WEYBURN - Recently I had an online friend reach out to me in a private message, to ask me if I was upset with her. The question caught me off guard, and I responded quickly to reassure her that I was not mad or upset. The message was instead prompted by other stressors in her life, and she was very sensitive in the situation that she had projected some of her worries onto something that was not an issue.
This happens a lot for me, where I project my stress or anxieties into other parts of my life. Irrational fears can keep you on guard at times, and absolutely can make you feel anxious, and can lead to paranoia. The mind and body are connected, so both anxiety and paranoia can create similar physical sensations like a racing heart or an overall jittery or nervous feeling.
When paranoia and anxiety coexist, they often worsen the symptoms that a person can experience. It is important to establish healthy coping skills, and challenge any cognitive distortions and negative thoughts by exploring facts versus fears. It is also important to build trust in others, and gain the tools needed to manage emotions.
I had immediately reassured my friend because I knew that if she lost trust in that moment, or felt ignored by not receiving an answer, it would have lead to additional fears and there would be a snowball effect of those fears just getting larger and larger.
There is still some trauma for many people in our community from the uncertainty and stress that was caused during the COVID-19 pandemic. It definitely did not help the situation to have to be more separated from friends and family during that time. Increased paranoia and anxiety did set in, and many people have not healed from it.
Add into the mix an over-exposure to media, including social media, and it is quite easy to fall into self-doubt, or feel uncertain about the future. It seems that society has fallen into some bad habits, especially being rude and impatient when handling situations. It can be easier to project that rudeness right back to a person, but then you are just repeating the cycle. Kindness is a better solution.
The good news is that like many other mental health conditions, both paranoia and anxiety can be managed after time, with proper diagnosis and programs that are available right in our community. Mental health services help people manage both psychological and behavioural health issues.
Mental health counsellors work one-on-one with people to assist them with emotional,. psychological and cognitive issues. They may counsel individuals, couples and even families to facilitate a nurturing and constructive therapy environment. There are both online and in-person programs that are available to those who need them.
It is also important to be there as a support to a friend or colleague if they come to you. Often, one just needs someone to listen to them, so they feel acknowledged. If the conversation leads to something uncomfortable, or you start to worry about their safety, be sure to guide that person to the mental health programs in our community.
It might feel like you are being a tattletale to file a mental health report, but there are cases of actually saving a life by making those calls. Also remember to use the 211 Saskatchewan resource, as you can stay anonymous, while finding the right provider for your situation.
