Watching You: A Novel

Over the past 20 years, the phenomenon of gang stalking (also spelled “gangstalking”) has become a common delusion, strengthened through social networks online (Pierre, Joe. “The Paranoid Reality of ‘Targeted Individuals’.” Psychology Today, 26 Feb. 2023). People identifying as targeted individuals (TIs) claim to be surveilled and victimized by large groups of people or organizations. The perceived techniques of these groups also vary from mundane peeping to advanced or even futuristic technologies. Sharing these claims often opens TIs up to social stigma, leading them to rely on online support networks with other TIs.

While many individuals do experience stalking or bullying, psychiatric studies have focused on gang stalking as a common, shared delusion confirmed by others who share the disorder and interact online. These online communities tend to reinforce and enable delusions, and members who seek medical assistance or therapy are denounced (Tait, Amelia. “‘Am I Going Crazy or Am I Being Stalked?’ Inside the Disturbing Online World of Gangstalking.” MIT Technology Review, 2 Dec. 2021). In some cases, a traumatic event (such as witnessing a crime) triggers the delusion, but other people struggle to identify an origin. Either way, TIs use their personal experiences as evidence, interpreting them as the results of an antagonistic conspiracy.