Paranoia and odd beliefs

[Ballerina123]

I've been getting some very early warning signs of psychotic symptoms.

The last few days I have been feeling mildly paranoid that there are cameras in mirrors watching me. I'm trying rationalise it by saying to myself that there maybe cameras and they maybe watching me but that's ok because I'm not doing anything wrong. I also have been standing in front of mirrors longer to challenge the anxiety surrounding the paranoia.

I've also been getting thoughts of government experiments on my brain. I have been having some feelings of excess electricity in my brain. Like I literally feel the extra electricity in my head.
I'm trying to rationalise by saying there may have been experiments and I may have extra electricity but ruminating on the thought will only make me unwell and I should just think about something else for 5-10 minutes to get away from the thoughts.

Can anyone give any advice or guidance on how I can cope with these thoughts so they don't get out of hand and I can stay well and not become consumed.

I think my meds are really helping me rationalise stuff I just feel I need to put in place some coping skills for the brake through symptoms to stay as well as possible.

Thanks

[[Luna]]

Hey,

Perhaps you could try and write a letter to yourself rationalising these thoughts and providing evidence to support why they probably aren't true.
This could be a useful tool if those moments when the thoughts become stronger and it's harder to see these thoughts as a symptom of your illness creep in.

It sounds like you're fighting really hard and I'm really proud of you.
Xx

[Cacoethes]

Just want to say about the electricity thing, I know youve' had seizures before and I sometimes get a similar feeling, like my brain is being zapped or is buzzing, not necesarily before a seizure but sometimes it can be down to meds and it often happens when I drink coffee and sometimes just for no reason at all so maybe it's a similar thing?

[Ballerina123]

.Thanks emma I'll try the letter thing.

Becki- I never even thought about the seizure thing. I might even bring it up with the neurologist as I have an appointment in 2 weeks. I havnt had a seizure for months though. But also have an eeg coming up so maybe the results from that will help to.

[Ballerina123]

I just wanted to add that 'brain zaps' can be a side effect of some meds or related to withdrawal as well- so if you've had a med adjustment in some way, that could be attributed to that.

Thanks but the the electricity in my head started when I was not on meds and have continued since starting back on them. So i don't think it's meds related.
Plus it more like flow of electricity rather than a zap(s)

[Ballerina123]

I made a list of questions questioning my beliefs.
Basically:
- what would I say to others? Talk to you MH team.
- are there any alternative explanations for my beliefs? Mental or physical health issues, catastrophisation, ect.
- are the thoughts based more on feeling than solid evidence? Yes I feel paranoid more than having an evidence for it.

I'm reading it a couple of times a day just so I don't get too distracted by the thoughts.

I feel glad I'm managing but I will ask my MH team for their input too just so that I can also get a professional opinion too.

[Ballerina123]

I need to bump this because the stuff I wrote down hasn't really helped today.

I'm getting the electricity in my brain and im struggling to rationalise what is actually going on.
My head keeps saying is government experiments but I just don't want it to be and don't want to get caught up with that thought.
But im also worried there is actually something wrong with my brain. Waves of electricity that last hours is just not right.

Any advice on dealing with this would be good.
I'm starting to think this may not even be mental health related but it is causing a degree of paranoia so I guess whatever it is it is affecting my mental health a bit.

I just need to stay mentally well so could really do with any advice to lessen the paranoia.

[keep_it_together]

Is it worth considering talking to someone about upping your antipsychotic dosage to help with these thoughts?

I suffer from some intrusive paranoid thoughts/delusions and don't have too many problems with them on a good dose level of Quetiapine.

[Ballerina123]

I saw my psych today and he thinks that the electricity in my brain is a hallucination.
Either way I called my neurologists secretary and asked her to pass a message on that i'm getting this just incase my psych is wrong and it is actually physical. Because sometimes psych see symptoms in everything.

Also how can you hallucinate feeling electrical surges in you brain? I've never even heard of that before.

[Steel Maiden]

Hallucinations can be very powerful and varied. I sometimes hallucinate that someone is putting their fingers through my hair.