think about what has been helpful in the past

Once you have a better understanding of your triggers, you can try to take steps to avoid them.

Question and challenge paranoid thoughts

Challenging yourself about your suspicious thoughts can help you work out whether these thoughts are paranoid or justified. Here are some questions you could ask yourself: 

  • Would other people think my suspicions are realistic?
  • What would my best friend say? 
  • Have I talked to other people about my worries? 
  • Is it possible I have exaggerated the threat? 
  • Is there any evidence for my suspicions that can’t be questioned? 
  • Are my worries based on events that could be viewed in different ways? 
  • Are my worries based on my feelings rather than definite evidence? 
  • Is it likely that I would be singled out above everyone else? 
  • Is there any evidence against my beliefs? 
  • Do I still feel suspicious even though other people have reassured me that there is no reason to be?

Look for support around you 

Talk about your thoughts with someone you trust

You may find that talking about your thoughts with a trusted friend or family member can reduce stress and help you to question and challenge paranoid thoughts. You could share this information with them, particularly the information for friends and family. If you don’t have someone you feel you can trust, the Samaritans and Samaritan Befrienders are there for anyone in distress 24 hours a day.

“I’ve found it becomes easier and less straining on yourself once you share your thoughts with someone else.”

Maintain relationships

Feeling connected to other people is an important part of staying well. It can help you to feel valued, confident and more able to face difficult times. 

Feeling lonely or isolated could make your symptoms worse. If you don’t feel like you have strong connections with people or you’d like to make more, it could help to explore support services and peer support.

Learn to relax 

Try mindfulness

There is some evidence that mindfulness can help reduce mild paranoia. Our pages on mindfulness have more information.

Manage your stress 

Our pages on managing stress have information and tips to help you cope with stressful situations or events.

Try some relaxation techniques 

Relaxation can help you look after your wellbeing when you are feeling stressed, anxious or busy. See our pages on relaxation for tips and exercises to help you relax.

Look after yourself 

Try to get enough sleep 

Sleep can give you the energy to cope with difficult feelings and experiences. See our pages on sleep problems for more information, including tips to improve your sleep. 

Think about your diet 

Eating regularly and keeping your blood sugar stable can make a difference to your mood and energy levels. See our pages on food and mood for more information. 

If you have a difficult relationship with food and eating, our pages on eating problems have information and tips which may help. 

Try to keep active 

Exercise can be really helpful for your mental wellbeing. Even doing something small can make a big difference. Our pages on physical activity and your mental health have ideas for most ages and abilities, including things you can do at home. 

Spend time in nature 

Spending time in nature can help improve your mood and feel more in touch with your surroundings. This could be going to a local park or forest, doing gardening or bringing nature into your home. Our information on nature and mental health has more about the benefits, and lots of ideas you could try. 

Try doing something creative 

Doing something creative, like doodling, playing a musical instrument or baking, can help distract you from difficult thoughts or feelings, or help you to process them. It can also be rewarding. Try not to worry about the finished product. Just focus on enjoying yourself.

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What is iACT Service?

Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) is one of the services from Mind HK. Trained Wellbeing Practitioners will offer initial assessment and early intervention for people dealing with mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other emotional difficulties.

 

The service includes 6-8 sessions of low-intensity psychological support, the flexibility of the service allows individuals to receive free and timely support when needed.

If you’re aged between 18 – 65 and are facing some emotional challenges, we would like to invite you to take an online assessment for us to gain a better understanding of your current emotional struggle.

 

If you’re eligible, we’ll get you connected with a Wellbeing Practitioner within two weeks to sort out the next steps.

The service runs for about 3 months and includes 6-8 support sessions, tailored to your needs.

 

We encourage you to attend all sessions and actively practice the tips and exercises provided by your Wellbeing Practitioner.

We take your privacy seriously. Your chats with the Wellbeing Practitioner are confidential.

 

We won’t share any of your info unless you’ve provided consent or if there are risks detected.

This programme isn’t suitable for people facing emergencies, major setbacks, or those diagnosed with serious or complex mental health conditions.

 

If you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, this programme might not meet your needs, so please seek help right away. You can check out Mind HK’s “Find Help Now” page for immediate information and services.

Most of our Wellbeing Practitioners have backgrounds in psychology or counselling and are passionate about mental health. They’ve gone through about 140 hours of intensive training and completed at least 120 hours of supervised clinical practice over 9 months to ensure the quality of service.

 

They’re trained by accredited local experts in the mental health field, including clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, counsellors, and psychiatrists. Plus, we regularly check how effective our services are. All service outputs and performances are subject to consistent monitoring.

Who is suitable for participating in this programme?

This programme welcomes anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 who may be feeling lost or facing emotional difficulties. Please note that this programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions.

This programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions, but suitable for those who experience mild to severe moderate anxiety, mild to moderate depression, or other emotional challenges. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

After signing up, our Wellbeing Practitioner will contact you within two weeks to schedule a convenient time for a 45-minute conversation, either via video or phone call, according to your preference. During the conversation, the Wellbeing Practitioner will understand your current situation and help you gain a better understanding of your emotional state based on the questionnaire you filled out during application. Additionally, they will provide recommendations for appropriate community resources based on your needs, helping you take an important first step in taking care of your mental health.

Although the intervention procedure is mostly standardised, Wellbeing Practitioners will work flexibly with clients to address individual presenting problems and unique characteristics.

Our Wellbeing Practitioners are trained to support people who experience mild to moderate mental health difficulties primarily. This programme is not suitable for the situations mentioned above. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

Your conversations with the Wellbeing Practitioner are absolutely confidential. Any information about you will not be shared with anyone without your consent unless you or others are at immediate risk or the Wellbeing Practitioner has reason to believe that you may be in imminent danger.
Supervisors will monitor trainees’ development throughout the placement to ensure that they are meeting the required level of competency to pass the training course at the end of the placement.

Yes, it is necessary to book an appointment in advance by filling out the form. Additionally, you can select one of the five stores yourself. We will allocate clients to different Wellbeing Practitioners based on their chosen location.

Before having the conversation, we will ask you to fill out a basic questionnaire for preliminary screening assessment. This screening process aims to ensure that the training received by the Wellbeing Practitioners is sufficient to meet the needs of the individuals receiving the service. If it is determined after the screening assessment that the service is not suitable for you, Mind HK will provide alternative recommendations to ensure your safety and support.

For adults who are suitable for this service, all Wellbeing Practitioners have received training on how to identify and respond to safety and risk issues. If you have any concerns about the support process, the Wellbeing Practitioners have appropriate measures in place and will develop response plans based on the urgency of the situation. They can also access support from clinical practitioners from Mind HK or participating organisations.

What private training does Mind HK provide?

Mind HK provides 4 themes of mental health training, including: Supporting Self, Supporting Others, Family Wellbeing and DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).

 

Check out the brochure here for more information.

Mind HK provides a wide range of standardised mental health training, which can be tailored to different circumstances. Chat with our team to explore more! 

Our trainers come from a diverse, accredited pool of clinically experienced professionals. Check out our trainers’ biographies here.

Yes, the Mental Health First Aid class of Mind HK is internationally accredited by the MHFA International. The content and certification is delivered by trainers certified from the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. You can find out our trainers accreditation here.

We are here to support your mental health education journey! Reach out to us and chat with our team.

How can I help myself?

How can I help myself? 

If you are experiencing paranoid thoughts – or think that you might be – there are things you can do to help yourself cope. You may choose to try them on their own or alongside treatment.

Keep a diary 

You may find it helpful to keep a diary recording, for example: 

  • what your paranoid thoughts are 
  • how you feel about them 
  • how often you think about them 
  • your sleep 
  • other life events 

You could do this in a notebook or use an app or online tool like MoodPanda. You might find it helpful to give the thoughts a number from 1–10 to show how strongly you believe them and how distressing you find them.

This may help you:

  • identify what might be triggering your paranoia and when you are most likely to have paranoid thoughts
  • recognise paranoid thoughts when they occur and help you question and challenge them
  • think about what has been helpful in the past

Once you have a better understanding of your triggers, you can try to take steps to avoid them.

Question and challenge paranoid thoughts

Challenging yourself about your suspicious thoughts can help you work out whether these thoughts are paranoid or justified. Here are some questions you could ask yourself: 

  • Would other people think my suspicions are realistic?
  • What would my best friend say? 
  • Have I talked to other people about my worries? 
  • Is it possible I have exaggerated the threat? 
  • Is there any evidence for my suspicions that can't be questioned? 
  • Are my worries based on events that could be viewed in different ways? 
  • Are my worries based on my feelings rather than definite evidence? 
  • Is it likely that I would be singled out above everyone else? 
  • Is there any evidence against my beliefs? 
  • Do I still feel suspicious even though other people have reassured me that there is no reason to be?

Look for support around you 

Talk about your thoughts with someone you trust

You may find that talking about your thoughts with a trusted friend or family member can reduce stress and help you to question and challenge paranoid thoughts. You could share this information with them, particularly the information for friends and family. If you don't have someone you feel you can trust, the Samaritans and Samaritan Befrienders are there for anyone in distress 24 hours a day.

“I've found it becomes easier and less straining on yourself once you share your thoughts with someone else.”

Maintain relationships

Feeling connected to other people is an important part of staying well. It can help you to feel valued, confident and more able to face difficult times. 

Feeling lonely or isolated could make your symptoms worse. If you don't feel like you have strong connections with people or you'd like to make more, it could help to explore support services and peer support.

Learn to relax 

Try mindfulness

There is some evidence that mindfulness can help reduce mild paranoia. Our pages on mindfulness have more information.

Manage your stress 

Our pages on managing stress have information and tips to help you cope with stressful situations or events.

Try some relaxation techniques 

Relaxation can help you look after your wellbeing when you are feeling stressed, anxious or busy. See our pages on relaxation for tips and exercises to help you relax.

Look after yourself 

Try to get enough sleep 

Sleep can give you the energy to cope with difficult feelings and experiences. See our pages on sleep problems for more information, including tips to improve your sleep. 

Think about your diet 

Eating regularly and keeping your blood sugar stable can make a difference to your mood and energy levels. See our pages on food and mood for more information. 

If you have a difficult relationship with food and eating, our pages on eating problems have information and tips which may help. 

Try to keep active 

Exercise can be really helpful for your mental wellbeing. Even doing something small can make a big difference. Our pages on physical activity and your mental health have ideas for most ages and abilities, including things you can do at home. 

Spend time in nature 

Spending time in nature can help improve your mood and feel more in touch with your surroundings. This could be going to a local park or forest, doing gardening or bringing nature into your home. Our information on nature and mental health has more about the benefits, and lots of ideas you could try. 

Try doing something creative 

Doing something creative, like doodling, playing a musical instrument or baking, can help distract you from difficult thoughts or feelings, or help you to process them. It can also be rewarding. Try not to worry about the finished product. Just focus on enjoying yourself.