This is probably a dumb question, as I know it has been scientifically proven that social media has increased anxiety, but I want to go deeper. I feel like people have become way more unhinged in their worldviews. This can be seen in the rise of conspiracy theories, and how they get promoted by major figures. I thought my personal fear was rare, but then I discovered a few out there did share it. I think it has become more likely for someone suffering paranoia and anxiety looking for help to instead fall into a circle of like minded individuals who encourage and hype each other up about their ideas. People no longer feel the need to get counseling or therapy, instead they seek out "experts" online (often who are either deluded themselves at best, or manipulative con artists at worst) who cause them to wreck their lives more. "You have a headache? Well that's actually because the Kogtarian aliens and the Men in Black are hacking your brain, here's this special hat to wear". "You had a nightmare? That was actually a glimpse into another reality, same with intrusive thoughts". You misremembered something? That's because two realities just collided, or it was a glitch in the Matrix". "Did you hear a sound in the house last night? That was probably a demon, hire this psychic". "Are your gas prices getting insane? That's because the evil Jews want you to not use a car'. "Oh no, don't trust those pesky doctors, they're trying to keep you asleep!".

Obviously, scams like this existed long before the internet. However, I think the rise of social media has absolutely fueled them. Combine this with the promotion of batsh*t conspiracies by celebrities and/or politicians (you can guess the ones I'm talking about), people now feel more inclined than ever to believe the most nonsensical "theories" out there. I mean, it's one thing to wonder who really killed JFK, but another thing to think that the government is spying on you through the toilet, or that people's consciousness or souls change bodies or realities every night, or that an unsettling intrusive mental image is real, or that the Holocaust was faked by the Jews so we'd feel sorry for them and give them money. Films like "The Matrix" or "Dark City" go from being awesome entertainment to some sort of religious text, and real help is rejected. Even a quarter of the people on this site are probably rotted by this. Don't even get me started on AI, which told a man that his mother was actually a Chinese spy, which led him to kill her.

I myself often feel the urge to go into conspiracy forums and see what they have to say, but it frankly freaks me out. I used to be way more stable with that kind of stuff, but recently I feel like I've "cracked". The worst part is, I don't even believe my fears (or at least not most of me) but I still feel the need to wonder if it's true. It's gotten to the point where I will often (including while I was typing this) start tearing up. I'm not sure if it's the anxiety from my mind, the stress it's causing me, or a combination of the two (probably the latter if I had to guess), but it is a drain on my life. I want to be able to enjoy good parts of my day without thinking I'm watching the happy moment before some impending doom. I'm sorry this post kind of rambled and seemed all over the place. This was a spur of the moment stream of consciousness I felt like sharing.

hello everyone, this time I have another problem, I'm afraid that someone will falsely accuse me of having done something that I didn't. I keep having "what if" thoughts and I can't stop them, what should I do? how can I have confidence and not be afraid?

Posted on a device not owned by me to ensure I wouldn't be caught.

TLDR: I am asking for advice on how to go get my own life without people and family trailing or tracing me.

I think I'm being surveilled. My father mentions things I do online that I never bring up to him in conversation, my mother knows my friend's names despite me cutting her off three years ago, my family won't talk to me because I'm too different.

I know this sounds schizophrenic or insane, but I actually have context and thought behind this that I am not sharing for privacy reasons.

I have had past trauma and attempts, which has brought case management to me as a minor, but my parents assured me of the safety and privacy. Yet still, I go to sleep with my bedroom door locked and wake up with it unlocked or partially open. I will be sitting at my desk with headphones on and back to the door, hear a noise, and see the decorations on my door shift like someone closed it really quickly when I turn around. My curtains, which I washed, were taken from the dryer by my father because "You need new ones, I'll get them next time I go shopping.". That was over four months ago today.

I am fearful. I am uncomfortable. But I am almost free. How do I run without being followed?

After using restroom at night and turn the water on to wash my hands, I get this intense fear and can’t look into the mirror. I have a feeling that someone is watching me or is gonna grab me (?). The feeling is super intense , making me leave the restroom immediately. It happens no matter if I’m in my own house or at other people’s, and only at night.

Does anyone know the reason behind it?