silly fears

[rhubarb83]

ok, i feel really paranoid but want to know if anyone else has ever felt like this...all the time (especially at night) i do not like going to windows or doors with windows in case someone is aiming a gun at me, and i realise this is silly as the chances of that happening are really low but i have to run back to cover when i lock doors or close windows etc when people may see into the house. this is a stupid fear i have but i freak out please don't laugh at my post but i think maybe someone is pointing a rifle at me (it's hard to explain as i know there is probably no one but i still get scared!) has anyone suffered this before? it's at the point where i can't be by windows without the curtains drawn (especially after dark) and i have a constant fear someone will shoot me! and now i have panic attacks but feel a bit silly if i went to the docs saying i'm scared i'll get shot. it's hard to explain as it's like half of me is rational and is saying why would anyone want to shoot me? but i still get scared! it's a fear i've had for a long time...if anyone has had anything similar and can offer advice, or for someone to tell me i'm not losing my mind, that would be great. also having nightmares now so sleep is less desirable, and if i am suffering from anxiety want to know what i can do to stop me feeling this way. thanks for reading this long post and any answers i will be very grateful to read

[cjdelphi]

I've felt that but only when people are actually outside i've had people in the past make death threats so on the odd occasion i'll make sure I can't be seen but it's just paranoia if it was for the unknown factor ie, do they have a gun or knife i'd probably just go and confront them but ...

Is there a reason for you thinking there's a gun? some kind of trauma? past experience? any reason for this taking place?

[snakeeyes148]

I'll suggest you to try something that might be really nightmare kind of thing for you but if you can do it for a while it will help you tremendously.

It's simple actually...
Stand near your windows facing inside the house so that you don't get a site of outside. Now talk to someone...on phone or face to face. The person should be so chosen that he/she completely indulges you in talks.

[rhubarb83]

thanks for the replies snakeeyes148 and cjdelphi...in answer to your question it would be no, and that's the weird thing...i've never had a death threat and that is why this feels so irrational. during the day i feel a bit more (though not entirely) comfortable by a window as i can see and reassure myself. it's when it's dark and i don't really know what's outside. i believe i have some kind of irrational fear that someone will harm me...and i tried the talking on the phone by a window at night but couldn't manage it. the thing is i realise that the chance of anyone trying to harm me is really low in retrospect, but that rationality vanishes when i'm there. maybe it reflects the dreams i have of people out to harm me etc. am i being silly people, or is there a way i can not panic so much in this situation? by the way, sorry to hear about your situation cjdelphi, i think if i could see the people as well i would hide away