--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being slightly paranoid is like being…" description: "\"Being slightly paranoid is like being slightly pregnant - it tends to get worse.\" — Molly Ivins" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/molly-ivins-1296_paranoia_being-slightly-paranoid-is-like-being-sl_617118.png" --- # Being slightly paranoid is like being slightly pregnant… ![“Being slightly paranoid is like being slightly pregnant - it tends to get worse.” quote by Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/molly-ivins-1296_paranoia_being-slightly-paranoid-is-like-being-sl_617118.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/molly-ivins-1296_paranoia_being-slightly-paranoid-is-like-being-sl_617118.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/molly-ivins-1296_paranoia_being-slightly-paranoid-is-like-being-sl_617118.png) > “Being slightly paranoid is like being slightly pregnant - it tends to get worse.” [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Paranoia is likened to early pregnancy, suggesting it starts mild but can intensify over time if unchecked. **In simple terms:** Paranoia begins small but can grow quickly. Key Takeaway Monitor thoughts and address anxiety early. Themes paranoia anxiety growth mental health Mood cautious analytical concerned Type personal advice When to use this quote - stressful work - personal relationships - healthcare decisions Key Concepts psychology early warning signs self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - What triggers your anxiety? - How can you prevent small worries from escalating? A Different Perspective Excessive worry may become irrational and harmful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Paranoia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paranoia/) [Paranoid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paranoid/) [Paranoid Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paranoid-like-4601088/) [Pregnant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pregnant/) [Slightly Paranoid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slightly-paranoid-3756158/) [Slightly Pregnant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slightly-pregnant-5000476/) [Tends Worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tends-worse-5000477/) ## Related quotes > [“Casey doesn't trust him." "Casey doesn't trust anyone," I replied. "He's paranoid like that. I mean, come on, he's a werewolf who installed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lynn-barnes/casey-doesn-t-trust-him-casey-doesn-t-trust-anyone-i-replied-he-s/) [Jennifer Lynn Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lynn-barnes/) > [I believe in diversification of income, because you never know what will happen. I'm a slightly paranoid person who thinks things could be ruined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-mirman/i-believe-in-diversification-of-income-because-you-never-know-what/) [Eugene Mirman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-mirman/) > [I suppose I'll always be over-vulnerable, slightly paranoid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-suppose-i-ll-always-be-over-vulnerable-slightly-paranoid/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [When I dabble in watching the news and reading about current events, I tend to get a future negative view, and that's something I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-bellamy/when-i-dabble-in-watching-the-news-and-reading-about-current-events-i/) [Matt Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-bellamy/) > [“It is as though he has just recognized me. Then his eyes continue to sweep, and my heart comes hammering back to my ribs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/it-is-as-though-he-has-just-recognized-me-then-his-eyes-continue-to/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [Working under the Soviet system made you very paranoid - people were afraid of everything - and this paranoia is still in people's minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaak-kilmi/working-under-the-soviet-system-made-you-very-paranoid-people-were/) [Jaak Kilmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaak-kilmi/) > [“Neither had said so, but she could tell. Unless she was just paranoid, living in her head again, but you always lived in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-harbach/neither-had-said-so-but-she-could-tell-unless-she-was-just-paranoid/) [Chad Harbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-harbach/) > [“Can I say something out loud? Is anybody listening?" "Everybody. Nobody. Does it matter?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pynchon/can-i-say-something-out-loud-is-anybody-listening-everybody-nobody/) [Thomas Pynchon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pynchon/) > [Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-because-you-re-paranoid-doesn-t-mean-they-aren-t-after-you-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Paranoia, he said, was fundamentally egocentric, and every conspiracy theory served in some way to aggrandize the believer. But he was also fond of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/paranoia-he-said-was-fundamentally-egocentric-and-every-conspiracy/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [My paranoia never ends, but I haven't been paranoid about being spied on my shadowy forces for some time now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/my-paranoia-never-ends-but-i-haven-t-been-paranoid-about-being-spied/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) > [“Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you. - Joseph Heller”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-crouch/just-because-you-re-paranoid-doesn-t-mean-they-aren-t-after-you/) [Blake Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-crouch/) > [“Paranoid means you are aware of 10% of the problem”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oran-kangas/paranoid-means-you-are-aware-of-10-of-the-problem/) [Oran Kangas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oran-kangas/) > [“just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean someone’s not following you, does it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-granger/just-because-you-re-paranoid-doesn-t-mean-someone-s-not-following-you/) [Shauna Granger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-granger/) > [To understand paranoid people better, follow them around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/to-understand-paranoid-people-better-follow-them-around/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) ## More by Molly Ivins > [Preemptive war is what Israel did in '67 with Arab armies on its borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/preemptive-war-is-what-israel-did-in-67-with-arab-armies-on-its/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [The idols of one's adolescence tend to endure - you never forget how you worshipped them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/the-idols-of-one-s-adolescence-tend-to-endure-you-never-forget-how/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Having breast cancer is massive amounts of no fun,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/having-breast-cancer-is-massive-amounts-of-no-fun/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [How the American right managed to convince itself that the programs to alleviate poverty are responsible for the consequences of poverty will someday be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/how-the-american-right-managed-to-convince-itself-that-the-programs/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [To mistake Midland for the volk heartland is the West Texas equivalent of assuming that Greenwich, Connecticut, is Levittown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/to-mistake-midland-for-the-volk-heartland-is-the-west-texas/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [I only aim at the powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/i-only-aim-at-the-powerful/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Even for southerners, Arkansans are amazingly friendly and extend hospitality to all strangers with astonishing openness. You couldn't find a pretension in that state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/even-for-southerners-arkansans-are-amazingly-friendly-and-extend/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [It's hard to convince people that you're killing them for their own good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/it-s-hard-to-convince-people-that-you-re-killing-them-for-their-own/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [the pyramids were built for pharaohs on the happy theory that they could take their stuff with them. Versailles was built for kings on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/the-pyramids-were-built-for-pharaohs-on-the-happy-theory-that-they/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Any nation that can survive what we have lately in the way of government, is on the high road to permanent glory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/any-nation-that-can-survive-what-we-have-lately-in-the-way-of/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [I think provincialism is an endemic characteristic with mankind, I think everybody everywhere is provincial, but it is particularly striking with Texans, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/i-think-provincialism-is-an-endemic-characteristic-with-mankind-i/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [During a recent panel on the numerous failures of American journalism, I proposed that almost all stories about government should begin: “Look out! They're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/during-a-recent-panel-on-the-numerous-failures-of-american-journalism/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Naturally, when it comes to voting, we in Texas are accustomed to discerning that fine hair’s-breadth worth of difference that makes one hopeless dipstick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/naturally-when-it-comes-to-voting-we-in-texas-are-accustomed-to/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Be outrageous, ridicule the fraidy-cats, rejoice in all the oddities that freedom can produce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/be-outrageous-ridicule-the-fraidy-cats-rejoice-in-all-the-oddities/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Texas is not a civilized place. Texans shoot one another a lot. They also knife, razor, and stomp one another to death with some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/texas-is-not-a-civilized-place-texans-shoot-one-another-a-lot-they/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) [Explore all 260 Molly Ivins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) ## More Paranoia quotes > [“I swear that I will never cause trouble for anybody, as long as I live!! So please! Nobody cause any trouble for me, either!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minoru-furuya/i-swear-that-i-will-never-cause-trouble-for-anybody-as-long-as-i-live/) [Minoru Furuya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minoru-furuya/) > [To understand paranoid people better, follow them around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/to-understand-paranoid-people-better-follow-them-around/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [“just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean someone’s not following you, does it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-granger/just-because-you-re-paranoid-doesn-t-mean-someone-s-not-following-you/) [Shauna Granger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-granger/) > [ I think his \[Reagan's\] policy toward the Soviet Union was more risky than most people realize, and it was risky because of the paranoia… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-hoffman/i-think-his-reagan-s-policy-toward-the-soviet-union-was-more-risky/) [David E. Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-hoffman/) > [“Was is paranoia? Exaggeration? A lie? This happens almost daily. This is why you call another mother when something happens, good or bad, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ad-hudler/was-is-paranoia-exaggeration-a-lie-this-happens-almost-daily-this-is/) [Ad Hudler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ad-hudler/) > [Psychedelic drugs cause paranoia, confusion, and total loss of reality in politicians that have never taken them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/psychedelic-drugs-cause-paranoia-confusion-and-total-loss-of-reality/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [I don't believe in fate or destiny. I believe in various degrees of hatred, paranoia, and abandonment. However much of that gets heaped upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-don-t-believe-in-fate-or-destiny-i-believe-in-various-degrees-of/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [Paranoia is just another mask for ignorance. The truth, when you finally chase it down is almost always far worse than your darkest visions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/paranoia-is-just-another-mask-for-ignorance-the-truth-when-you/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Paranoia is a state of heightened awareness. Most people are persecuted beyond their wildest delusions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-steiner/paranoia-is-a-state-of-heightened-awareness-most-people-are/) [Claude Steiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-steiner/) > [“Paranoid means you are aware of 10% of the problem”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oran-kangas/paranoid-means-you-are-aware-of-10-of-the-problem/) [Oran Kangas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oran-kangas/) > [“Terrorism is not just about indiscriminate violence. As its name suggests, it is about instilling paranoia”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-priest/terrorism-is-not-just-about-indiscriminate-violence-as-its-name/) [Dana Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-priest/) > [For all the claims one hears about the liberating impact of the data-net, the truth is that it's wished on most of us a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brunner/for-all-the-claims-one-hears-about-the-liberating-impact-of-the-data/) [John Brunner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brunner/) > [“Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you. - Joseph Heller”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-crouch/just-because-you-re-paranoid-doesn-t-mean-they-aren-t-after-you/) [Blake Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-crouch/) > [We work in a business where you feel you always have to say yes because you never know when you will work again. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamzin-outhwaite/we-work-in-a-business-where-you-feel-you-always-have-to-say-yes/) [Tamzin Outhwaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamzin-outhwaite/) > [Of course, mankind would not have landed on the Moon in 1969, were it not for two things: conquered Nazi rocket technology and post-war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duke/of-course-mankind-would-not-have-landed-on-the-moon-in-1969-were-it/) [Charles Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duke/) [Browse all 417 Paranoia quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paranoia/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Being slightly paranoid is like being slightly pregnant - it tends to get worse.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Molly Ivins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/being-slightly-paranoid-is-like-being-slightly-pregnant-it-tends-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Paranoia" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/being-slightly-paranoid-is-like-being-slightly-pregnant-it-tends-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/molly-ivins-1296_paranoia_being-slightly-paranoid-is-like-being-sl_617118.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/molly-ivins-1296_paranoia_being-slightly-paranoid-is-like-being-sl_617118.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/molly-ivins-1296_paranoia_being-slightly-paranoid-is-like-being-sl_617118.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Being slightly paranoid is like being slightly pregnant - it tends to get worse.” — Molly Ivins", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Molly Ivins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Being slightly paranoid is like being...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/being-slightly-paranoid-is-like-being-slightly-pregnant-it-tends-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/being-slightly-paranoid-is-like-being-slightly-pregnant-it-tends-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```