Suspiciousness & Paranoia: First Steps When the World Feels Hostile

Suspiciousness and paranoia rarely come "out of nowhere." Behind them there is often fear, and a state that Dr. Saulitis describes as a splitting of perception — when a person begins to set themselves against the rest of the world. This brochure is not about diagnosing yourself, but about the first steps worth taking if you or someone close notices growing wariness, distrust, and a sense that others are hostile.

Why suspiciousness is a symptom, not a "character trait"

The doctor stresses: sudden or escalating symptoms can have very different origins. What looks the same on the outside can be very different inside — organic, a more "sensitive" neurotic state, or something that "appears endogenously." That is exactly why it is hard to sort out on your own, and why the right approach changes from case to case.

It is important to understand: suspiciousness is a signal, not a verdict and not a personality flaw. This signal deserves to be treated as seriously as any other symptom — but without panic.

Splitting: "me versus the rest of the world"

In the doctor's observation, the severity of the state is often tied to how strongly a person experiences themselves as opposed to those around them.

"Perceiving existence by the formula 'me and the rest of the world' is a sign of mental disturbance."

When thinking is split, everything built on top of it — the thoughts, conclusions, "proof" of hostility — already grows out of that state. So the first step is not to argue with the suspicious thoughts, but to examine the state they grow from.

The first step — don't stay alone with the symptom

The doctor's main advice is simple and repeated by him many times:

"My advice today is to see a good specialist."

This is not weakness and not "giving up." Suspiciousness distorts your assessment of your own condition, so a professional's view here is not a luxury but a necessity.

Check the body to rule out triggers

The doctor insists: before drawing conclusions, you must rule out physical causes that provoke such symptoms. He names specific basic things.

"A blood test, an electroencephalogram — these two things are absolutely necessary."

He also points to the need to check thyroid hormones and other indicators — to exclude conditions that can set off this kind of symptomatology.

Serious — but with a smile

The doctor repeats that this should be approached professionally, "with a serious smile." Anxiety and suspicion often make a person close off, try to control, and bargain with the world. A calm, serious yet undramatic attitude toward your own condition is itself part of recovery.

Practice: a first-steps checklist

1. Name the symptom honestly. Acknowledge: "I've developed growing suspiciousness / fear" — this is a signal, not a fact about the world.
2. Don't argue with the content alone. Don't try to "prove or disprove" others' hostility by yourself — it grows from a state, not from reality.
3. Book a specialist. This is the first and main step the doctor advises.
4. Check the body. Discuss basic testing with a specialist: blood test, EEG, thyroid hormones — to rule out physical triggers.
5. If there's no answer — get a second opinion. The doctor specifically advises always seeing a second specialist as well.