I have had an appointment with a psychiatrist during which I was told that I was "most likely" suffering from bipolar 2. However, during this appointment I mentioned some of my concerns about paranoid thinking which I felt were ignored.
Every year, I have a period of a few weeks during which my paranoia prevents me from leaving the house. The intensity of the feelings of paranoia during these periods has been increasing every year. Even outside of these times, I often experience paranoid thoughts (e.g. that I am being followed in the street, that somebody is capable of reading my thoughts) which can cause me a lot of anxiety. This is always accompanied by intrusive thoughts (sentences that just repeat and repeat all day) and increased 'jumpiness', meaning that I am more inclined to be afraid of shadows in the corner of my eye or any sudden movements or noises.
There are two things which are really concerning me; 1) From what I have read, it seems that paranoia is not symptomatic of bipolar 2. 2) My paranoia levels do not increase or decrease along with my mood- I could experience a lot of paranoia while my mood is low, high, or stable.
I have another appointment, at which I should receive an official diagnosis, at the end of June. Are the paranoid thoughts something, in your opinion, that I should bring up again, or is paranoid thinking simply part of bipolar 2?
Thanks in advance for your help.