I'm 25 and moving out with LO in a few weeks time and am shitting myself on how to cope!
I've lived at home till 21 then a few years at uni on campus and a few years back at home.
Whenever mum or dad is due to be out for a night I make sure I have a friend or brother or partner over.
I shit myself come night time alone. My imagination goes wild
Hearing strange noises, seeing shadows and movements out of nothing feeling like I'm being watched etc.
Regardless of how I rationalise that the noises or shadows are nothing or if I put lights and noise on I still can't sleep when I'm alone.
Extremely paranoid of paranormal or people breaking in. Any tips or ideas anyone else who lives like this 😂😩
Edit *cannot afford to have a dog and have a father who is a cop so have good security but still scared*
10 Replies
As sad as it may sound I'm 26 and have never lived on my own because of these reasons. Do you think you could get a friend to come and live with you?
From experience the type of place you move into will make i work or worse.
go for a townhouse with close neighbours, high security in a good area or close to police station. Or a granny flat so theres a family upstairs or share house with another single mum or get a place with a yard and get a dog. I always feel better with a dog as they would bark if somethings there so you know theres nothing there.
Dogs don't always work...our house got broken into with a big dog because they distracted the dog with food :(
I dont think you can stop all incidents but they help with anxiety on a daily basis.
We’ve got a small dog and he absolutely goes ballistic when he so much as hears the front gate open and he is an inside dog so I have all faith in him that he would keep me safe those nights I’m on my own.
I get a bit scared too though and keep lights on. And sometimes music.
Getting a dog purely for the companionship may be a great way to ease that anxiety of being home alone too.
You'd feel less alone if you had a furry friend to keep you company.
I moved out of home when I was 20 with a brand new baby. I’ve lived on my own since and that baby is now 23years old!
Yes the first week I was scared. I pushed through and now I’m never ever scared. I could have chosen to ‘give in’ but decided to desensitise myself and push through.
Tonight I’m home alone, my son is elsewhere and I’m just excited to have the house to myself. I have a dog, but he doesn’t know how to bark and is so friendly he’d just make friends and literally will let anyone in the house.
Get a good therapist or see a clinical hypnotherapist
Go do some self defence classes, it will help you feel in control and help ease your anxiety because you will learn what to do if the unmentionable happens-after being mugged I was a mess, anxiety at every noise at home and out on the street, nothing worse than crying in a Kmart because you thought the man trying to get past you in the aisle was going to hurt you!... so I found some jujitsu self defence classes and they have made me feel in control and powerful and confident again
You described me to a tee. I am 32 with kids and a hubby that goes away for work constantly. Until 2 years ago I'd never stayed at home alone. I always had my sister stay over, or I'd take the kids and stay with my parents. With how often my husband goes away it just got too impractical, so I had to start staying at home alone. The first 10, maybe even 20 or so times I really didn't sleep, but it does get easier and easier the more you do it and now I can pretty comfortably stay home alone. I do a 'house check' before bed- check all windows and doors are locked, look under beds, in cupboards (everywhere someone could fit). Once I know there is no-one in the house I feel more at ease. Then I sleep with a TV on a low volume- enough to drown out the soft creaking noises houses make, but not too loud that I can't sleep. Then I just read or watch something until I fall asleep. All sounds pretty simple, but has worked for me. Good luck :)