Dealing with my fear

[defygravity]

Ever since I was little, I've had this fear of having someone break into my house while I'm at home and kill me...I know it's stupid but it's something that has worried me for years. When my parents started leaving me home alone however many years ago, I started having this recurring dream that I was home alone, someone broke in, and stabbed me to death

 

I'm 18 and I STILL hate being home alone. When my parents go away for a night or a weekend, I usually try to get someone to come stay with me but when I can't find someone, I get really paranoid and have trouble actaully going to sleep...

 

I just need to find a way to DEAL with this fear...when I think about it rationally I KNOW that it's not THAT likely to happen but it did happen to a couple girls I know when they were alone....and they only live up the street from me....

 

I don't like having the TV up very loud or having any music on at all because I tell myself that it's better if I can hear them actaully coming in...and we do have an alarm which I can put on when I'm home but it still doesn't make me feel any better...

 

Is there any way I can deal with this fear? I'm sick of it!!

 

Oh and I have no siblings so it's not like I can ask them to stay home with me or anything....

 

Thanks

[Blayzed4Life]

Hey, I feel your pain, I truly do because I have actually been home alone when someone tried to break into my house. I was only maybe 12 years old and it was in the Winter.

 

What I did was go on to my roof with no jacket and no shoes. Jumped down onto my shed and ran to one of my sisters friends house and called my mom at work.

 

My sisters friends older brother later came with me back to my house to see if the intruder was still there. Anyways luckily he didnt break in but there were foot prints that led to 3 of our back doors.

 

I'm 20 now and I still hate being home alone, I cant really tell you anyway to get over this fear as I haven't gotten over it yet myself. The best thing I can say is just be smart, lock your doors, leave on some lights in the house to make it look like there are people home. Oh and always have an escape route if you do feel like someone is breaking in. Also if you're affraid what to do if you're asleep, if you have a lock on your door lock it when you go to bed.

 

If you dont have a dog maybe think about getting yourself one they make you feel alot more safe trust me Anyways I hope this helps atleast alittle, there really is no cure for paranoia you just have to get over it on your own.

 

Good Luck!

[Scout]

It sounds like what you have is a phobia. I was talking to a psychologist once at a dinner party thing, and he said those are actually very easy to cure. You should talk to one. It doesn't mean you're nuts or anything, either. I kind of have a phobia about the dark.

[DBL]

I'm freakish like that too. I was in a neighborhood that a serial killer went down. He killed a couple of the nieghbors the night before trying to get into my place. This just topped off my already freak nature. I have had a lot o death threats through my life, so being a bit more alert is all instinct now. I sleep with a pistol to my side.

 

I don't have any solutions for you, besides get yourself some protections and some lessons. I'm not sure if there really is an easy fix for it. Fact is this stuff does happen, and can happen to anyone. It almost happened to me. You think I expected to almost be a victem of a serial killer?

 

Good Luck

DBL