Am I crazy?

I live on my own with my boyfriend and he works nights. I hate being in the house alone. It doesn't really matter what time of day it is that I'm alone, I don't like it. I panic and freak out at the smallest noise. I walk around the house very quietly, I try to not make noise and turn everything of that's has a loud noise, like my tablet notifications and space heaters. So right now, I am in complete silence listening from God knows what. I get really nervous and anxious, when he's gone. I also try and put myself to sleep with sleeping pills just so my mind is quiet. The house is kind of drafty so i think most noises are outside. I turn out all the lights and hide under the covers like I'm five. I have no idea why I do this, I don't know why I'm so scared. I dont think I'm crazy, but most of these noises don't exist. As soon as I hear him unlock the door, the anxiety goes away as if nothing happened. I also tried drowning out my thoughts with loud music but that makes it worse because I can't hear anything. I live in a predominately African american neighborhood and majority of people have sound systems in their vehicles, including my boyfriend and if I hear that, I start getting goosebumps, my eyes widen, my breathe quickens and I sweat until 10 minutes after it passes. Please help! Am I crazy? Am I just a ball of Nerves? Do I have a serious condition? Is it something I can overcome? If so, what can help? Please I need advice!!

Hi P_I,

No you are not crazy...just feeling overwhelmed and anxious.

Your boyfriend is obviously a great source of comfort, and without his presence in the house, you get scared. This is not an unusual fear, but one that you will want to try to conquer, so that you feel better when he is at work.

Can you try to pinpoint your concerns? Are you worried about an intruder? Would having an alarm system help? What about getting a dog? If that is an option, it could bring you a lot of peace of mind and company to get your mind off of your fears.

If your fears are really not identifiable or tangible...just more of an unexplaned fear in general, then using some anxiety lowering exercises such as the ones found in our Resource Guide may help. (main page, 1st post)

I you still need help with this, then therapy is a better/healthier option than using sleeping pills regularly. You can gain the tools to face and deal with your fear, rather than just trying to escape it...and this will give you a sense of empowerment!:)

I wish you the best, and invite you to post anytime with us if you find it helpful!

Scaredy Cat