Fighting to protect your homeland from invasion by a force intent upon imposing it's will on you is not deranged or paranoid.
Invading someone else because they don't want to be ruled by you any longer is what is deranged.
If they really are out to get you, that’s not paranoia.
If they really aren’t out to end slavery within your borders, but you secede because you think they are, that IS paranoia.
Now what about those drastic social changes?