I Feel Scared :-(

[Swiss Jewel]

Hi all.

I cant sleep, I get scared at the slightest of noise at night, If I hear a car outside, I'll start getting really scared, My heart starts to beat uncontrollably and think about who it might be and the worst things they can do .

I feel like a damn coward

I have never ever felt like this in my life and it really is starting to affect me.

Can anyone advise me on what to do'? Is this some sort of psychological illness?

 

[intothelight]

Hi Swiss Jewel,

What you are describing sounds like extreme anxiety. It is not unusual, and if you read the posts of many sufferers, you'll find a lot of people suffer from it, especially at night.

There are some good articles under the anxiety section of the forum. I hope you find them helpful.

ITL

 

[Swiss Jewel]

Thank you for the reply, I'm fine during the day but its only during the night I feel scared. I know what triggered this. I feel like this because of something I heard outside a long time ago.

It wrecked me in many ways, my sleeping pattern is messed up and I'm constantly concerned for the safety of those living in surrounding areas.

Its killing me, I would say its trauma related but I don't know who I can turn to :(

 

[Nishkaa]

Hi Swiss Jewel,

intothelight, I think made a really good suggestion about reading from the anxiety section of the forum. It sounds like an anxiety symptom to me, maybe a 'startle response'. It can be really frightening when you are first noticing it and don't understand what is happening. Understanding the physiology of it, might help you to feel less frightened about this experience. There may be more things to it, but I think it maybe be a good to start, to start from the simple explanation of it and be patient.

I notice I get more 'jumpy' when I'm also experiencing more stress going on in my life, or more stress happening inwardly. I feel like a 'scaredy cat' too, sometimes ;-) I don't think it makes you insane or anything for experiencing this, it's not really super-abnormal, but there may be other stressors affecting you that's making you more jumpy lately?

We're here and and so you can let us know about how you are doing with this. It's a symptom that a lot of us here have experience with, so you can talk it through with us whenever you like.

Take Care, be gentle with yourself,
~N

 

[Swiss Jewel]

Hi, Thanks for the response, i will take a look at the articles :smile:

I always thought i could cope with such situations, but its just hit me..I couldn't and i cannot. I have also realized i have not slept properly for months now, I always go to sleep just as it gets light outside as i feel a lot safer, Were talking 6-7 o clock in the morning. I have to wake up early every day so this puts me in a position where i have very little sleep per day, and i feel very tired and flat on most days

I am determined to beat this once and for all as I cant live like this no more. Its 1AM now, COME ON SWISS JEWEL, WAAAAAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE, I HAVE NOTHING TO BE SCARED OFF!!! Sorry :crazy:

Thank you for the kind words and encouragement

 

[Iam]

Welcome to the forum Swiss Jewel. ITL and Nishkaa gave you some good pointers. Have you tried putting on soothing music? The other thing I do is go out to my living room, lie down on the couch and read. It helps take my mind off my anxiety.

You said that you think this may be related to something you heard happen outside once. Do you want to tell us about it?

We are here to listen if you'd like to share.

 

[iomdoug]

Hi Swiss Jewel. A quick post to share I feel the same at times. I live in a relatively quiet neighbourhood and can find myself scared to death of nothing in particular. Then I can beat myself up mentally for feeling like that, I am a fit and trained grown man but can find myself shaking like a kitten. I know it is anxiety and panic, I try to bring myself back into the now by focusing on small things or trying to take myself out of the situation by reading. But once the moment or moments have passed I feel so tired and struggle to stay awake. I am new to this forum so don't have any real pearls of wisdom to offer other than I know how it feels, take care.

 

[Danny]

Hi there Swiss Jewel

You say that you heard something outside a long time ago and this has made you become scared this way.
I myself have experienced an ex-girlfriend who threatened with suicide and told me all sorts of lies about bad things happening to her. That made me very scared, and I had a hard time sleeping every single night, thinking about the awful things that could happen.
Now, some months after, I am still having issues, and some nights the thoughts come back to haunt me. Even though I know that nothing is probably ever going to happen to anyone I know or even in my area, I still keep getting thoughts and images of disturbing things.
I don't know if your situation is anything like mine, but I get the sense that it in some ways is. In any case, I wish you all the best and hope things will get better soon.
To me it sounds like a case of anxiety, and I think that you should try talking to a psychologist/therapist about what you've experienced and about you being scared.
And remember that being scared doesn't make you a coward.

Dan

 

[seraphimfelldown]

Hi Swiss Jewel,
I am another that cannot sleep at night. So I sleep when I get home, and then a few hours when the sun starts to come up, so that i get 6 hours or so in 24 hours even though its in two blocks it helps a lot to ease my anxiety. The less I sleep the more anxious I get it seems. I also find a light left on all night right next to me helps and having a fan on to cancel out the other noises (we have possums in our trees so when they jump on the roof it sounds like someone is breaking in) that are around.

Have you tried any natural remedies? I find Valerian root is good and its natural as well.

Good luck with your sleeping problems.

Sera