Paranoia is taking over

[Mootts]

First signs of paranoia showed up in a friend a few months back. Should of really took it more seriously when it happened, but it was brief, and he left because he thought we were all 'laughing' at him, whispering things in his ears etc.

Then it began happening to me and I tried to keeping my head together, so it wasn't as intense and managed to calm myself down. Everyone in the room didn't want me there, every time I left to go to the toilet people talked about me, did things behind my back. Everyone looked at me when I came back, or were hastily doing something, whispering, or leaving me out.
Thought this until I pointed myself to people not wanting me around actually being a fear I've always had and that I hadn't actually got any proof for what I thought. I looked back and remembered all the good things my friends had done for me, and focused on all the good things to keep my mind from the bad thoughts.

Then a while after that, another friend had the same thing happen, but it seemed so much more intense. Think it was triggered by him not going into work, and he started dwelling on it too much.
Soon, we were all making fun of him (in his mind) we worked for some company and were making money out of making him uncomfortable. Music track names were 'code'. Everyone on facebook 'knew'. And he could see us in 'the ripples' (which after trying to converse with him I found that he meant we were looking at him in the reflection of the tv screen)

He looked upon me with crazy eyes, and I was quite mashed started getting blagged and scared then started going into a panic attack. Tried moving rooms to calm myself down alone, he followed, interrogating me (trying to find out what was 'going on') and it got to the point where I sat in silence, shut myself off.
And when I started switching on again (we must of literally been sat their, silently for an hour, and he was just staring at me) I found myself not panicking anymore, but holding back tears, and I felt like bursting into crying. I was too afraid to because I thought he might find a way to delude it inside his head, use it against me (as he was doing with everything I tried saying to him) and I felt threatened and in danger.

The other friend that was with me there as it just began happening, got annoyed and left me alone in the room with him whilst this was happening and returned, kicking out the other guy (which I personally, even though I was in such a state, thought wasn't a great idea)

All of these situations were handled wrong.
Both friends have distanced themselves from me and other friends, still thinking there was something going on.
One seems to slowly be coming back, but said to me only the other day that he 'was either crazy, or something was really going on' I did not doubt his thoughts, but I really believe neither of those statements are true.
I have no idea how to make them come to their senses and that it's not them or anyone else.

It's what we've been doing.

Thanks for letting me vent.

&& this is my first post here so hi!

 

[blahman8000]

Been there. Although, most times that I've felt that way, I was smoking pot. Pot makes me SO paranoid. I always think that everyone is laughing at me in the room. If someone smiles at me, I think it's because they're laughing because of some inside joke about how I look, talk, act, etc. It was so awful.

I think the root of the problem might be anxiety, which is totally treatable. It can and should be worked out, otherwise it can take over a person's life. Isolation is often the result of untreated anxiety/paranoia, which obviously makes things a lot worse. This isn't always the type of problem that can be treated organically, and I think that a psychiatrist/psychologist might be the best option. If your friend is opposed to medication, then CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) might work out well. Look it up on Google and see what you think. It's really important this kind of thing is treated and/or addressed, because it can get even worse. Believe me.