Is it normal for aspies to be paranoid?

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The world - and local neighbourhoods - have become more dangerous places over the past 30 years. The media reports that bad news (home invasions etc). It's not surprising that levels of fear and feeling threatened and vulnerable have risen. It's not a spectrum thing particularly. I think there is probably a link between social exclusion and paranoia for both NTs and other groups, because fears tend to magnify in isolation or friendlessness, so there may be a greater tendency on the spectrum because of the isolation. However percentage speaking, I haven't noticed many frankly paranoid posters on WP - some, though fewer than might be expected actually.

I used to suffer from paranoia and distrust in my peers as a kid, but I don't suffer from it anymore. I don't like being in places that I feel I don't belong (it's a discomfort that's very similar to paranoia) or when it seems like a person is following me, but that's the limit of it. It only happens when I am alone, too.

Caffeine can make me extremely anxious and paranoid.

I've only ever noticed caffeine have any effect on me twice, and only with caffeine tablets. I took a few to stay awake. First time I felt great, second time I got palpitations. But I've drunk enormous amounts of tea and large amounts of coffee, and not noticed any effect.

I struggle with paranoia bad. I don't know where it comes from but there is a part of me that is and a part of me that is rational. It is like there are two people living inside of me. The part that is paranoid will never be convinced that everyone is not out to get me.

I'm a long way from wearing a tinfoil hat, but yes sometimes I think there are people out there who have nothing better to do than ruin my life or end it. And just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean that there aren't.

I have a hard time reading body language. I also tend to take what others say literally and don't always see things meant as humor as being humor. I don't think that I'm intentionally paranoid, but it is very hard for me to read people until I get to know them well. I don't trust easily, because I've been burned a lot.

I think that what some people might see as paranoia might more accurately be called being guarded, because it takes us longer to get all the nuances of body language and tone-of-voice that the "normals" just cue in on naturally.

For me the exchange between the emotional and the rational sides of my head is awkward. I have to think about and name emotions and such before I can deal with them very well. It's slow and sometimes agonizing, especially if someone is verbally attacking me or getting emotional around me, because I don't translate it or react to it in real time. So yes, I avoid conflict like the plague, and try to stay out of emotionally charged situations. I can deal with facts just fine- but when things get emotionally charged I lose the ability to find the right words or (most of the time) just lose the ability to speak at all.

80% of human communication is nonverbal.

Autism, among other things, means a difficulty to some degree in reading nonverbal communication. Let's say you're mildly affected and "get" between 60 and 80% of the nonverbal communication an NT would. You're still missing a lot.

Autism, among other things, means not feeling the same things, at the same time, in the same way as "normal" people. This results in a lot of getting kicked and called names, even in a supportive home environment, before your peers learn how to "act human." Not to mention from adults who never quite make it all the way through puberty.

Missing links in communication (and you know they're there)+miscommunication+getting kicked a lot=constant or near-constant worry about things normal people don't have to think about nearly as often (aka paranoia).

Yes, it is normal for Aspies to be paranoid.

That does not absolve us of the responsibility to take ownership of our paranoia, put a leash on it,and have it instead of it having us. It does not obligate our care-givers, friends, relatives, and loved ones to cater to our paranoia. It obligates us to learn to freakin' cope with it.

I love this forum for the simple reason that it can give words to so many things that I have trouble articulating. My paranoia is rather troubling to deal with, since no matter how much I tell myself I can act ok or that peoples' opinions of me are not as extreme as I think they are, my mind always will revert back to them. It's rather curious how when someone gives me a weird look or acts uncomfortable around me, I latch on to the situation, read too much into it, and never think I can rise above it.

Quick question for some people, does paranoia ever get to the point where it feels overwhelming? Does it get overwhelming to the point where simply trying to sit with some people is too stressful? And finally, how can I communicate to people that just because I spend so much time away from people does not mean I don't want to socialize and connect. . .(living in college dorms btw)?

It's not entirely necessary for Aspies to be paranoid. However, there is always a bit uneasiness around strange places and people. If your brother is school going then I'd recommend you to enroll him in schools like Rebecca in New York.

I used to walk through the cafeteria at school and hear people laughing and be utterly convinced they were laugh at me...
These days, I get lost in my head over analyzing interactions with coworkers and getting absolutely convinced that I'd made some slight for which I'll be punished... I'm generally well-liked at work, so this is really just my paranoia.

Here it is - on a silver plate:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1izup2uX3U

Yup, most people fear the unknown, and paranoia finds easy purchase in the open pores of the mind-blind Aspie.

I used to get very defensive if anybody raised their voice to me, and it took me years to realise that it didn't necessarily mean they had simply decided to attack me, that people did it to emphasise and express their frustration, and expected to have to do that even with very close friends. I still need more real-life practice in dealing with people who do this.

Well, if it is, then at least there is some NT quality about us after all!

Diamond! I could have written your words myself.......and I went to tons of therapy for it, thinking, I was very-very neurotic.

I can't speak for anyone else but agree with the assessment that I have issues with paranoia, I feel like its obsessive thinking that does it and this anxiety I have just get caught in a loop. I'll get stuck on some uncomfortable thought or worry or incident and I can't stop myself from becoming stressed over it. I'll avoid and withdraw to get to get away from these feelings and that has a real effect on my life obviously, I wish I wasn't like this.