Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: How to deal with delusional thoughts
• Part 2 of 3: How to Form Good Habits
• Part 3 of 3: How to help someone seek help

Not everyone is able to help a person prone to paranoia. People with paranoid disorder perceive the world differently, so it is very easy for them to arouse suspicion or feelings of alienation. Your level of receptivity and understanding is the cornerstone of helping a person with paranoid syndrome and persuading them to receive the necessary treatment without suspecting that you are judging their actions. One of the best ways to come to the rescue is to comfort the person who is suffering from delusional thoughts. Help him create a long-term strategy for dealing with these situations and encourage the person to seek professional help.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: How to deal with delusional thoughts

1. 1 Don't argue with the person. If your friend or family member is having delusional thoughts, you don't need to argue with them. You just need to listen to the person. Delusional ideas may seem very real to him, so you cannot convince him otherwise.
   • Disputes can only worsen the situation, since the person decides that no one understands him.
2. 2 Don't claim the person is paranoid. Focus on trying to understand the person's feelings. Show empathy, but don't use phrases that might reinforce his delusional thoughts.
   • For example, if a friend says that they want to kidnap her, then there is no need to joke back. Tell her, "I think you're scared, but I'll take care of your safety."
   • Do not try to convince the person, but tell them that you perceive the situation differently. So, you can say: "No, I do not see that someone is following us."
3. 3 Ask questions. Try asking the person about their fears. Perhaps this will help you understand the reasons for his delusions and find a suitable way to comfort the person. After talking to you, he may feel better.
   • Ask open-ended questions like, "Why do you think they want to kidnap you?" -or: "Maybe you want to tell me about something else?"
4. 4 Help the person feel safe. If he is intimidated by the environment, then move to another place. Offer him water or food. Convince the person that you are not scared at all, so you will make sure that nothing happens.
   • For example, if you are in a building with a relative and it seems to him that signals are being sent to him through the public address system, then take the person outside.
   • If a person is prescribed medication, find out when they last took the drug. If necessary, make sure that he takes urgent medication.

Part 2 of 3: How to Form Good Habits

1. 1 Help the person maintain a positive state of mind. With a friend or loved one, you need to become a source of positive thoughts and optimism. Help him come up with a mantra or statement to use during paranoia.
   • For example, some people may find it helpful to say, “People are too busy with themselves to watch me,” or, “I’m scared, but the danger is unreal.”
   • Invite the person to write the mantra on a piece of paper and carry it with them at all times.
2. 2 Help the person take a detached view of their paranoid thoughts. If a person needs to be convinced of his reality, then invite him to share his thoughts with someone else, whom he trusts. Remind him of the benefit of the doubt if he is unsure of other people's intentions.
   • This strategy is effective in moderate manifestations of paranoia, when a person can sometimes understand the erroneousness of their judgments. In severe cases, people are not interested in someone else's opinion.
3. 3 Motivate the person to form rational habits. A healthy lifestyle reduces the severity of mental problems. Help a friend or family member reduce stress, get more rest, eat well, and exercise.
   • For example, regular physical activity improves mood and cognitive abilities, which are impaired with paranoia.
4. 4 Encourage the person to devote time to the aspects in which they have the ability. It is not uncommon for people with paranoia to have unique talents or to build successful careers. Distinguish between these areas of activity and encourage a friend or relative to do things in which they are professionals.
   • For example, your friend has significant creativity. Encourage him to participate in a local art competition to keep him busy and focus on positive work.
5. 5 Be prepared for crisis situations. If your friend or relative has a medical condition such as schizophrenia, during moments of mental stability, help him make a crisis plan. Gather important contact information, including the phone number of their doctor, and discuss who will be caring for children or pets if hospitalization is needed.
   • Write this information down on a card or piece of paper and convince the person to carry it with them at all times.

Part 3 of 3: How to help someone seek help

1. 1 Distinguish between paranoia and anxiety. Outwardly, paranoia can be confused with severe anxiety, but these disorders have little in common. In a situation with paranoia, delusional thoughts are possible that do not occur with anxiety. These disorders require different treatments, so learn to distinguish between them.
   • For example, an anxious person may worry that they have a medical condition, while a person with paranoia will be confident that the doctor deliberately made such a diagnosis.
   • Anxiety is much more common. People with anxiety are more alert in a situation of danger, while a person with paranoia expects danger at any moment.
2. 2 Don't try to diagnose or treat paranoia yourself. If your relative or friend has not yet consulted a specialist, then you need to show him to the doctor and find out the diagnosis. It is important to know that self-diagnosis is in most cases wrong, as a result of which the person will begin to take inappropriate medications.
3. 3 Encourage the person to see a therapist or doctor. Your family member or friend may need medication or psychotherapy to successfully combat paranoia. Suggest that he go to the doctor and find out about treatment options. If it is difficult for a person to get an appointment, then offer him your help (take him to the hospital or look after the children).
   • It is very difficult to convince a person with a tendency to paranoia to see a doctor. Most likely, he does not trust specialists. If the person is unwilling to undergo treatment, do not push too hard or they will start to treat you with suspicion.
   • If your friend resists, then say: "You are sure that everything is in order, but I will feel much calmer if you talk to the doctor. I ask you to do it for my sake. If everything turns out to be all right, then I will not bother you anymore." ...Shift the focus of the situation onto yourself to make it easier for him to agree.
4. 4 Call 112 if you think someone is in danger. If your friend or relative has bizarre delusions or threatens to harm himself or others, he needs urgent medical attention. Don't wait for the situation to improve. Call 112 or another emergency number. It is safest for a person to stay in the hospital until their condition returns to normal.
   • Delusional ideas may theoretically turn out to be reality, but bizarre delusions will never occur in the real world.
   • For example, if a person believes that aliens have endowed him with the ability to fly, then he has a bizarre delusion.