EMOTION THESAURUS

PARANOIA



Never struggle with Show-and-Tell again. Activate your free trial or subscribe to view the Emotion Thesaurus in its entirety, or visit the Table of Contents to explore unlocked entries.

CHOOSE MY PLAN

HELPFUL TIP:

The inner landscape of your characters (especially your protagonist) is the lifeblood that runs through your story. Emotions, and how they're expressed, are tied deeply to a character’s personality and which positive traits and negative traits will manifest. To bring your readers in deeper through shared experience, consider filtering the setting descriptions through your character’s emotions while also exploring important colors, textures, and shapes through his or her senses.
DEFINITION:
Excessive or illogical suspicion and/or distrust of others

PHYSICAL SIGNALS AND BEHAVIORS:
Startling easily
Clenching the jaw
Darting eye movements
Excessive safety precautions (extra locks, guard dogs, video surveillance)
Fidgety hands that won't settle
Wide eyes
Restless sleep, tossing and turning
Insomnia
Backing away with raised hands
Flinching
Eyes that don't seem to blink often enough
Crossing the arms tightly over the chest
...

INTERNAL SENSATIONS:
...

MENTAL RESPONSES:
...

CUES OF ACUTE OR LONG TERM PARANOIA:
...

MAY ESCALATE TO:
...

CUES OF SUPPRESSED PARANOIA:
...

MAY DE-ESCALATE TO:
...

ASSOCIATED POWER VERBS:
...