Summarize the following:
Journaling can help you to understand what may have caused you to feel paranoid and it is also a great way to relieve stress. It can also help you identify your triggers, or people, places, and situations that seem to inspire your paranoia. To get started with journaling, choose a comfortable place and plan to devote about 20 minutes per day to writing. Think about situations in which you feel paranoid. For example:  When do you feel the most paranoid? At night? Early in the morning? What is it about that time of day that makes you feel paranoid? Who do you feel paranoid around? Is there a person or group of people who make you feel more paranoid? Why do you think those people make you feel more paranoid than usual? Where do you feel the most paranoid? Is there a place where your paranoia peaks? What is it about that place that makes you feel paranoid? In what situations do you experience paranoia? Social situations? Is there something about your surroundings? What memories come to you when you experience these feelings? Once you have identified the situations and people that seem to be contributing to your paranoia, you can make a plan to reduce your exposure to these triggers. While some people, places, and situations may be unavoidable, such as work or school, being aware of what triggers your paranoia may help you to minimize your exposure to other things that you can avoid. For example, if a certain route home from school makes you feel paranoid, take a different route or ask a friend to accompany you. In the case of triggers that you cannot avoid, learning to question your paranoid thoughts may help you to reduce or eliminate the way that you feel about these people and situations. The next time that you find yourself thinking paranoid thoughts about a person, place, or situation, ask yourself the following questions.  What is the thought? When did I have it? Who was there? When was it? What happened? Am I having a thought that is based on fact or opinion? How can I tell? What am I assuming or believing about the thought? Is my assumption or belief realistic? Why or why not? What would it mean if the thought were real? How do I feel—physically and emotionally? What did/could I do to deal with the thought in a positive way? If you cannot defuse your paranoia by examining its content, try to distract yourself. Call up a friend, go for a walk, or watch a movie. Find a way to get your mind off of the paranoid thoughts so that you do not begin to dwell on them.  Distraction can help you avoid rumination, the obsessive pattern of thinking where you think about the same thing over and over again, like a broken record. Rumination is associated with higher levels of anxiety and depression.  However, distraction on its own is usually not enough to fully address these thoughts. Distraction is a type of avoidance, which means you will need to take other steps to work on your paranoia too. You may feel embarrassed by your thoughts, and this could lead to you judging yourself harshly for them. Studies have shown that this type of technique, or “punishment,” is not effective at addressing paranoid thoughts. Instead, try reappraisal (examining your thought process), social control (seeking advice from others), or distraction, as described elsewhere in this article. Mild paranoia may be manageable on your own, but you will likely need professional help if your paranoia is moderate to severe. If you are frequently having paranoid thoughts, consider the following questions:  Are you considering acting on potentially harmful thoughts? Are you considering hurting yourself or others? Are you thinking and planning on how to go about hurting someone with the intent of doing it? Are you hearing voices telling you to hurt yourself or others? Are your obsessive thoughts or behaviors affecting your home or work life? Are you reliving a traumatic experience over and over again? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should seek help from a mental health care professional as soon as possible.
Start a journal to track your thoughts and feelings. Make a plan to avoid or reduce exposure to your triggers. Learn how to question your thought process. Distract yourself from the paranoid thoughts. Avoid punishing yourself. Determine if you might need professional help.