re: "Conspiracy theories are basically just spoiler alerts"

Your problem is you're starting with a position that is too general to really mean anything.
There are obviously "conspiracy theories" that turned out to be true, proved, and admitted to. So a position that completely dismisses all "theories" is obviously off the mark. But that doesn't mean all "theories" are legitimate. So discernment leads you to some kind of middle ground between these extremes.
For the psychological aspects, take a look back at the Milgram experiment and the Stanford prison experiment for the other end of the spectrum. You'll see some obvious disorders and lunacy involving authority, and acquiesing to authority. (To me, it's obvious in everyday life, but these experiments are well-known psychological reference points that you'll be able to easily find information on.)
There are legitimate reasons for paranoia. You're naive if you don't realize that.