Is this a common fear?

RubyXI

I dont know if this is the right forum so feel free to move me if its not.

I was just wondering if a fear i have is normal, or common.

Basically i have this fear every time i walk into an empty room alone.
Im scared that there will be someone in there. Just sitting there, staring. Or else that there will be someone hanging in there, Especially in bathrooms. I dont know where this fear came from. But it occurs every day. I live alone so every day i come home afraid what i'll find. Usually i'm fine once i've checked the place. But sometimes it doesn't go away and im afraid to turn around in case there's someone standing behind me.
I've also always been afraid to look out windows because I always imagion someone just standing there staring in.
I know it sounds a bit illogical
Does anyone else have these fears?
Not a good night, i'm scared to go to bed

Talliesin

Sounds like some variant of monophobia.

Maybe take a look at the [thread=2055240516]helpful links sticky in the phobias forum[/thread].

Gordon

Hah, I used to have that! Sometimes get it still I used to fear that I'd see my parent's heads in the toilet when I lifted it up or dead in the bath.

Personally I put it down to caring about people and not wanting other people to suffer.

Never had the window thing though, that's a bit scary!

moved

Abi

You must feel quite anxious a lot of the time. There must be a reason why you feel this way, but nothing anyone here can determine. I think it would be a good idea to go to your GP and have a chat.

RubyXI

Gordon wrote: »

Hah, I used to have that! Sometimes get it still I used to fear that I'd see my parent's heads in the toilet when I lifted it up or dead in the bath.

Personally I put it down to caring about people and not wanting other people to suffer.

Never had the window thing though, that's a bit scary!

moved

But its not about specific people. ts just general

RubyXI

Abigayle wrote: »

You must feel quite anxious a lot of the time. There must be a reason why you feel this way, but nothing anyone here can determine. I think it would be a good idea to go to your GP and have a chat.

About anxiety?

kmart6

Any bad experiences as a child?! Where you might have walked into a room and someone might have scared you?!

RubyXI

kmart6 wrote: »

Any bad experiences as a child?! Where you might have walked into a room and someone might have scared you?!

not that i can remember anyway

Crash

Yeah, I get most of what you suffer from there phi, but less so I think (as in I seem to be able to supress it that bit more). As an example, am lying in bed writing this and the moment I read your post, had to reach out and turn on the light and have a look around to make sure.

Got it a far bit over the summer when I was living on my own as well, in a house I wasn't used to.

Best advice I can give you - lock and close doors that don't need to be open most of the time. Find it helps sooth the mind that bit if you know that there are fewer ways actually in to places. That, and don't sleep in complete darkness.

IMO it just comes from having a fairly active imagination, I think. Mind doesn't know whats in the room, mind therefore fills in the gaps, and the little childhood fears and all those horror movies creap in a wee bit.

Hope that helps.

RubyXI

crash_000 wrote: »

Yeah, I get most of what you suffer from there phi, but less so I think (as in I seem to be able to supress it that bit more). As an example, am lying in bed writing this and the moment I read your post, had to reach out and turn on the light and have a look around to make sure.

Got it a far bit over the summer when I was living on my own as well, in a house I wasn't used to.

Best advice I can give you - lock and close doors that don't need to be open most of the time. Find it helps sooth the mind that bit if you know that there are fewer ways actually in to places. That, and don't sleep in complete darkness.

IMO it just comes from having a fairly active imagination, I think. Mind doesn't know whats in the room, mind therefore fills in the gaps, and the little childhood fears and all those horror movies creap in a wee bit.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for that. I do keep doors locked as much as possible. But then if someone calls over i have to go down 3 flights of stairs passing other flats, to open the door, and when they're leaving late at night, I have to go down again to let them out. So that always scares me. I just feel a bit pathetic, I feel like i should be way too old to have fears like that but i cant stop them

Kold

It may have something to do with the common horror film technique where you walk into a seemingly safe place and there is something there waiting for you. I mean... that's EVERY horror movie almost.

echter

I get exactly what you are talking about. I even get it when i'm putting on
a jumper and i can't see, i'm so afraid that when i pull it down off my head there will be just someone staring at me right up in my face.

I have these daydreams where i imagine how cool it would be to go into the forest at night, then i think of how scared i would be if i closed my eyes, opened them again and there's someone, all up in my face- staring at me.

Or even when i'm lying in bed convinced there's something staring at me from the gap in the door hinge.

I used to have the window one all the time, i think i can put that down to my irish book in primary school. There was a story about a hallowe'en party and the illustration was basically a hallowe'en party but in the background the illustrator drew a little alien thing looking in the window. Also me and my sister were alone watching a video one night and this person walked up to our window and just peered in at us .

LadyJ

Yep, definitely have this type of fear. I always get scared going into my bedroom in case someone's in there and if the shower curtain is pulled when I go to the bathroom, I have to pull it back to make sure no one's behind it.

RubyXI

LadyJ wrote: »

Yep, definitely have this type of fear. I always get scared going into my bedroom in case someone's in there and if the shower curtain is pulled when I go to the bathroom, I have to pull it back to make sure no one's behind it.

Shower Curtains are soooo scary, seriously. Coz showers tend to be kinda shadowy too. When i get my own house i'll definately get one of those showers with glass doors!

watna

phi3 wrote: »

Shower Curtains are soooo scary, seriously. Coz showers tend to be kinda shadowy too. When i get my own house i'll definately get one of those showers with glass doors!

I think a lot of people are scared of the shower. It must come from psycho or something. I get freaked out in the shower sometimes when I have my eyes closed. In my last apartment the shower was 3 walls and a glass door and was tiny so was a bit clastrophobic. Here, we have a big bathroom with a big shower with 3 glass walls so it's much less scary!

Worst thing ever though (and happened to me a few months ago) is when you're in the shower and the light goes. Freaky!

Monotype

I thought that the first post seemed a bit extreme but after reading through the posts I realised that I do this all the time. Or used to. Not as much anymore. I do it a lot more if I'm tired or sick.
I think you need to learn to relax. Security will make you feel better but won't help you overcome the fears. Check your surroundings definately no more than once and have more confidence in yourself - confidence that your initial check showed nothing; confidence to reply on your senses - not your doubts; and confidence that you can stand up to anything that comes in your path!

neuro-praxis

I am quite shocked by this thread - I never knew everyday folks suffered in this way. Your fears have never even occurred to me. Is it possible there are roots to these fears that could be dug out?

I think if I was afraid in a room every night I would go and visit my doctor. Good luck everyone, I hope these fears leave you alone. (No pun intended. )

Flojo

Wow I thought it was just me going slightly mad. But yeah I can relate, I always get freaked out on my own especially walking anywhere at night I'm always worried that someones following me and I end up legging it home.
Same when I am home alone any noises or strange things like lights flickering freak me out. My mind doesn't help and I think of all the things it could be and get myself into a state. Funny thing is I used to love watching horror films, cant sit through one anymore. Its cool that there's quite a few of us out there and its almost normal hehe.

RubyXI

Flojo wrote: »

Wow I thought it was just me going slightly mad. But yeah I can relate, I always get freaked out on my own especially walking anywhere at night I'm always worried that someones following me and I end up legging it home.
Same when I am home alone any noises or strange things like lights flickering freak me out. My mind doesn't help and I think of all the things it could be and get myself into a state. Funny thing is I used to love watching horror films, cant sit through one anymore. Its cool that there's quite a few of us out there and its almost normal hehe.

Lets start a club

Compton

I am also scared of being alone (only when it's dark though)

also have an incredibly bad fear of blood.

Cupcake_Crisis

i get that quite a bit too, it used to be terrible when i was younger. i used to not be able to turn over in bed beacause id be convinced there would be someone standing at the other side of my bed. i spent every night facing the wall! it was fairly terrifying, i can tell ya. Ive kinda grown out of it now, i only really get it after watching a scary film.

RubyXI

Hello fellow phobia sufferers.
Word of warning
Do not, I repeat do NOT go to see "The Strangers" Currently in cinemas.

I was convinced to go see it last nite and it was not a good idea. People in masks appearing behind people, things being moved in the house when their back was turned, opening the curtains and seeing the man with the mask looking in.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH

Cupcake_Crisis

thats the kind of theing that would turn me into an insomniac :eek:

PurpleFistMixer

Hm, I used to get this pretty bad. If I was left alone in my house, the longer I was out of a room the less able I was to go into it, in case there was someone in there. I'd end up being almost trapped in one room of my house, too afraid to go anywhere else. Walking up or down stairs still occasionally fills me with terror, in case someone suddenly puts their hand on my shoulder. And if I'm in the house on my own I have to close all the blinds and curtains in case there's anyone at the window... The back room of my house has a wall entirely made of glass (well sort of french doors), looking into the garden so I've to put down those blinds. Of course, my computer desk is beside a window and I had it open one evening and my dad came in from work and scared the living daylights out of me by putting his face in the window...

It doesn't help either that I had a nightmare one time where I'd accidentally left my front door open, and when I went downstairs there actually was someone in my sitting room.

Anyway, I don't get it so bad any more. I'm still a bit paranoid but it's not as debilitating as it was. I got over it by just not letting myself give in to the paranoia. Instead of waiting nervously at a door I was too afraid to open, I'd just walk straight in without thinking about it, and I wouldn't check any cupboards and I wouldn't put off say, going to the kitchen out of fear. I think giving in to it just makes it worse.

AssaultedPeanut

PurpleFistMixer wrote: »

It doesn't help either that I had a nightmare one time where I'd accidentally left my front door open, and when I went downstairs there actually was someone in my sitting room.

What the hell? Don't say that AAAAAAAGHHHHHH

Also since you mentioned walking up and downstairs I realised I have that too, I always feel like someone is gonna grab my ankle through the banister or even worse if you have to walk up those stairs that have no.....I don't know what they're called...kick-board maybe? but you know the ones with open steps that you can see through to under the stairs...those ones freak me out incase someone is there and/or might grab you through the steps:( *shudder*