i don’t know why i am constantly so afraid and anxious when i am alone especially at night like all i think about is is someone looking at me or watching me or is someone going to break in etc it’s the worst possible thing to feel like this fight or flight bodily response and emotional response and mental response 24.7 i am so tired and like lately i’ve been obsessing over thoughts about people having repressed memories and wondering if it’s possible idk i just wish i could relax or at least know why i feel like this so i could understand it and learn control it but i have no idea what my triggers even are it’s just a constanr state of being

I've been having the exact same fears, it's horrible. Having to check under my bed and the closet like a child, bringing a flashlight with me when I get up at night while feeling terrified there's someone watching me, or ready to hurt me... And the repressed memories are a pain too. I keep obsessing over if I was sexually abused as a child and don't remember it now. It terrifies me and I can't get it off my mind that all these thoughts could be true. No triggers, just fear, all the time over the smallest things.

i get it man im always thinking like this too and i always have a huge fear that someone is constantly listening to my thoughts. i wish we could understand why this stuff happens

@bananakiosk I'm asking that same question :( maybe having a pet go with you can help? Or leaving some lights in the hall on?

@worryqueen i usually leave little lights on around the house but i find that when there’s no curtains or blinds on the windows in the room is when i feel the most worried.. i have 2 cats but they probably couldn’t do much to defend me haha worst case. i have never tried ERP have you? i wish that i could ignore the thoughts as irrational as i’m aware that they are, i wish i could just stay calm and not feel so paranoid :/

@bananakiosk me too i’m not sure what to do anymore. i hear one noise and i think someone’s coming in to hurt me or i hear plane and think someone is spying on me or it’s gonna crash on my house. i’m just paranoid about everything lately and i just get frozen. i’m glad there’s some people i can relate to but i wish this wouldn’t happen.

@bananakiosk maybe developing an escape plan, having an emergency kit etc or any backup needed if there was an attack or situation would help. There's nothing you can do but prepare, right? Maybe bringing a weapon (a fork or pen would do) with you when you get up will make you feel safer. I think you just need to slowly lose each worry-- that's what I'm trying to do. And no I haven't tried erp yet but I want to. It's hard to find a therapist that does it near me haha. Yes paranoia is horrible and hard to talk about with people who don't understand. Wish there were more coping mechanisms for it :/

god yes thank u it is so nice to hear this stuff coming from other people @worryqueen what can we do :/