Solicitors, religious, politics - they knock on my door and I go full rage mode.

[Druidcat]

Ugh. That's awful. I'm scared to death of doors. I absolutely refuse to answer the door. I don't own a phone, either, same reason. I don't drive. Hey, I like my house, I'm not comfortable leaving it:) I am lucky in that I can see my front porch from the upstairs window. So I just peek out the window and I can still see who it is without actually going to the door..Hm. How about a camera? so you can see who it is without being locked into answering?

 

[Mach123]

Sure I was like this. Not just about people at the door but just about everything. I even would turn on myself after I did something like this. All this behavior eventually led to suicidal depression because I was thinking about the symptoms, not what was causing them. So, as I've progressed slowly in treatment my symptoms have abated. I still feel it and I still do it but I'm not really concerned about why, I know why. I don't think you can micro manage symptoms I think you get to the root causes and the symptoms abate across the board. That's how it's been for me. I still go off and I don't like it. I try to not ruin myself especially around my town because I bought a house here now and I don't want to be the guy they say "here comes that jerk again." But I am like that. Now I try not to worry and I say sorry if I have to and I try and not let things bother me because I look at it as self inflicted suffering. I'm letting you bother me and so I'm suffering. Try not to take it personally it's triggering you and your having an bad reaction that's all.

 

[storyteller164]

So why are you posting?

You’ve been given plenty of good advice, but respond with excuses as to why you have to answer the door or answer the phone.

Work on your ADD. Get control of your symptoms and stop making excuses as to why you have to engage with these people.

OK - I deserved that.

I think it's a definite indication of how severe that issue is for me since I was responding like that.

I do have a new counseling appointment set - I may well bring it up, but will mainly be focusing on more underlying issues.

My apologies for causing frustration.

 

[Chris-duck]

My apologies for causing frustration.

I don't think you gotta apologise for causing frustration.

I think it's more just to notice how you're screwing yourself over, and you do have a choice in it all. I don't think it's any sort of judgement, just be aware of how you have the choice in how you react to things.

 

[user27357]

politicos and charities and salesmen are intrusive but OK. I see religious canvassing as the closest thing to robbery you can do legally.

They say: "Here, read this book and let us help you with the interpretation in hopes that you will allow us to put our ideas in your head and you will give us lots of money over your lifetime and we and others like us can keep our tax free social club afloat. Are those signs of children I see over your shoulder? we have special programs for them because their minds haven't fully crystallized and an earlier conversion leads to a larger net take over time. do you have any neighbors that you think might fall for this? help us and we can all reap the benefits."

there are good people in the church, wonderful giving souls that are the salt of the earth. just like the ones that haven't drank the kool-aid and live outside the church.

thankfully, I have a choice.

I thank them, back away slow and shut the f'n door.

And then, like right now for instance, I get triggered and feel like seeing if a lawyer will take the case and we can try to sue them for at least back taxes and at most for being the root cause of most of the wars and racial atrocities ever committed.

 

[mamachick]

Change your frame of mind so that you can have peace from this. If you are watching tv, turn the volume up high and think about the dumb ass standing out there all by themself...lol Have a radio handy and turn that up. Just laugh at the person out there that thinks you are going to answer when you know you are not. Make it funny in your own head.

 

[Nessa7]

I think it is a very good idea to talk to someone about this. Something that stood out to me while reading your posts is that you do seem to have a plan to deal with some of this. When things went badly, you called the police, which is the right thing to do in that situation. You have already taken steps to reduce the likelihood of receiving calls and identified that this is a problem. Hopefully, you will be able to identify the source of your anger when this happens.

Does your phone service provider have a way for you to block numbers? I get mine through a regional company, but they give you the option to log into your account and add numbers to your block list. It is very quick and easy after I did it the first time.

 

[storyteller164]

Does your phone service provider have a way for you to block numbers? I get mine through a regional company, but they give you the option to log into your account and add numbers to your block list. It is very quick and easy after I did it the first time.

I use both NoMoRoBo service on my landline and am registered with the National No-Call list. It keeps the solicitor calls to a minimum, but during election seasons, I have to deal with people on phone banks calling from personal numbers that are not blocked or door-knockers that ignore the clearly posted signs.
So for callers and solicitors - I start with "I know who I am voting for, take my number off your list" or "You have ignored a 'no soliciting sign, please leave now".
When they argue or call back - that is when I know things will flare up really bad for me.

 

[mamachick]

We are never going to stop ringers and knockers all together. It has to come from within, only we have that control of how we respond.

 

[Pale Mpress Kitty]

When my symptoms were at their worst and I was living alone, I had an "Guard dog on premises" sign. That seemed to deter some people because who wants to deal with a guard dog? I didn't have a dog, but I did get a clever friend to set up a delayed recording of a barking dog that was triggered by the sound of someone knocking on the door knocking or hitting the doorbell. Hahaha. ? Didn't always help, but it was warning enough that I don't want door knockers.

Now I either get my husband to answer the door on days I can't cope, or have my actual dog with me (he loves everyone, but he's big so looks threatening) if I open the door. Or I point at our anti-door-to-door people sign.

 

[shatter eyes]

I dont go rage but i do get spooked and heart races and my whole mood changes. Its hard to ignore they just keep ring or knocking.

I had to tell one pushy furnace salesman respectfully please leave. I had to get the bear mace before she clued in i am serious get the fk out. She even sat on the couch without asking. Sad thing is if my rage took over... i would get in trouble when she is the invader.
Sometimes i wish i lived in a bunker in middle of nowhere. Or a treehouse in a forest with booby traps.

Maybe be nice to make a sign **Knock For Smith & Wesson. Ring for Ruger. Leave and live.**

Rage can get us into lots of trouble. Are you in therapy?

 

[LuckiLee]

With phone solicitors instead of saying "no thank you" (because they hang up on you before you get the first word out) I started saying "yes, I'm interested" then they start their schpeal and then I hang up on them. Childish? Yes. Do I care? No. :D