Paranoia anyone?

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"It's not paranoia if they really are after you." -heard that somewhere.

How many times does something have to go wrong before ppl will quit calling an issue Paranoia? (this is not sarcasm)
One time?
Fifty times?
A thousand times?

If something goes wrong 999 times is it still paranoid?
How many times have social situations gone south on you?

random Joe. . .
Say 20 years, 52 weeks each, a thousand weeks.
How many times in a week? Once?
For me it's close to 40 times a week in someway something goes weird.

So is it still paranoia if it's happened 40,000 times?

Mathematically: No
Emotionally: Yes

You're just paranoid that it's paranoia. =D

I think everybody feels like this at times, but I suppose some are worse than others. I often worry about upsetting people. A few weeks ago I was worrying that I had upset one of the other volunteers at my voluntary job, but when I went in the next day I don't think I did because she liked me that day as much as she did when I last saw her so I doubt I did upset her, it was probably just me being too paranoid.

This is why I hate standing up for myself in awkward situations. I prefer to be passive, rather than arguing back and causing hostility, because I seem to fear rejection or hostility. The atmosphere affects me.

Yes, due to actual experiences with people. Also, sometimes people are not straightforward with me noticing my issues and treat me like a kid.

I get very anxious about things in general, and reminiscing about unsure times, I've usually been correct.

So I wouldn't call it excessive paranoia, but all AS people who want to get along probably have it.

I get paranoid sometimes. It is for the reasons mentioned - difficulty reading people. I have memories of being a kid and thinking I'd made an awesome friend, following them around, talking to them all the time, until BAM! They explode and shout, "YOU'RE SO ANNOYING!!" and my little autistic heart would break.

This led to bullying by a group of girls from age 9-12. These formative years were fraught with a bunch of catty evil children actually talking about me behind my back (accusing me of "copying them", saying I was trying to touch their butts or whatever, running away from me at recess, etc.) and it was always for some abstract reason that I didn't understand. This, of course, made me paranoid to do ANYTHING, and made me paranoid that people were always talking about me behind my back... because during this time, that's actually what they did. Talking about me behind my back and deliberately making my life a waking nightmare was like, the main source of entertainment for these she-devils.

I also trust my judgment of people less and less. I've gotten myself into some very negative relationships and situations simply because I can't tell if peoples' intentions are good or bad before I observe their patterns of behavior for a while. This has gotten me into some really bad situations... like I took on a roommate, a woman 20 years my senior who turned out to be a hopeless alcoholic, and she wound up burning down the apartment building. So, 22 people (including myself) lost their homes because of my sh***y judgment call. I really don't trust my judgment of people anymore.

... so yeah, I'm socially paranoid. Sometimes I hear people say my name in conversation (just my imagination, probably, most of the time)... sometimes I pass a group of people and they laugh, and I think they are laughing at me and my heart sinks... It can be pretty bad. I'm pretty sure it's directly a side effect of the bullying, and poor understanding of what others really mean.

But the funny thing is, I'm less paranoid now than I've ever been in my life... I think it's because I'm gradually caring less and less what people think. So it's crossed over to, "sure, everyone might be talking about me behind my back, and I might be a big joke to everyone... but I am so sick of caring, that I just don't care anymore!" ... and oddly enough, this attitude helps... in a weird sort of way. Though I do get quite lonely sometimes. If anyone has any other coping suggestions, I would be completely open to them.

Yes, I definitely have that same 'are they talking about me/have I offended them' kind of paranoia. I also have that wonderful paranoia that accompanies my trying to work out other people's intentions. That's when my imagination goes into overdrive . . .

I know how to not offend people so I don't always need to worry about that (although sometimes I do but only to a certain degree, like everybody does). What I get more paranoid about is how other people view me. When I hear people laughing, I always assume they're laughing at me, when people stare at me I always assume they're judging me negatively, when people say things like ''what time are you going home/having lunch?'', I assume they're asking that because they don't want me talking to them. I even think that I'm just annoying and nobody wants me around, and I take it personally because other people are wanted but I don't feel I am.

I talk to my bus-driver (because I have a crush on him), and I've been talking to him for nearly a year, and I can tell he likes having a chat with me; he's asked for my name in a friendly way, he's given me a Christmas card, I know people will just say ''oh maybe he's trying to be polite'' but it's still encouraging me to want to talk to him more, also it's natural to want to talk to your crush, surely he's mature enough to realise that. But sometimes I get paranoid that he might not want me talking to him. He's a kind-natured type of man who enjoys chatting so I don't think he minds, but I still get paranoid in case he might think, ''oh, here she comes again! Stupid weirdo!''

It's just me being paranoid - ignore me!

Gosh, me too, all the time.