Intuition is an inner 'knowing. ' It's a subtle and gentle feeling, calling your attention to something that isn't right or needs your attention. But unlike paranoia, it doesn't consume you. Paranoia comes through most often as thoughts in your mind from a place of fear.
The simple answer is that you must trust your intuition, even when it may be inaccurate. The danger of ignoring your intuition is that you will fail to act in your own best interest, or to protect yourself or others from pain or harm.
Fear tends to feel like a No in the mind. Intuition tends to feel clear and calm and easeful. Fear tends to feel confused and anxious and hard. Intuition tends to have a relaxed, expansive energetic quality.
Intuition is that sense of knowing what the right answer or decision is before you make it. It's a deep, internal, visceral feeling. You know your intuition is around when you say things like, “I can't really explain it, but…” or “It just felt right” or, more likely, “It just felt wrong.”
To start testing your intuition, simply ask yourself a question you would like an answer to. For example, you might ask if a particular person is trustworthy. See what answer comes into your mind.
A body of research reveals that intuition can be not only faster than reflection but also more accurate. We're fairly good at judging people based on first impressions, thin slices of experience ranging from a glimpse of a photo to a five-minute interaction, and deliberation can be not only extraneous but intrusive.
There's a sense in which feelings, sensations, and intuitions are less distinct insofar as they all, to some extent, are said to be “felt” (e.g., intuitions as “gut feelings”). Thoughts, by contrast, are considered more detached and characteristically less visceral; they are observed rather than experienced.
One of the easiest ways to tell the difference between a gut instinct and anxiety is by how long your symptoms last. A gut instinct is often a reaction to an immediate situation. Anxiety, on the other hand, might be present regardless of its relevance to your current experience.
While it's true that intuition can be fallible, studies show that pairing gut feelings with analytical thinking helps you make better, faster, and more accurate decisions and gives you more confidence in your choices than relying on intellect alone.
"Intuition is more of a whisper, while fear will scream from the rooftops. If you hear alarm bells going off in every direction, your trust issues might be taking center stage." Quieting these alarm bells through mindfulness or therapy can help you listen to your intuition a bit better.
Red flags in a relationship include excessive jealousy and frequent lying. You should also be wary of a partner who frequently criticizes you or puts you down. Another major red flag is an unwillingness to compromise — relationships shouldn't be one-sided.
Watch a movie, go out with your friends, focus on your work, engage in a hobby, cook a fun meal, or do something else you enjoy. Seek therapy: A therapist can work with you to explore the causes of your paranoia, identify your triggers, develop coping techniques, and improve your communication skills.
Fear – If your inner voice is speaking in a fearful or anxious way, you can bet it's ego. Intuition does not come from a place of fear. Scarcity – When you feel insecure, lacking, and have a scarcity mindset, it's driven by ego. Intuition is about abundance, confidence, and fulfillment.
Another potential weakness of intuitionism is that people's moral intuitions do not always seem consistent, and irrelevant details or emotional factors can often change how people intuitively judge a situation, which undermines the idea that intuitions are objective.
For example, when we walk into a coffee shop, we recognize a cup as something we have seen many times before. We also understand, intuitively, that it is likely to be hot and easily spilled on an uneven surface.
If you're not being satisfied emotionally, sexually or intellectually, it's probably time to move on. Ending a relationship is hard, but it's sometimes the only correct thing to do. If you and your partner aren't connecting on the most fundamental levels, it will be best for both of you to move on.
Do I rarely feel like myself anymore? Am I anxious or desperate toward my relationship partner? Do I feel like there is something wrong with me that I am frantic to fix? Has my relationship impacted or hurt my friendships?
You are more likely to experience paranoid thoughts when you are in vulnerable, isolated or stressful situations that could lead to you feeling negative about yourself. If you are bullied at work, or your home is burgled, this could give you suspicious thoughts which could develop into paranoia.