Home alone and just a tad frightened... what to do?!?

Question

To think i'm in my early 20s and still get scared when i'm alone in the house by myself at night! I live with my parents still, and they're away for the next 2 weeks. Give me some ideas - what should I do if I start to obsess about every little noise?!

Someone just banged really loudly on the front door, and it's about 8.30pm + dark outside! arghhhh...!!!!

Answer 1

My husband travels and we have great security but I still get scared. I even have trouble going to bed when he's gone because i hate to turn the lights out.
Try to keep a routine. And don't let it be obvious to observers that you are home alone. I keep the garage doors down all the time so nobody knows when his car is in the garage for weeks at a time. Take actions that make you feel secure- by playing it safe, you are protecting yourself from harm AND from reactive fear. It's hard, I've never gotten used to it and it's been ten years now. I'm also not ashamed to make someone - friend or family-come stay with me sporadically, so nobody would know when I might have someone around and when I might not.

Answer 2

I'm 21 and the same way, invite some friends over, keep all the curtains closed tight, keep the phone by your side and rent some really funny movies and turn the volume up pretty loud! Plus you can have the PD ride by while they are gone if that would make you feel better! It always helps me if I enclose myself in just a few rooms of the house and keep all the other doors shut! I don't know why I get frightened so easily but I do and these things seem to help me!! Good Luck!!

Answer 3

Streaming internet music. Run it all night long. Find something you wouldn't normally listen to...something soothing, perhaps? Classical can be good, although sometimes it can annoy those who don't like it. Swing music is cheery and light, has a beat and can mellow and moving. But, I digress. Get some music in the house to cover up some of those creaks and groans. A house...any house...will give up night sounds...I think it's normal to be a bit anxious, especially in our world where we are innundated with media on "bad stuff", from news casts to horror films.

I'll tell you what...long time ago, I was reading a book called The Keep, about a castle in Romania...scary book. I'm house-sitting, it's the weekend, and I work normally graveyard. So, I'm never there during the evening....but I am this night. I'm reading away, in bed, when all of the sudden, the light comes on down the hall...I was scared out of my mind...I went to investigate (I grabbed a shotgun, but it wasn't loaded!)...found out the owners had a lamp on a timer, and i had never been there when it went off.

It's easy to be scared, so don't sweat it. Get some music playing, and go to sleep...

Good luck!

Answer 4

Ha I'll be 20 in 2 months and I still get scared when I'm the only one at home too!
What I do is watch movies, go on the internet, sleep, eat, call my boyfriend... I was on the phone with my boyfriend one time & I heard something in the other room & thought someone was breaking in. I just started crying - like I couldn't even talk. It was really bad. I am such a big baby. lol

Hope you can find something to do!!

Answer 5

i'm 24 and i'm like that when my husband is gone. this is what i do...
1. don't watch any scary shows... duh
2. don't let yourself obsess about every sound... let yourself relax and when you hear a noise, think "oh that's just the house settling" instead of "OH MY GOD, SOMEONE IS BREAKING IN"
3. Rent a movie that is funny and relaxing for you and fall asleep on the couch while watching it
4. If all else fails, have a 2 week long sleepover with a friend :)
i hope i helped, because i honestly know the feeling

Answer 6

Invite a friend over to stay with you.
Go around the whole house and make sure every door and window is locked and that you are the only one in the house (do this before it gets dark)
Watch comedies versus horror/mystery/suspense movies
If it starts getting the better of you, call someone to chat or join an online chatroom and yak

Answer 7

lol, i'm the same way. and i'm 25. usually when my mom is out of town she boards our dog cause i'm at work and cant take care of her, then i come home to a completly empty house and it scares the crap out of me.

so i go thru every room and make sure all the doors are locked and the windows are shut and then i'll even lock the door to my room and make sure i have my cell phone (in case the bad guys cut the phone line to the house) and my baseball bat, you never know. i've even been known to keep the biggest kitchen knife we have within arms reach of the bed.

as for the noise thing, if you have a fan in your room, keep it on high (point it away from you if its too cold) it will at least drown out some of the sounds. sometimes i'll even stay up REALLY REALLY late watching movies on my computer so that i'll just pass out before i can get too scared once i actually go to bed.

Answer 8

Watch TV loudly, and you wont hear any noises. Lock the doors, and go somewhere where you're comfy. Do things that you enjoy, and you'll forget about it. It is normal (at any age) to be nervous when you're used to have someone there all the time, be it boyfriend, parents, friends, and then they're gone for a bit. After a couple days you'll get used to it. NOTHINGS GOING TO HAPPEN!

Answer 9

I am the exact same, (age and all!) I HATE being home alone, and I had being outside in the dark alone.

I just make sure to keep every single blind and curtin shut and I alway keep all the doors locked, and close the foyer door so that no one can look into the front door.

You'll be fine!

Answer 10

What usually works best for me is putting on some music (preferablly not something depressing or agressive) or a comedy movie (or any movie) or just being occupied with something. I still do suggest movies or music, since that wont make everything quite- and that's the worst. Don't turn off all the lights. Try to ignore the noises and everything.