SEVERE paranoia all of a sudden

[Raerae91]

Not sure what's happening to me but over the last 3 hours I've been severely paranoid to the point I'm looking around my room constantly, I jump at every noise I hear and fear someone is going to come in my house. It is in the middle of the night and I think it might have something to do with a crime story I read today but I've never been like this I'm scared of honestly every possible thing right now and I'm worried something could be wrong with my brain that's causing me this paranoia or I'm developing schizophrenia. I have been already diagnosed with GAD/panic disorder and OCD but this is not normal I'm unseasonably scared and I realize it but can't do anything about it.

[Kuatir]

OCD can cause paranoia. I bet that crime story is in your subconcious and is causing intrusive thoughts. I think finding a way to calm your mind and relax your body might help. Do you have any mindfullness exercises you could try?

[GingerFish]

I get this too. It gets especially bad at night. With the layout of my flat, my bed faces my front door and I am paranoid that I can shadows of people at the door and I can't stop looking and I have 999 typed in my phone ready to call, but there never is another there - at least not when I am looking like that. I then go and check the door is locked over and over and continue to look and then I check every room in my house and check wardrobes, cupboards and do that over and over until I feel safe enough to go to bed.

I suffer from OCD, panics, BDD and a few other things for years I was convinced I was schizophrenic too because of how bad my paranoia got both in my home and outside and with strangers and also loved ones but I have accepted its just another symptom of OCD. It can be very distressing and even though you know its far fetched, it doesn't lessen the anxiety.