I have much the same thing - I think the technical term is hypervigilence. It is more of a sign of anxiety than schizophrenia. And it tends to get worse with stress.

sounds like post traumatic stress syndrome

I am always paranoied, it must be at least 5 years + now xx

I've been like that for as long as I can remember - it's to do with anxiety apparently.

I keep a light on at night when I'm going to sleep and always have because in darkness it is severely amplified for me. I also got a dog, that way I know when I'm being paranoid because he doesn't react to what I'm "hearing".

I have felt that way pretty bad but they changed my meds and I am doing better now.

I think my nerves are making me feel that way too, and my home circumstances are not the best.

Paranoia is when a person develops an unreasonable (not based in fact) mistrust and suspicion of other people. Paranoia and anxiety can both occur if you are bipolar, you don't have to be schizophrenic. That being on edge feeling sounds like anxiety. I would suggest talking to your doctor about it, a medication adjustment may help you out. Therapy and relaxation exercises may also help. :-)

I've had many bouts of severe paranoia over the years. I was originally diagnosed as having Major Depressive Disorder at 14. No meds, just talk therapy.

On and off over the years, usually during times of severe depression, I will become seriously paranoid. Hasn't happened in awhile but for one summer I was terrified I was schizophrenic. I was at the right age and the paranoia just added fuel to the fire.

Luckily, since being correctly diagnosed with BP and getting on the right meds, I'm not having the paranoia like I did in the past. But I won't even read my old, teenage girl journals cause I sound out of my mind. Okay, I'm rambling.

That is more anxiety and hypervigilance than paranoia..... paranoia is when you start to believe that people have put camera's in your house to watch you or that they are out to get you in some way.... anxiety is pretty common with Bipolar but you should mention it to yoru doctor.....

I get this way sometimes too, when you become so afraid...and the anxiety peaks your senses kick in basically.
Sometimes my anxiety gets really bad at night. If I hear the slightest noise my senses kick in and the sounds from my own body actually block out anything I am now trying to listen for.

I hear my heartbeat, ringing or a humming in my ears, things become amplified. It's as if I can feel vibrations going throughout my body, you feel what the fear is actually doing to you physically.

This is bad anxiety hun, this normally happens to me when I am drop dead scared shitless but soon after the feelings start to drop.
It's like taking acid and the drug peaks but the high starts to go away right after that lol. Sorry for the bad description :s

hugs

One of the symptoms of bp is that feeling that someone is going to harm you.I havent read much about it in bp books .I discovered it on my medication data info sheet with my med lithium.

Yes, I feel your pain. I was recently dx'd as schizoaffective (as opposed to bipolar), and this is a big problem for me. I wish I had some other words of advice for you.

Sevi, same thing happens to me all the time, on and off. It's anxiety for me that does it. I become paranoid and can hear everything, leaves dropping, cars miles away, the hairs on the back of neck stand on end, I can hear my heart beating and sometimes think I can even taste the adrenaline rushing through my body. I have a dog and make sure he's with me during these times and if he reacts to nothing then I tend to eventually calm down.

It sucks, I can TOTALLY relate. It happens to me late at night when I go outside to smoke and/or if I'm alone (no humans) and sometimes when I'm driving......