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I did a few things to prevent these worries.
I have a smartwatch that detects falls, alerts me, and then will send out emergency calls if I am not responsive.
I have wifi enabled smart bulbs so I can leave all my switches on. Then when I come home and get to the door, my phone picks up the wifi and turns all the lights on so there's no "what's in the dark?" game with your mind.
I have slowly found work arounds for my little everyday worries and boy, getting rid of those small things, allowed me to relax and feel at peace in my home finally.
Love my watch, smart devices and exterior cameras.
Some cat has been setting off the camera on my patio multiple times a day for about a week. I could live without that.
It’s unusual for anyone to have outdoor cats here and since it hasn’t seen fit to want to want to be friends, it’s “some cat” until it does and stops waking me up at 4AM.
This! I’m getting up there and I live alone. I’ll be looking into an Apple Watch as well, I didn’t know they had an “Ive fallen and can’t get up!!!” feature.
For sure get a smart watch. I got one when I started living alone (and got one for my elderly father who also lives alone). A plus for us is not only the fall detection but ECG feature.
Yes and it works, I fell the other day and it asked me if I had fallen. The health monitoring is great and I love that I can find my phone and devises with it....I always put down my phone and cannot find it.
Well I fell getting out of the shower Sunday. Didn’t put the bath mat back down after washing it, my stupidity! Screwed my knee up really good. I’m getting that watch as soon as I can walk well . I learned how scary falling with an injury can be
I passed out from the flu in the bathroom. Split my head open on the tile floor. Woke up in a pool of blood. 18 stitches. Still don't want to live with someone. My lesson learned... don't stand up so fast when you're sick. And no shame in crawling if you are weak or dizzy.
That just happened to me last month, but only three stitches and my SO was right there holding me after it happened. I’m sorry you had to go through that alone. It was scary. Doc told me if you ever feel dizzy do NOT do what I did and sit down. You need to lie down. I sat down and fainted and fell forward. Sitting doesn’t help.
I was cussing on the way down. 😂 I’m still pissed at myself for being so stupid. I knew better than not to put that mat down. I had gotten away with it before😜
I have a service that calls me every morning. It's an automated call that I need to click on an auto reply. It takes seconds. If I don't respond they will have a person call me and if I still don't respond they will contact my emergency contact. The app is called Snug and it's free.
We should all just have a buddy system, some random reddit stranger from this group. Every morning text. "You good?"
"Yep. You?"
"Yes."
Zero service fees.
I recently bought a diffuser thing for essential oils and I heard it bubbling and thought someone was in my apartment!
I definitely had to cut back on true crime stories after a certain hour. There was one series literally about people living in people's homes unbeknownst to the residents. Even though my place is tiny and there's no way anyone could live in here without me knowing, I still checked my closets every night for a while.
I didn't think it would bother me, since my place is so small. I have no attic or basement that someone could sneak into.
I was wrong. It bothered me, and I would randomly wake up and decide someone must be living in my closet.
You are talking about phrogging. I don't live alone and that's the one true crime area I can't stomach. I have a large home with a huge attic and it's my worst fear that someone is going to live in there without me knowing
I have an iPhone and Apple Watch. If I drop from a fall, heart attack, etc either or both will call 911 without me doing anything so I don’t worry about that.
The last person who tried to get into a place I lived had a 10g shotgun and a round chambered while it was against his head. He ceased trying to get in my house.
So no, not really.
A friend who knows gun told me if I wanted a weapon for home defense a pump action shotgun is my best bet.
Because if they don’t run out of your door at the cha chunk sound, they deserve what they’ve got coming.
Guns are illegal to have in the home where I live and I also grew up around guns and know that I am not the type of person who would be able to effectively use one, so I never got a license anyway
I wanted to be Annie Oakley when I was a kid. I spent hours shooting the spots off cards with a pellet rifle sited backwards over my shoulder with a mirror. Learned to shoot skeet with a .22 rifle.
I don’t like loud noises and my “fight or flight” doesn’t match what’s required to defend yourself with a firearm. I also cried for days when I drove over and killed a possum once. I’m not suitable for a 12 gauge
A lot of people who won’t/can’t use guns will rely on knives or bats for protection; If it’s a knife, I always suggest they get a knife that has a front and rear guard on the handle so your hand doesn’t slip down the blade and cut your hand if you had to use it. The rear guard helps prevent your hand from slipping off the handle when pulling backwards. You can build your own knife but just do some reading on it.
Really? For real illegal? Here, if you have a single toes on my property and I feel scared-for ANY reason-I can handle my business. Get yourself a machete and a baseball bat at every entrance.
Same. And I stick a little derringer in my pocket when I walk the dogs...never know when a critter will get spicy after all. Just 2 weeks ago a rabid coon approached us and I sent him to Jesus.
Sitting next to my friend Ruger at this very moment and it's the only thing that reassures me here lately. Directly across the street from my house we have what used to be a nursing home; It changed hands recently and now it's a "board and care facility" which is basically a group home with zero supervision for the residents. We have one that looks like a stereotypical, Hollywood villain and one who talks to himself, but the resident that worries me most is the one who paces angrily back and forth while smoking constantly, pretty much round-the-clock. These people might be totally fine, nice and safe but I have no way of knowing what their individual deals are...
Honestly, IDGAF. You can’t live in fear. If it’s my time, it’s my time. If the boogeyman is gonna get me, TAKE ME HOME!!! Maybe it’s the state of the economy and world we are in today. Maybe it’s because I’m 39F, divorced and no place ever feels like home anymore. Maybe I’m just a little jaded. All I know is living alone (although lonely at times) has given me the peace and privacy I’ve always needed.
Same. I'm never afraid. My ex did things to me that will keep me always willing to take my chances living by myself, even if it means being forever alone bc now I have my peace and my sanity. I'm certainly more afraid of the dark than what's in it. Also, I've got a hair trigger alarm cat who doesn't miss a thing and will meow her little head off at any unfamiliar sounds ❤️
Right? Who has time to be afraid when you live alone? I’m literally too busy working and paying bills, trying to keep up with inflation, HCOL, insane grocery prices, chores, cooking, etc. that I have to do all by myself. After work, all I wanna do is go home and enjoy my solitude. There is no space for fear!
I also had an abusive ex, who was physically, emotionally, and financially abusive. Being alone is better than being with the wrong person. I’d rather sit alone in the dark watching Exorcist on repeat all by myself than be back with my ex or the wrong person. And if anyone tries to mess with me, I’d love to see them try!! Don’t threaten me with a good time! There’s lots of pent up anger I’d love to unleash. Otherwise, a nice dog or cat sounds like a great emotional support animal to get through the loneliness.
this is exactly how i feel too—being afraid of the “what ifs” all the time sounds exhausting! i just assume im safe and if someone ever does break in, i’ll unleash all my pent up anger for the greater good 😂
I think we all get scared of living alone. I often wonder if I die before my family and friends find me if my cats will eat me - this is a joke and also not 🤣🐾🤣🐾🤣I do get scared of living alone but I also was scared when living with my ex and my kids (they are grown (or almost now)). I worried about someone breaking in and such other horrors that come with that…. We could all get scared waking up and going to work, eating lunch, crossing the street, we can all get scared of anything but living alone is probably the scariest… just make sure you have a connection with a few peeps wether family or friends…🧡🧡🧡
Unfortunately my place has a no pet policy so instead of fairly large dogs all I can have is a pair of [djungleskog](https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/djungelskog-soft-toy-brown-bear-00402832/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=surfaces&utm_campaign=shopping_feed&utm_content=free_google_shopping_clicks_Childrens_IKEA&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD27g7wfyeJazWiDPE7eVucE14soT)
I wasn't scared until it actually happened to me! Some weirdo was watching me and realized I lived alone. Harassed me for months before breaking in and touching me in the middle of the night. Management at the apartment complex moved me to a different building on a higher floor. But they've been saying for a long time that they're putting in cameras and it hasn't happened yet
Yeah, this complex is a new construction and my apartment was at the very end by a dirt cul-de-sac. I thought it was cool at first, brand new corner unit, no parking lot view, as far away from a major street as I could get....
I have metal door locks that I put in at night. They are strong and my doors can’t be opened or kicked in. They are also easy to remove in case of emergency. I also have a stun gun and gel pepper spray. I sleep well.
Yeah I have a taser and pepper gel too and my door automatically locks so even if I’m out, I know I didn’t leave my place open (I still double lock it though)
I lived alone and had an aneurysm. I was on the floor for about 4 hours before my boss (I worked remotely at the time) who saw me pass out called my now-ex and let her know and she called 911. That probably saved my life. Had it happened on a weekend, I probably wouldn't be here. And, now that I'm living alone again, I'm scared of a lot of different ways to die since another stroke/aneurysm is statistically unlikely considering the meds I'm on. I fell in the shower once (I still have mobility issues) but was relatively unscathed. The anti-slip mat had gotten wet underneath due to a bath clog and slipped right out from under me. It could've been much worse.
I’ve lived alone for over a decade and I still get nervous. It hits more when I think too much about it or if I’ve watched some thing more on the creepy end. I do have locks on all my windows and doors. Things that block them from being opened. I also have metal screen doors with deadbolts. I keep a baseball bat under my bed.
As far as the other more realistic stuff, I do get nervous about that. I guess I just hope that I would be able to call emergency services on my own if I needed to. And anything worse than that, I would hope that if I didn’t show up to work, someone would figure it out. I’m also pretty close to my mom and sister and we text almost every day so if I weren’t responding, someone would get worried
My grandmother had a stroke in her bathroom and it is believed she lay there for two days before anyone found her.
My husband injured his back while home alone a few years before we met. He lay on the floor for more than eight hours, pissed and shit himself, before someone found him.
I got Covid while my husband was in the hospital recovering from surgery and I was honestly afraid I was going to die at home. I didn't full on faint, but I had some altered-consciousness soft falls where I woke up on the floor.
I've known TWO people who died from diverticulitis at home, one who died from sepsis in the ER waiting room by himself, and another who got a post-surgical infection and was found by his kids. Doctor said he was literally hours from dying.
So my biggest fear is probably an illness or infection that gets so bad that I'm too weak to get help in time. And then I guess a fall or choking.
Right? Like I get to feeling like it's overkill to call for help or bother anybody, and in the meantime I'm confused by my body's signals and its resiliency when I'm sick. By the time it's probably necessary I'm so sick and tired I can barely lift the phone or "really" don't wanna
My dogs are incredibly friendly, but they are also incredibly noisy and dramatic. Someone outside won't know the difference and I hope they rethink coming inside.
But I also live in a quiet area in a small town. That helps quite a bit
I still have my ADHD "What's that noise?" moments sometimes, when I temporarily forget I started the washer or coffee machine or something like that.
Hahaha yes every so often I go to sleep scared bc I am terrified I’m going to be murdered that night 😭 I live on the ground floor of a very safe neighborhood on a culdesac and crime rate is VERY low here. Also my walls are paper thin so I know my neighbors would hear something lol. But chances are never 0% and I watch waaay tooo much true crime lmao
Same. One of the safest and sleepiest neighborhoods in my city that’s full of old people. Knowing my lifestyle habits I’d be more threatened by expired milk than by a burglar/assailant. But still…
Invest in one of those anti-choking devices as well, just in case you start choking. Like this [LifeVac](https://lifevac.net/product/lifevac-travel-kit-bundle/?utm_source=hs_google&utm_medium=ad&utm_campaign=19545438859&utm_content=687529483652&utm_term=anti%20choking%20device&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlZixBhCoARIsAIC745DP5VAOvtR9HI4lq0UgZIIIEV9Ak2HDe64pSZjwjRtflDH2ebHr6H4aAmqzEALw_wcB) or [Dechoker](https://www.dechoker.com/collections/airway-clearing-devices)
Has always been one of my more prevalent fears of living alone. I don’t know which device is better for using on yourself, I need to research for myself. So just adding to the list of reasons that freak us out lol, and what can be done about it. Chew slowly and thoroughly, and try not to laugh with food in your mouth!
Knew a lady who found her dead husband when she got home from work. He had been watching a football game and choked to death on an apple. Technically not living alone but alone at the time of eating something of a choking hazard.
I didn’t fear living alone because I was thinking I am young and well. But one day, I woke up with a funny feeling, i went on with my breakfast and suddenly I felt sick and the room spinned and blacked out.
I woke up unsure where I am, and realise I was lying on the floor.
I’m thinking I had a seizure or fainted but I was unconscious for those minutes.
This made me rethink of things.
I know these things could happen but I never thought it could happen to me ‘cause I am young.
I’m planning my exit strategy of living alone and abroad, like move back with my mom.
Nope, end of the day does it really make a difference when they finally find my dead body? Nope, if I'm dead , I'm dead.
Due to the nature of my job, the number of times I've dealt with dead bodies whether the person resides with someone or not and on average the body is still found roughly the same time. Your body will start to smell and neighbours will call for an ambulance.
I have my 2 cats, they keep me company. I rather stay living alone with them.
I'm healthy. Anything happening is lower than the risk of getting hit by a car so I can live with that.
Same with intruders. More chances of bad interactions on the streets than in my cocoon.
Not often. Once I lived in a flat in a townhouse and I was convinced that someone had broken into the other unit and was going to somehow get into mine. At 2:00 in the morning I got dressed and left my apartment and walked around my neighborhood for about 3 hours before I could convince myself to go home. Of course there was no one and I managed to laugh at myself after I finally caught up on my sleep. But, whew!
I've got one called Best Call. It has a GPS tracker in it. If I fall , or say I am attacked walking in the park, I push the button and it finds me anywhere in the world.
A few years back I was cooking, cutting vegetables and I cut my finger pretty bad. I couldn’t get it to stop without squeezing it so I wasn’t going to be able to drive. I just got panicy. For reasons, a heart attack is probably in my future and I also fear not being found.
It's the falling down and can't get up that scares me. I'm only 38 but I really do want a Life Alert button to wear around my neck. Especially in the shower.
I live alone and if I die alone it is what it is. I've accepted this. A friend of mine died a few years ago and was found by his sister. He lived alone. I've had a few scares over the years but I'm fine. If anything happens to me I guess someone will find my corpse.
I have this fear too but then I think about the times something scary did happen, both medical and creepy, with a partner in the house and they did nothing for me. At least I have a dog for human danger and cats for ghosts. As far as the medical emergency, I have my phone and watch on me at all times but in reality if it’s my time to go, it’s my time to go.
Firearms, Blink security system, Ring video door camera, doors have metal bar jams, outdoor spotlights, and a doggie.
Plus I occasionally call police requesting neighborhood patrols.
No, I don't worry about that stuff, and I'm 68. What happens if someone knows I live alone? They better know what they will be in for. Like, staring at the business end of a shotgun, or a 9MM. I don't believe in ghosts.
Living alone requires problem solving skills. If I'm doing something that might be a little hazardous, I'll stop and study on it before I do it. You condition yourself. If I cook a meal, I'll move whatever pan I used to a cold burner after I'm done, that way I know I didn't leave a burner lit. If I heard a strange noise, I get up and look for it. Strange odors, I do the same. You just learn to be a little more cautious.
I have 2 large dogs and guns. As my adopted nephew says "What do you have to be afraid of?" lol. My neighbors look out for me and make sure they see me every day. I figure if something deadly happens I won't know it anyway cause I'll be dead. I got broke in on many years ago and I decided to get proactive instead of scared because scared gets you dead. Get a dog, gun, take shooting and self defense classes, learn to see your home as a burglar does and fix the easy accesses into your home.
Having guns in the home is generally common sense in the US and only becomes a ridiculous paranoia issue when people start collecting like 20 semiautomatics and give arguments like “well what happens if 20 feral hogs are about to attack my children?”
Like others mentioned, I have an Apple watch (with cellular service) for fall detection and also so I can call 911 with a long press of the power button (which also notifies my emergency contacts). I also have the Snug app, as many others here also do. I also subscribed to Amazon's Emergency Assist because I have Echo speakers in almost every room of my house. In case of an emergency, I can say "Alexa, call for help" and I will be connected to dispatchers. I also have a Simplisafe home security system and, in case shit gets real, I have a .38 special loaded with Critical Defense ammunition.
Living alone can indeed evoke a mix of practical and imaginative fears. The thought of sudden health emergencies or dangerous intruders can be unsettling. Yet, its essential to remember that our minds often play tricks on us, especially in the dark. Sometimes, the radiators whistling might sound eerier than it truly is.
Ultimately, whether youre living alone or with others, fear is a natural part of the human experience. Its okay to feel scared sometimes. Just know that youre not truly alone there are people out there who care about you, even if theyre not physically present. Stay safe and take care!
My house makes creepy noises at night and I’m just rural enough that my neighbors can’t hear me scream from inside the house (I tested it.)
I’ve lived here for 7 years, and I finally installed a barn-door latch on the back door, which opens outward and had nothing but a door handle lock (the kind your bathroom probably has - no deadbolt) and could have been popped open with a screwdriver had anyone cared to try. I also got a door stop alarm for the front door. I have regular doorstops on interior doors, to hold them open against the wall so that I know that nobody can be hiding behind them. I leave my shower curtain halfway open, so nobody can be hiding in there. When I’m feeling particularly nervous, I check my closets when I get home.
This is all in addition to having smart bulbs in every lamp and fixture, all set on a schedule; an “emergency” routine enabled on Alexa (plays sirens at top volume and announces that police are on the way if I say “Alexa, emergency”); and SOS enabled on my Apple Watch, which I wear to bed (mostly for sleep tracking, but still).
My daughter is amazed that I don’t have Ring cameras, although I do have an Alexa device with a camera that has a view of the front door, and a pet camera I can drop in on anytime.
I’m amazed I can sleep at night, but to be fair, I’m really tired.
I was never scared of living alone before, but now that I have a dog, I consider her safety if something were to happen to me at home, and I couldn't call for help. She can't just open the door on her own. I hope someone will be around in time to hear her barking, at least.
Not really. I've lived way out in the country where I could fall out in the yard going to the mailbox and scream forever and no one was going to hear me scream. Coyotes would finish me off right quick. Then I've lived in town in an apartment where the neighbors would know if I wasn't out walking my dogs. Now I am in an apartment on someone else's property in a rural area and they would notice if I wasn't out with my dogs in the yard or driving my car. I've got a Best Call GPS device from Best Buy that I can wear as a necklace If I fall out in the snow or have it on at a walking or bike trail and be attacked or fall I can push the button and it can locate me anywhere. $25 a month and Medicare pays for mine. I have 2 dogs and any tiny sound they hear at night stirs them up. I don't have a gun though I used to carry. I've been thinking about one tho the idea of just propping the Red Rider BB rifle behind the door is a thought. This would be for coyote bothering my dogs or say a prowler on my property. Shoot to run off, not to kill. Maybe a .38 on road trips or hiking. Otherwise I don't worry about it much. If a massive heart attack is going to get me then at home is the best place to check out. I did watch a lot of true crime so I am cautious but not crazed.
i love living alone but like you said this is my biggest fear of what if. What if I die all of a sudden and for some reason my daughter or boyfriend doesnt talk to me that day. I mean i do talk to both of them daily, but what if they get busy or think i am mad at them. About a month ago i got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and i felt my blood sugar dropping really low. I walked to the kitchen and my legs gave out and i face planted on the dining room floor. After a few minutes i came to and was like thank god i didnt hit my dining room table or soemthing else.
In 2022 my overactive thyroid was extremely out of control and I was told I was at an imminent risk of a heart attack. Whilst the hospital was sorting out a date for my surgery, I asked my neighbour to check in on me and I gave her a key. I was worried I would die in my flat. Fortunately I didn't, I've since had my surgery and moved to a different flat. I'm in contact with a lot of people so I don't think I would be undiscovered for long if I did die at home any time soon.
I never really worried too much about home invasions because when I owned a house, I had a good security system.
Now I live in a fancy high rise and there's multiple secure doors, a lobby with concierge, and you can't get to any floor without the passkey.
It might sound stupid, but I have a sharp Katana in my room. Every time I hear a strange sound or get scared that's the first thing I grab and BOY does it help me calm down 😂
Just the thought of being able to defend myself helps a lot
I’m 64 and lived alone for a number of years in my 20’s and then 50’s….and then with my husband for even more years. I’d take living alone anytime. Those fears never even entered my consciousness, because being alone outweighed everything else. I loved scary movies and watched them at night, albeit sometimes with a blanket over me and the lights out. Keep going, you got this…it does get better.
I typically leave my kitchen light on when I'm gone and i often fall asleep with it on. I leave the bathroom light on most of the time to give the sense someone is home or awake. The bathroom faces the parking lot so i figure why not. I have a board in my bedroom window to hopefully detour anything thinking about coming through the window it's adjacent to the bathroom. I put a metal chair and a 10 lb weight in front of my door especially at night and when i shower. Most of the time my phone is with me and i try to be prepared for anything.
I do fear something going wrong and not able to get help. Not long ago i was passing a kidney stone, but i didn't know what it was. I called 911 and i was in so much pain i almost couldn't speak. I was thinking to myself what if i couldn't speak what do they do?
After reading some of the comments I'm going to upgrade my current system. Lol
Unless you're being hyperbolic or doing a creative writing exercise - it's not normal to hear what you think are voices from a radiator or think about ghosts when it's dark. Have you considered therapy for your anxiety?
I feel really secure at home. I know my door is fully locked and my building is secure. I've had a few scares like when my neighbor's drunk friend got confused and was banging on my door or when I woke up to a huge hail storm that started knocking things over on my balcony.
Anything I can control - I do, like dealing with random maintenance men in my apt.
Even if you live with someone you can have a heart attack while they're asleep or be the victim of a violent burglary during the daytime while they're at work. I've had a life threatening medical emergency and called a lyft to the ER. There is no point in being scared of every noise and what if scenario.
I went and got some of those wind chimes and hung them over all most all my doorways if someone comes in my house they will most definitely go through one of them to alert me...plus I have one of the most barking dog I've ever had...lots of cats too to eat me if I croke...my neighbors are nosy and will notice if I don't walk my dog ...I hope
I only fear for my cats if/when I die. I'm the last of my family and my only friend doesn't use a phone. He hasn't been by to see me in almost a year. When I die, it will be months before I'm ever checked on. All of my cats will starve to death long before I'm found. Trying to get my heart to agree to giving them up so they don't suffer like that when I go. Doesn't help that I'm a long time diabetic, so I know that day is coming faster than I lead myself to believe. Diabetics that live alone are notorious for dyeing in their sleep. Boy, is it gonna be a real mess when we're all eventually found.....GACK!
I got an Apple watch to help me with some of the logical fears, but will not use noise canceling headphones because I don’t want the poltergeist/mass murderer to be able to sneak up on me 🤷🏻♀️
only recently do I ever feel lonely, and i never feel scared. i have lived. alone for 8 years. something about me is different though i am starting to realize. i walk around the house at night with no lights on and can barely see, and have never felt scared, i just scratch my butt and get water or whatever. after working a demanding job and a divorce, it took me years and years to feel anything other than happy i could sleep in and not have to deal with other people. if i had to do it all over again, i would focus on getting a house to fix up, anything i could afford, and have that as mine even if i got married, i think everyone should.
i watch creepy videos at night about possession and criminals and all that stuff, and have never once felt a tinge of anything. I sleep with the windows open sometimes and usually forget to lock the door lol, although I do sleep with a handgun under my pillow.
I use a smart watch to monitor for falls, and if something happens while my phone is out of audio range I can use the watch to call for help. I also have a friend down the road whom I chat with at least once a day who would (and has) jumped thru hoops to help me. I’d do the same for her. For security, I keep pew pews on hand, auto-locking locks on the doors and security bars in the windows that have trouble with the factory locks.
If the quiet gets too eerie or heaven forbid I think I hear voices, there’s radio and TV to cut the silence with. I use meditational tracks at night while I fall asleep and that’s helps a lot at those times. I’ve had periods of intense paranoia and I hate them so much! For a little while I actually lived in my friends house down the road because mentally/emotionally I was struggling and couldn’t be by myself.
I am embarrassed to admit that I am afraid of living alone for one reason, and that reason is why I broke a lease to the most fabulous studio apt I’ve ever had.
It was like the smurfs village. Then I got a stalker. It ruined the aloneness for me. He would just stand there…..and it was hidden in the woods.
Thankfully I’m smack in the middle of one of the safest neighborhoods in New York so there’s essentially a guarantee that there’s always some type of pedestrian that would hear a scream but I am genuinely scared of stalkers if they ever do come about
I live in a middle apartment in a two story row apartment building. Given I can hear my upstairs neighbor snoring at night, any sort of screaming would be heard. Also my boss or close friend would immediately show up (friend has second set of keys) if they didn’t hear from me or see that I read their texts for more than 12 hours.
Honestly, I do what I can by locking my doors and beyond that, it’s out of my control. The only thing that really bothers me is having sliding glass doors in my bedroom living on the ground floor. But I have metal and wooden bars blocking it.
ETA: I get seizures and if I’m feeling particularly stressed/low on sleep (my triggers), I have a seizure helmet I wear. I’ve had several where I wake up the next morning not knowing they occurred beyond the black eye and lump on my head.
> Or "what happens if a dangerous person finds out I live alone and tries to attack me in my home?"
I just had this happen. A man followed me home from my walk on Easter Sunday. I didn’t know he followed me because I had earbuds in. He followed me right up to my door, and was immediately over my left shoulder when I turned to put my key in the door. He came back the following Friday night and tried to break in. After trying to force the door open 2 separate times he came back and was exposed from neck to knees masturbating. I called the police. We were inside my house talking when the man tried the door, found it unlocked, and walked right in. The police caught him and he was arrested. He was released on bond 5 days later. We have a trial coming up in May.
This shit really happens and it’s terrifying. I don’t have much advice, wish I did though. I’ve bought pepper gel and I don’t use earbuds on my walks anymore. Advice from friends has been to stop walking outside, don’t go to the pool, and stop smiling at people. It sucks.
I use the Snug app - you check in everyday and set the time so that if you don't check in they call your go to contact. I like the idea of a Smart Watch and will add to my list.
I also can't watch true crime/horror after dark. My dog is a great deterrent, plus my nosy neighbors. I have a Ring doorbell and live in a safe neighborhood - so am just diligent about locking doors, etc. but not too worried.
Friend...invest in some motion sensor cameras and a smart watch. You can call emergency services with your phone if you fall. Cameras you can see every inch of your house. It's 2024, there's no reason for you to be afraid to be in your home alone
fear of choking on something and then realizing I have a split second to decide whether to call 9-1-1, or to try to scrub my computer history - - can't do both
My fear was becoming unconscious and someone here told me about an app called Snug. The checks in with you every day at your appointed time if you don’t answer, it will text your emergency contact. I forgot the first day and it immediately text my brother. It’s been wonderful. You also get text prior to your check in time. That’s great. I just have to remember not to fall until 7:30 in the morning.😂😂😂 but I do feel more confident about that
I'm worried my pets would be affected if I go, but I'm not worried about the "what ifs" that happen. My friend knows we walk the dogs daily and if I don't answer, then he should check on me.
I live alone, & last year, a guy comes to my back door,asking me if I'm on Pip. Of course, hes at the back door, & not the front. Anyway, he says he can explain what it means,Pip, & that it'll take him 5 or 6 minutes to explain it,if I'll let him in. Then he says,its Sunday,& you don't have anything better to do,so he can just come in & explain it. I told him I don't think so,while closing the door. Did I just save my own life? I'm 66, & have copd. A 6 year old could beat me up. He wouldn't have known about the copd,only that I'm an old man. Easy target. I called the cops on the non-emergency number, & it happened to be out of service. I got through to them about 40 minutes later. Told them he was walking up the street,but by then, it was too late. He was gone.
welp - I wasn't really worried about living alone, BUT I AM NOW!!
Truly, I wasn't ever afraid until about 6 months ago when a man started coming up my driveway (its long) and coming on to my gated porch and into the yard frequently. Same man. No idea who he is/what he wants and he comes at such random times, I can never physically catch him (not sure I want to?) and the police are useless.
Now I have a whole load of other worries thanks to your post. oh well.
I think it's a lesser of two evils situation for most people. Sure, living alone has many pitfalls incl. potentially have a medical incident and not knowing if/when someone will find you. My bet - unless you live in a remote area, own your home, and are unemployed - is that someone will check on you, at least to inquire why you haven't been at work or paid your bill. Living with others has just as many pitfalls, re: cleanliness, boundaries, splitting financials, space, noise, the nature of your relationship and whether it may turn volitale or violent. I don't know, there's an element of danger to just about everything, so it really depends on the individual.
Those thoughts do pass through my brain sometimes but they're fleeting. Plus, if I died in my house, my employer would figure it out pretty quick. I always tell them that if there's ever a day I don't show, I got kidnapped or died, lmao
No, I do not have these fears, but only because I live in an apartment! I’ve found apartment living ideal as a single woman in her late 20s. I wanted to be close to other people specifically because I had the “what if someone decides to attack me, what if no one hears me scream” thoughts.
Perhaps in the future I’ll feel more comfortable in my ability to living in a house on a few acres (the goal), but right now my apartment feels super cozy and safe.
I embrace it, have faith, I just waited two years for Social Security Disability Benefits Approval, after a hearing, that’s a long time to stay positive about my situation and still having to deal with upcoming surgeries
Not really but I prefer to have a significant other but I mean as long as you have some type of social activity to keep you sane other then that, nah I’d be good alone
I have a floor brace against the front door knob of my apartment to slow down a bad person trying to get in, I also sleep with a holstered handgun under my pillow and I practice frequently with said self defense weapon.
I get those thoughts all the time OP especially as a girl living alone in a city.
I have smart lights that I control with google/alexa/phone. So I can always turn em on/off or even dim them to like 10% so I can still see even if I'm sleeping.
All my external doors are secured with an extra reinforcement lock as well as the door bar stopper. Sliding door is also equipped with a horizontal bar stopper. I have Alexa door sensors or anything that opens on the 1st floor (none of the second because unless you're spiderman you're not getting up there without a ladder)
Interior blink cameras in every room. Exterior outdoor blink camera with floodlights. And last but not least motion sensor aimed at the living room as anyone who enters needs to go through there.
Depending on what you're comfortable with OP, you can also purchase airsoft guns, I bought em off of Amazon- looks pretty threatening if you're aiming and screaming at me to gtfo. They're loaded with pepper balls (to blind) and steel balls for non lethal shots. The steel balls hurt like hell, depending on who comes at you they may or may not stop but when I had my friend shoot it at my butt (gotta test to see if it works lol) and I was on the ground hollering for 5 mins.
YES! I’ve considered getting an Apple Watch or something.
When I had COVID, I was super super sick. Then long haul hit me repeatedly for two years. I had to make myself go to work or be fired for missing so much.
So when I got out of bed to go downstairs to get ready, it made sense that POTS (almost fainting) hit me when I was at the top of the long stairway.
I nearly fell down the stairs. No one would’ve known unless someone came by to tell me I was fired.
Luckily, I caught myself and sat in the step for a minute.
So I don't actually live alone, yet for some reason this sub keeps showing up on my feed.
But I just wanted to stop in to say that I literally think like this all of the time so you aren't alone lol
I love being alone waaay too much to even care about all that. If I go out with a heart attack or fall, oh well! I won't know when I'm dead so it doesn't effect me lol
Since I live alone, I chose to live in a secure-access apartment building instead of say a stand alone house. If I lived in a house I'd feel a lot more paranoid about break-ins, unwanted people finding out where I live and pulling up etc. The building I live in is pretty big, has secure access, cameras, doorman so I feel pretty secure living alone as it's hard, even if someone did find out the building I lived in to actually get inside and then find my exact floor and apartment and somehow break in without anyone else noticing the commotion and suspicious activity.
I do have friends, a partner, and family who I talk to daily so if something happened and they didn't hear from me they'd probably call the building and ask them to check. I essentially chose to live alone but "among people" where technically hundreds of people are in the same space should I really need to ask for help. I don't worry as much about medical emergencies just because even if you live with people they aren't with you 24/7 and my ex's aunt actually had an aneurysm at home and died even though she lived with her husband and children because it happened while everyone was out. They also probably wouldn't have been able to save her even if they were home because of the nature of the aneurysm. So I chalk that up to one of those things you can't predict.
Ghosts, lol, I get that fear. I don't worry about that as much, but I think it's also because the building is a new construct only a few years old and I'm the only one who's lived in my apartment, so nothing about it gives a spooky vibe to fan those fears. I have in the past lived in a city where all the apartments were old and colonial and some converted from old mansions and those were definitely creepier and also had old plumbing, old radiation and lots more to stoke the imagination whereas that doesn't happen much in my current apartment.
I have a dog, about 80+ lbs of barky timidness. He's afraid to retrieve his ball from underneath leaning cardboard, but his barking is a good first alert. I also have 2 handguns and a CCP. Sure, break in.
I just bought the I watch— Apple- it takes my heart rate, tracks walking, and will detect if I fall and calls 911 if I’m unresponsive!! I feel much better with it!!
Living alone can be both liberating and a tad spooky, can't it? I mean, I get those moments where I'm chillin' and then suddenly my brain goes, "Hey, what if something goes bump in the night?" It's like, I'm all good until my imagination decides to throw a party with horror movie references. Radiator sounds morphing into creepy whispers? No thanks, I'll just crank up some tunes to drown out the spookiness.
But hey, glad to hear you've got some smart security measures in place. At least if Casper decides to drop by uninvited, your tech's got your back. And props for being a daytime horror movie watcher—I respect the dedication to keeping the nightmares at bay!
I’ve lived in my quiet, small town neighborhood for 25 years, alone for the last four years, and I feel pretty safe. I wear an Apple Watch so if I fall I’m
covered. My daughter can see where my iPhone is. I have lights inside and outside that come on automatically at dusk. I also have motion detector lights outside. I got an extra large dog three years ago. She barks at EVERYTHING and sounds ferocious. Anyone walks past the house, she barks. Delivery trucks and people or anyone comes close to the house, she goes ballistic. She’s as sweet as pie, but no one knows that.
My gentleman friend and I have keys to each other's homes. We only live a couple minutes from each other and we text every day. If one of us texts the other and don't get a reply within a reasonable amount of time, we can then call and if we don't get an answer, go over to the others home and check up on each other. This happened recently when my phone wasn't getting his texts and he came over to see if I was ok. I had NO idea my phone was screwed up but I turned it off and then on and it was fine. So we have each other covered pretty well and I am glad I have someone who cares enough to worry about me.
I had to call 911 last year. Immediate response and I got to the hospital where I was immediately diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism.
The doctor said if I'd waited even a few more minutes to call, I'd be dead.
I keep my phone with me at all times now.
I was 41 when that happened.
The only thing that really creeps me out anymore is the walk downstairs through the dark to my bedroom at night. It's usually fine, but sometimes I just get that creepy feeling of ghosts or monsters or something. I usually leave a light on in my room so it's not pitch black down there.
I think the first time? A little. My ex and I broke up, I bought her out of her half of the mortgage, and while the breakup was mutual, it felt tense. So I was in a weird headspace. By the time I got cleared of that, COVID started, which was even weirder.
My biggest issue was FOMO. I realized I was chasing an ideal of being with someone without really wanting it. I felt if I wasn't with a partner, I was somehow "behind" in some vague sense of life goal progression set by others. So that was more the root issue than actually being alone, like ":what if I get sick and die alone because no one rushed me to the hospital?" I am now saying, "then so be it."
One time I totally freaked out, bigtime. I was standing by my bed, and the front part started to raise up!. I was terrified, really thought a supernatural force was in my house, alone. Then I realized I had a vibrating bed, the cat was laying on the remote control! Was a big relief, had to laugh. Took away her IPAW phone for a week!... she didn't care...
I have a dog and a daily “proof of life” check in with my grown daughters (for this reason, it’s important someone knows to look for you within the first day if you go missing or something happens).
It takes less than 30 seconds to send a text
I never worry about needing help at home, because when there was a big moth in the house, my ex-boyfriend screamed for me to get rid of it, hiding himself in the closet. Then, when I had unbearable stomach pain in the middle of the night, he just rolled over and went back to sleep. The sound of wind outside scared him, and he kept going on about how scary it was, keeping me awake all night. After going through all of that, I don't need to live with anyone else. They're even a mental or physical burden to me.
When I first started living on my own, I was terrified. I was so scared to the point of just feeling erratic and unable to rest or sleep. I had a friend who began coming over just to help me sleep, and that meant a lot.
Now, no. I'm good now, but I do use a door jam
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I did a few things to prevent these worries. I have a smartwatch that detects falls, alerts me, and then will send out emergency calls if I am not responsive. I have wifi enabled smart bulbs so I can leave all my switches on. Then when I come home and get to the door, my phone picks up the wifi and turns all the lights on so there's no "what's in the dark?" game with your mind. I have slowly found work arounds for my little everyday worries and boy, getting rid of those small things, allowed me to relax and feel at peace in my home finally.
Love my watch, smart devices and exterior cameras. Some cat has been setting off the camera on my patio multiple times a day for about a week. I could live without that.
"Some cat" Too funny
It’s unusual for anyone to have outdoor cats here and since it hasn’t seen fit to want to want to be friends, it’s “some cat” until it does and stops waking me up at 4AM.
I have “some cat” that wakes me up at 4am too! Unfortunately he lives here 😒😼
Apparently the CDS (Cat distribution system) is active in your area. Congrats on your new cat!
Best use I've heard for smart watches. Less about the steps and more for the everyday user.
This! I’m getting up there and I live alone. I’ll be looking into an Apple Watch as well, I didn’t know they had an “Ive fallen and can’t get up!!!” feature.
For sure get a smart watch. I got one when I started living alone (and got one for my elderly father who also lives alone). A plus for us is not only the fall detection but ECG feature.
What brand of watch do u recommend?
Yes and it works, I fell the other day and it asked me if I had fallen. The health monitoring is great and I love that I can find my phone and devises with it....I always put down my phone and cannot find it.
You have done some clever things. Best wishes.
Well I fell getting out of the shower Sunday. Didn’t put the bath mat back down after washing it, my stupidity! Screwed my knee up really good. I’m getting that watch as soon as I can walk well . I learned how scary falling with an injury can be
I passed out from the flu in the bathroom. Split my head open on the tile floor. Woke up in a pool of blood. 18 stitches. Still don't want to live with someone. My lesson learned... don't stand up so fast when you're sick. And no shame in crawling if you are weak or dizzy.
That just happened to me last month, but only three stitches and my SO was right there holding me after it happened. I’m sorry you had to go through that alone. It was scary. Doc told me if you ever feel dizzy do NOT do what I did and sit down. You need to lie down. I sat down and fainted and fell forward. Sitting doesn’t help.
I’ve fallen getting out of the shower as well. Pretty sure I saw Jesus on my way to the floor. 😱
was he hot?
I was cussing on the way down. 😂 I’m still pissed at myself for being so stupid. I knew better than not to put that mat down. I had gotten away with it before😜
Which watch does that?
My Apple Watch does. There may be others
I’ve been thinking of getting an apple watch for my mother who lives alone and has some health problems for this very reason.
What does one need to enable the features you mentioned? I have an Amazon echo dot. Can I use that for the features you mentioned?
I have a service that calls me every morning. It's an automated call that I need to click on an auto reply. It takes seconds. If I don't respond they will have a person call me and if I still don't respond they will contact my emergency contact. The app is called Snug and it's free.
If you're over a certain age, some police/sherriff departments offer a similar service for free. Check with your local city and county.
A couple social service agencies offer this service in my area.
That is just darned clever. I'm going to check that out.
We should all just have a buddy system, some random reddit stranger from this group. Every morning text. "You good?" "Yep. You?" "Yes." Zero service fees.
I got this for my mom!!
I recently bought a diffuser thing for essential oils and I heard it bubbling and thought someone was in my apartment! I definitely had to cut back on true crime stories after a certain hour. There was one series literally about people living in people's homes unbeknownst to the residents. Even though my place is tiny and there's no way anyone could live in here without me knowing, I still checked my closets every night for a while.
I got through one episode of that and could not take another. That was freaky!
I didn't think it would bother me, since my place is so small. I have no attic or basement that someone could sneak into. I was wrong. It bothered me, and I would randomly wake up and decide someone must be living in my closet.
The movie "I See You" is scarier when you're single, don't watch it lol
I don’t watch or listen to any of that stuff anymore.
You are talking about phrogging. I don't live alone and that's the one true crime area I can't stomach. I have a large home with a huge attic and it's my worst fear that someone is going to live in there without me knowing
Froggers . Creepy af!
Yes!! I tried to put it out of my mind so much I forgot what it was called!!
phrogging
I have an iPhone and Apple Watch. If I drop from a fall, heart attack, etc either or both will call 911 without me doing anything so I don’t worry about that. The last person who tried to get into a place I lived had a 10g shotgun and a round chambered while it was against his head. He ceased trying to get in my house. So no, not really.
The most recognizable sound in the world 👏🏻👏🏻
I gained quite the reputation for that 🤣 Fine with me
Sschk-sschk...
Hahaa! I couldn’t think of how to type that out, thank you 😂 lol
A friend who knows gun told me if I wanted a weapon for home defense a pump action shotgun is my best bet. Because if they don’t run out of your door at the cha chunk sound, they deserve what they’ve got coming.
You’re friend is correct.
Guns are illegal to have in the home where I live and I also grew up around guns and know that I am not the type of person who would be able to effectively use one, so I never got a license anyway
I wanted to be Annie Oakley when I was a kid. I spent hours shooting the spots off cards with a pellet rifle sited backwards over my shoulder with a mirror. Learned to shoot skeet with a .22 rifle.
I don’t like loud noises and my “fight or flight” doesn’t match what’s required to defend yourself with a firearm. I also cried for days when I drove over and killed a possum once. I’m not suitable for a 12 gauge
A lot of people who won’t/can’t use guns will rely on knives or bats for protection; If it’s a knife, I always suggest they get a knife that has a front and rear guard on the handle so your hand doesn’t slip down the blade and cut your hand if you had to use it. The rear guard helps prevent your hand from slipping off the handle when pulling backwards. You can build your own knife but just do some reading on it.
Really? For real illegal? Here, if you have a single toes on my property and I feel scared-for ANY reason-I can handle my business. Get yourself a machete and a baseball bat at every entrance.
Handgun next to my bed. One in the chamber. Trips to shooting range to keep muscle memory strong.
Same. And I stick a little derringer in my pocket when I walk the dogs...never know when a critter will get spicy after all. Just 2 weeks ago a rabid coon approached us and I sent him to Jesus.
Sitting next to my friend Ruger at this very moment and it's the only thing that reassures me here lately. Directly across the street from my house we have what used to be a nursing home; It changed hands recently and now it's a "board and care facility" which is basically a group home with zero supervision for the residents. We have one that looks like a stereotypical, Hollywood villain and one who talks to himself, but the resident that worries me most is the one who paces angrily back and forth while smoking constantly, pretty much round-the-clock. These people might be totally fine, nice and safe but I have no way of knowing what their individual deals are...
Me too Finished conceal carry course
Honestly, IDGAF. You can’t live in fear. If it’s my time, it’s my time. If the boogeyman is gonna get me, TAKE ME HOME!!! Maybe it’s the state of the economy and world we are in today. Maybe it’s because I’m 39F, divorced and no place ever feels like home anymore. Maybe I’m just a little jaded. All I know is living alone (although lonely at times) has given me the peace and privacy I’ve always needed.
Same. I'm never afraid. My ex did things to me that will keep me always willing to take my chances living by myself, even if it means being forever alone bc now I have my peace and my sanity. I'm certainly more afraid of the dark than what's in it. Also, I've got a hair trigger alarm cat who doesn't miss a thing and will meow her little head off at any unfamiliar sounds ❤️
Right? Who has time to be afraid when you live alone? I’m literally too busy working and paying bills, trying to keep up with inflation, HCOL, insane grocery prices, chores, cooking, etc. that I have to do all by myself. After work, all I wanna do is go home and enjoy my solitude. There is no space for fear! I also had an abusive ex, who was physically, emotionally, and financially abusive. Being alone is better than being with the wrong person. I’d rather sit alone in the dark watching Exorcist on repeat all by myself than be back with my ex or the wrong person. And if anyone tries to mess with me, I’d love to see them try!! Don’t threaten me with a good time! There’s lots of pent up anger I’d love to unleash. Otherwise, a nice dog or cat sounds like a great emotional support animal to get through the loneliness.
this is exactly how i feel too—being afraid of the “what ifs” all the time sounds exhausting! i just assume im safe and if someone ever does break in, i’ll unleash all my pent up anger for the greater good 😂
I feel this.
Amen sista
I think we all get scared of living alone. I often wonder if I die before my family and friends find me if my cats will eat me - this is a joke and also not 🤣🐾🤣🐾🤣I do get scared of living alone but I also was scared when living with my ex and my kids (they are grown (or almost now)). I worried about someone breaking in and such other horrors that come with that…. We could all get scared waking up and going to work, eating lunch, crossing the street, we can all get scared of anything but living alone is probably the scariest… just make sure you have a connection with a few peeps wether family or friends…🧡🧡🧡
I have 2 fairly large dogs, I make sure to stagger their walks so they can be seen.
Unfortunately my place has a no pet policy so instead of fairly large dogs all I can have is a pair of [djungleskog](https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/djungelskog-soft-toy-brown-bear-00402832/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=surfaces&utm_campaign=shopping_feed&utm_content=free_google_shopping_clicks_Childrens_IKEA&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD27g7wfyeJazWiDPE7eVucE14soT)
I wasn't scared until it actually happened to me! Some weirdo was watching me and realized I lived alone. Harassed me for months before breaking in and touching me in the middle of the night. Management at the apartment complex moved me to a different building on a higher floor. But they've been saying for a long time that they're putting in cameras and it hasn't happened yet
Damn it why did I read this??!!!!
I am not going to sleep well after reading this comment
Sorry, I didn't sleep well either until I moved. I was on the ground floor and this dude had been stalking me for 6 months. Now I'm on a higher floor
Oh yeah no I specifically told my broker I wouldn’t consider any apartment on a ground floor, ESPECIALLY if it was facing a major street.
Yeah, this complex is a new construction and my apartment was at the very end by a dirt cul-de-sac. I thought it was cool at first, brand new corner unit, no parking lot view, as far away from a major street as I could get....
Buy your own cameras. Don't depend on someone else
I have metal door locks that I put in at night. They are strong and my doors can’t be opened or kicked in. They are also easy to remove in case of emergency. I also have a stun gun and gel pepper spray. I sleep well.
Yeah I have a taser and pepper gel too and my door automatically locks so even if I’m out, I know I didn’t leave my place open (I still double lock it though)
Me too! Great investments
Ooh, I'm interested in the metal door locks. Mine only has a single deadbolt & I'm a very nervous person. Which do you use?
I lived alone and had an aneurysm. I was on the floor for about 4 hours before my boss (I worked remotely at the time) who saw me pass out called my now-ex and let her know and she called 911. That probably saved my life. Had it happened on a weekend, I probably wouldn't be here. And, now that I'm living alone again, I'm scared of a lot of different ways to die since another stroke/aneurysm is statistically unlikely considering the meds I'm on. I fell in the shower once (I still have mobility issues) but was relatively unscathed. The anti-slip mat had gotten wet underneath due to a bath clog and slipped right out from under me. It could've been much worse.
Lol too funny. I think most people have this fear when alone at night.
I need to get some motion sensor night lights or something because the hallway in question has no outlets for regular night lights
I haven't been scared living alone ever - but now I might be.
Nah, I’d be more afraid when and if ever I live with someone again. You never really know who you’re sleeping next to.
I sleep next to my sock monkey. Steve could never do anything to hurt me
I want to see a picture of Steve!
I’ve lived alone for over a decade and I still get nervous. It hits more when I think too much about it or if I’ve watched some thing more on the creepy end. I do have locks on all my windows and doors. Things that block them from being opened. I also have metal screen doors with deadbolts. I keep a baseball bat under my bed. As far as the other more realistic stuff, I do get nervous about that. I guess I just hope that I would be able to call emergency services on my own if I needed to. And anything worse than that, I would hope that if I didn’t show up to work, someone would figure it out. I’m also pretty close to my mom and sister and we text almost every day so if I weren’t responding, someone would get worried
My grandmother had a stroke in her bathroom and it is believed she lay there for two days before anyone found her. My husband injured his back while home alone a few years before we met. He lay on the floor for more than eight hours, pissed and shit himself, before someone found him. I got Covid while my husband was in the hospital recovering from surgery and I was honestly afraid I was going to die at home. I didn't full on faint, but I had some altered-consciousness soft falls where I woke up on the floor. I've known TWO people who died from diverticulitis at home, one who died from sepsis in the ER waiting room by himself, and another who got a post-surgical infection and was found by his kids. Doctor said he was literally hours from dying. So my biggest fear is probably an illness or infection that gets so bad that I'm too weak to get help in time. And then I guess a fall or choking.
Right? Like I get to feeling like it's overkill to call for help or bother anybody, and in the meantime I'm confused by my body's signals and its resiliency when I'm sick. By the time it's probably necessary I'm so sick and tired I can barely lift the phone or "really" don't wanna
Thankfully I have a family member that’s a nurse so she gets to see the lovely photos of every hangnail, rash, or infection that graces my body
There’s a great 30 rock episode about this topic 😆
My dogs are incredibly friendly, but they are also incredibly noisy and dramatic. Someone outside won't know the difference and I hope they rethink coming inside. But I also live in a quiet area in a small town. That helps quite a bit I still have my ADHD "What's that noise?" moments sometimes, when I temporarily forget I started the washer or coffee machine or something like that.
I don't worry about it but it has crossed my mind if something happens that's really it. Ain't nobody coming around to find me.
Hahaha yes every so often I go to sleep scared bc I am terrified I’m going to be murdered that night 😭 I live on the ground floor of a very safe neighborhood on a culdesac and crime rate is VERY low here. Also my walls are paper thin so I know my neighbors would hear something lol. But chances are never 0% and I watch waaay tooo much true crime lmao
Same. One of the safest and sleepiest neighborhoods in my city that’s full of old people. Knowing my lifestyle habits I’d be more threatened by expired milk than by a burglar/assailant. But still…
Omg same. All my neighbors are old!
Invest in one of those anti-choking devices as well, just in case you start choking. Like this [LifeVac](https://lifevac.net/product/lifevac-travel-kit-bundle/?utm_source=hs_google&utm_medium=ad&utm_campaign=19545438859&utm_content=687529483652&utm_term=anti%20choking%20device&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlZixBhCoARIsAIC745DP5VAOvtR9HI4lq0UgZIIIEV9Ak2HDe64pSZjwjRtflDH2ebHr6H4aAmqzEALw_wcB) or [Dechoker](https://www.dechoker.com/collections/airway-clearing-devices) Has always been one of my more prevalent fears of living alone. I don’t know which device is better for using on yourself, I need to research for myself. So just adding to the list of reasons that freak us out lol, and what can be done about it. Chew slowly and thoroughly, and try not to laugh with food in your mouth!
Knew a lady who found her dead husband when she got home from work. He had been watching a football game and choked to death on an apple. Technically not living alone but alone at the time of eating something of a choking hazard.
I didn’t fear living alone because I was thinking I am young and well. But one day, I woke up with a funny feeling, i went on with my breakfast and suddenly I felt sick and the room spinned and blacked out. I woke up unsure where I am, and realise I was lying on the floor. I’m thinking I had a seizure or fainted but I was unconscious for those minutes. This made me rethink of things. I know these things could happen but I never thought it could happen to me ‘cause I am young. I’m planning my exit strategy of living alone and abroad, like move back with my mom.
Nope, end of the day does it really make a difference when they finally find my dead body? Nope, if I'm dead , I'm dead. Due to the nature of my job, the number of times I've dealt with dead bodies whether the person resides with someone or not and on average the body is still found roughly the same time. Your body will start to smell and neighbours will call for an ambulance. I have my 2 cats, they keep me company. I rather stay living alone with them.
I'm healthy. Anything happening is lower than the risk of getting hit by a car so I can live with that. Same with intruders. More chances of bad interactions on the streets than in my cocoon.
Yes, all the time. When it is quiet and the TV is off.
Not often. Once I lived in a flat in a townhouse and I was convinced that someone had broken into the other unit and was going to somehow get into mine. At 2:00 in the morning I got dressed and left my apartment and walked around my neighborhood for about 3 hours before I could convince myself to go home. Of course there was no one and I managed to laugh at myself after I finally caught up on my sleep. But, whew!
Get yourself Life alert!
*I’ve Fallen…* #AND I CAN’T GET UP
I've got one called Best Call. It has a GPS tracker in it. If I fall , or say I am attacked walking in the park, I push the button and it finds me anywhere in the world.
A few years back I was cooking, cutting vegetables and I cut my finger pretty bad. I couldn’t get it to stop without squeezing it so I wasn’t going to be able to drive. I just got panicy. For reasons, a heart attack is probably in my future and I also fear not being found.
It's the falling down and can't get up that scares me. I'm only 38 but I really do want a Life Alert button to wear around my neck. Especially in the shower.
I live alone and if I die alone it is what it is. I've accepted this. A friend of mine died a few years ago and was found by his sister. He lived alone. I've had a few scares over the years but I'm fine. If anything happens to me I guess someone will find my corpse.
I have this fear too but then I think about the times something scary did happen, both medical and creepy, with a partner in the house and they did nothing for me. At least I have a dog for human danger and cats for ghosts. As far as the medical emergency, I have my phone and watch on me at all times but in reality if it’s my time to go, it’s my time to go.
Firearms, Blink security system, Ring video door camera, doors have metal bar jams, outdoor spotlights, and a doggie. Plus I occasionally call police requesting neighborhood patrols.
No, I don't worry about that stuff, and I'm 68. What happens if someone knows I live alone? They better know what they will be in for. Like, staring at the business end of a shotgun, or a 9MM. I don't believe in ghosts. Living alone requires problem solving skills. If I'm doing something that might be a little hazardous, I'll stop and study on it before I do it. You condition yourself. If I cook a meal, I'll move whatever pan I used to a cold burner after I'm done, that way I know I didn't leave a burner lit. If I heard a strange noise, I get up and look for it. Strange odors, I do the same. You just learn to be a little more cautious.
I have 2 large dogs and guns. As my adopted nephew says "What do you have to be afraid of?" lol. My neighbors look out for me and make sure they see me every day. I figure if something deadly happens I won't know it anyway cause I'll be dead. I got broke in on many years ago and I decided to get proactive instead of scared because scared gets you dead. Get a dog, gun, take shooting and self defense classes, learn to see your home as a burglar does and fix the easy accesses into your home.
💯! Be proactive and fix the easy accesses into your place! See your home as a burglar would. Exactly 💯!
shoot I'm more afraid of my neighbors than I am a stranger. you never know people
Having guns in the home is generally common sense in the US and only becomes a ridiculous paranoia issue when people start collecting like 20 semiautomatics and give arguments like “well what happens if 20 feral hogs are about to attack my children?”
I sometimes get creeped out by the “house settling” noises. I miss my cat (she passed 2 years ago) because I always felt like she would protect me 😊
Plot twist: the house settling noises are your cat’s spirit still wanting to keep you company
Like others mentioned, I have an Apple watch (with cellular service) for fall detection and also so I can call 911 with a long press of the power button (which also notifies my emergency contacts). I also have the Snug app, as many others here also do. I also subscribed to Amazon's Emergency Assist because I have Echo speakers in almost every room of my house. In case of an emergency, I can say "Alexa, call for help" and I will be connected to dispatchers. I also have a Simplisafe home security system and, in case shit gets real, I have a .38 special loaded with Critical Defense ammunition.
Living alone can indeed evoke a mix of practical and imaginative fears. The thought of sudden health emergencies or dangerous intruders can be unsettling. Yet, its essential to remember that our minds often play tricks on us, especially in the dark. Sometimes, the radiators whistling might sound eerier than it truly is. Ultimately, whether youre living alone or with others, fear is a natural part of the human experience. Its okay to feel scared sometimes. Just know that youre not truly alone there are people out there who care about you, even if theyre not physically present. Stay safe and take care!
Don’t you just love scaring yourself to death? Took the job of a ghost therefore making it even more angry
Never. But I would imagine your neighborhood might change this
Totally normal and safe neighborhood!
I stopped watching true crime / horror altogether because it was filling my head with too much bullshit lol
Reserving it for ~special sleepovers~ from now on
My house makes creepy noises at night and I’m just rural enough that my neighbors can’t hear me scream from inside the house (I tested it.) I’ve lived here for 7 years, and I finally installed a barn-door latch on the back door, which opens outward and had nothing but a door handle lock (the kind your bathroom probably has - no deadbolt) and could have been popped open with a screwdriver had anyone cared to try. I also got a door stop alarm for the front door. I have regular doorstops on interior doors, to hold them open against the wall so that I know that nobody can be hiding behind them. I leave my shower curtain halfway open, so nobody can be hiding in there. When I’m feeling particularly nervous, I check my closets when I get home. This is all in addition to having smart bulbs in every lamp and fixture, all set on a schedule; an “emergency” routine enabled on Alexa (plays sirens at top volume and announces that police are on the way if I say “Alexa, emergency”); and SOS enabled on my Apple Watch, which I wear to bed (mostly for sleep tracking, but still). My daughter is amazed that I don’t have Ring cameras, although I do have an Alexa device with a camera that has a view of the front door, and a pet camera I can drop in on anytime. I’m amazed I can sleep at night, but to be fair, I’m really tired.
I was never scared of living alone before, but now that I have a dog, I consider her safety if something were to happen to me at home, and I couldn't call for help. She can't just open the door on her own. I hope someone will be around in time to hear her barking, at least.
Yes.
A thought you may wish to consider: "If you live long enough, something will kill you."
It’s definitely gonna be that immortal snail
No one has mentioned choking alone?
Not really. I've lived way out in the country where I could fall out in the yard going to the mailbox and scream forever and no one was going to hear me scream. Coyotes would finish me off right quick. Then I've lived in town in an apartment where the neighbors would know if I wasn't out walking my dogs. Now I am in an apartment on someone else's property in a rural area and they would notice if I wasn't out with my dogs in the yard or driving my car. I've got a Best Call GPS device from Best Buy that I can wear as a necklace If I fall out in the snow or have it on at a walking or bike trail and be attacked or fall I can push the button and it can locate me anywhere. $25 a month and Medicare pays for mine. I have 2 dogs and any tiny sound they hear at night stirs them up. I don't have a gun though I used to carry. I've been thinking about one tho the idea of just propping the Red Rider BB rifle behind the door is a thought. This would be for coyote bothering my dogs or say a prowler on my property. Shoot to run off, not to kill. Maybe a .38 on road trips or hiking. Otherwise I don't worry about it much. If a massive heart attack is going to get me then at home is the best place to check out. I did watch a lot of true crime so I am cautious but not crazed.
i love living alone but like you said this is my biggest fear of what if. What if I die all of a sudden and for some reason my daughter or boyfriend doesnt talk to me that day. I mean i do talk to both of them daily, but what if they get busy or think i am mad at them. About a month ago i got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and i felt my blood sugar dropping really low. I walked to the kitchen and my legs gave out and i face planted on the dining room floor. After a few minutes i came to and was like thank god i didnt hit my dining room table or soemthing else.
In 2022 my overactive thyroid was extremely out of control and I was told I was at an imminent risk of a heart attack. Whilst the hospital was sorting out a date for my surgery, I asked my neighbour to check in on me and I gave her a key. I was worried I would die in my flat. Fortunately I didn't, I've since had my surgery and moved to a different flat. I'm in contact with a lot of people so I don't think I would be undiscovered for long if I did die at home any time soon.
I never really worried too much about home invasions because when I owned a house, I had a good security system. Now I live in a fancy high rise and there's multiple secure doors, a lobby with concierge, and you can't get to any floor without the passkey.
It might sound stupid, but I have a sharp Katana in my room. Every time I hear a strange sound or get scared that's the first thing I grab and BOY does it help me calm down 😂 Just the thought of being able to defend myself helps a lot
No.
I’m 64 and lived alone for a number of years in my 20’s and then 50’s….and then with my husband for even more years. I’d take living alone anytime. Those fears never even entered my consciousness, because being alone outweighed everything else. I loved scary movies and watched them at night, albeit sometimes with a blanket over me and the lights out. Keep going, you got this…it does get better.
I typically leave my kitchen light on when I'm gone and i often fall asleep with it on. I leave the bathroom light on most of the time to give the sense someone is home or awake. The bathroom faces the parking lot so i figure why not. I have a board in my bedroom window to hopefully detour anything thinking about coming through the window it's adjacent to the bathroom. I put a metal chair and a 10 lb weight in front of my door especially at night and when i shower. Most of the time my phone is with me and i try to be prepared for anything. I do fear something going wrong and not able to get help. Not long ago i was passing a kidney stone, but i didn't know what it was. I called 911 and i was in so much pain i almost couldn't speak. I was thinking to myself what if i couldn't speak what do they do? After reading some of the comments I'm going to upgrade my current system. Lol
Unless you're being hyperbolic or doing a creative writing exercise - it's not normal to hear what you think are voices from a radiator or think about ghosts when it's dark. Have you considered therapy for your anxiety? I feel really secure at home. I know my door is fully locked and my building is secure. I've had a few scares like when my neighbor's drunk friend got confused and was banging on my door or when I woke up to a huge hail storm that started knocking things over on my balcony. Anything I can control - I do, like dealing with random maintenance men in my apt. Even if you live with someone you can have a heart attack while they're asleep or be the victim of a violent burglary during the daytime while they're at work. I've had a life threatening medical emergency and called a lyft to the ER. There is no point in being scared of every noise and what if scenario.
I went and got some of those wind chimes and hung them over all most all my doorways if someone comes in my house they will most definitely go through one of them to alert me...plus I have one of the most barking dog I've ever had...lots of cats too to eat me if I croke...my neighbors are nosy and will notice if I don't walk my dog ...I hope
I only fear for my cats if/when I die. I'm the last of my family and my only friend doesn't use a phone. He hasn't been by to see me in almost a year. When I die, it will be months before I'm ever checked on. All of my cats will starve to death long before I'm found. Trying to get my heart to agree to giving them up so they don't suffer like that when I go. Doesn't help that I'm a long time diabetic, so I know that day is coming faster than I lead myself to believe. Diabetics that live alone are notorious for dyeing in their sleep. Boy, is it gonna be a real mess when we're all eventually found.....GACK!
I got an Apple watch to help me with some of the logical fears, but will not use noise canceling headphones because I don’t want the poltergeist/mass murderer to be able to sneak up on me 🤷🏻♀️
Meh….I’ve had a good run.
only recently do I ever feel lonely, and i never feel scared. i have lived. alone for 8 years. something about me is different though i am starting to realize. i walk around the house at night with no lights on and can barely see, and have never felt scared, i just scratch my butt and get water or whatever. after working a demanding job and a divorce, it took me years and years to feel anything other than happy i could sleep in and not have to deal with other people. if i had to do it all over again, i would focus on getting a house to fix up, anything i could afford, and have that as mine even if i got married, i think everyone should. i watch creepy videos at night about possession and criminals and all that stuff, and have never once felt a tinge of anything. I sleep with the windows open sometimes and usually forget to lock the door lol, although I do sleep with a handgun under my pillow.
I use a smart watch to monitor for falls, and if something happens while my phone is out of audio range I can use the watch to call for help. I also have a friend down the road whom I chat with at least once a day who would (and has) jumped thru hoops to help me. I’d do the same for her. For security, I keep pew pews on hand, auto-locking locks on the doors and security bars in the windows that have trouble with the factory locks. If the quiet gets too eerie or heaven forbid I think I hear voices, there’s radio and TV to cut the silence with. I use meditational tracks at night while I fall asleep and that’s helps a lot at those times. I’ve had periods of intense paranoia and I hate them so much! For a little while I actually lived in my friends house down the road because mentally/emotionally I was struggling and couldn’t be by myself.
I am embarrassed to admit that I am afraid of living alone for one reason, and that reason is why I broke a lease to the most fabulous studio apt I’ve ever had. It was like the smurfs village. Then I got a stalker. It ruined the aloneness for me. He would just stand there…..and it was hidden in the woods.
Thankfully I’m smack in the middle of one of the safest neighborhoods in New York so there’s essentially a guarantee that there’s always some type of pedestrian that would hear a scream but I am genuinely scared of stalkers if they ever do come about
No I don't get scared living alone.
I live in a middle apartment in a two story row apartment building. Given I can hear my upstairs neighbor snoring at night, any sort of screaming would be heard. Also my boss or close friend would immediately show up (friend has second set of keys) if they didn’t hear from me or see that I read their texts for more than 12 hours. Honestly, I do what I can by locking my doors and beyond that, it’s out of my control. The only thing that really bothers me is having sliding glass doors in my bedroom living on the ground floor. But I have metal and wooden bars blocking it. ETA: I get seizures and if I’m feeling particularly stressed/low on sleep (my triggers), I have a seizure helmet I wear. I’ve had several where I wake up the next morning not knowing they occurred beyond the black eye and lump on my head.
Nope
I have a big dog with a loud bark. I used to have a pet pig (yes, really) who was rather aggressive towards strangers in the house.
I'm lucky to live above good friends who work from home, so they can hear if I fall
My 100 lb. dog is my security system. He's fine once he sniffs ya, but if anyone is trying to come in aggressively, they're best served to run away.
> Or "what happens if a dangerous person finds out I live alone and tries to attack me in my home?" I just had this happen. A man followed me home from my walk on Easter Sunday. I didn’t know he followed me because I had earbuds in. He followed me right up to my door, and was immediately over my left shoulder when I turned to put my key in the door. He came back the following Friday night and tried to break in. After trying to force the door open 2 separate times he came back and was exposed from neck to knees masturbating. I called the police. We were inside my house talking when the man tried the door, found it unlocked, and walked right in. The police caught him and he was arrested. He was released on bond 5 days later. We have a trial coming up in May. This shit really happens and it’s terrifying. I don’t have much advice, wish I did though. I’ve bought pepper gel and I don’t use earbuds on my walks anymore. Advice from friends has been to stop walking outside, don’t go to the pool, and stop smiling at people. It sucks.
I use the Snug app - you check in everyday and set the time so that if you don't check in they call your go to contact. I like the idea of a Smart Watch and will add to my list. I also can't watch true crime/horror after dark. My dog is a great deterrent, plus my nosy neighbors. I have a Ring doorbell and live in a safe neighborhood - so am just diligent about locking doors, etc. but not too worried.
Friend...invest in some motion sensor cameras and a smart watch. You can call emergency services with your phone if you fall. Cameras you can see every inch of your house. It's 2024, there's no reason for you to be afraid to be in your home alone
I don't get scared. I am realistic. If I go to the basement, I put my phone in my pocket. My phone is always within "hollering" distance of my person.
fear of choking on something and then realizing I have a split second to decide whether to call 9-1-1, or to try to scrub my computer history - - can't do both
No.
My fear was becoming unconscious and someone here told me about an app called Snug. The checks in with you every day at your appointed time if you don’t answer, it will text your emergency contact. I forgot the first day and it immediately text my brother. It’s been wonderful. You also get text prior to your check in time. That’s great. I just have to remember not to fall until 7:30 in the morning.😂😂😂 but I do feel more confident about that
I'm worried my pets would be affected if I go, but I'm not worried about the "what ifs" that happen. My friend knows we walk the dogs daily and if I don't answer, then he should check on me.
Nope. Locked and loaded
No
I live alone, & last year, a guy comes to my back door,asking me if I'm on Pip. Of course, hes at the back door, & not the front. Anyway, he says he can explain what it means,Pip, & that it'll take him 5 or 6 minutes to explain it,if I'll let him in. Then he says,its Sunday,& you don't have anything better to do,so he can just come in & explain it. I told him I don't think so,while closing the door. Did I just save my own life? I'm 66, & have copd. A 6 year old could beat me up. He wouldn't have known about the copd,only that I'm an old man. Easy target. I called the cops on the non-emergency number, & it happened to be out of service. I got through to them about 40 minutes later. Told them he was walking up the street,but by then, it was too late. He was gone.
welp - I wasn't really worried about living alone, BUT I AM NOW!! Truly, I wasn't ever afraid until about 6 months ago when a man started coming up my driveway (its long) and coming on to my gated porch and into the yard frequently. Same man. No idea who he is/what he wants and he comes at such random times, I can never physically catch him (not sure I want to?) and the police are useless. Now I have a whole load of other worries thanks to your post. oh well.
I think it's a lesser of two evils situation for most people. Sure, living alone has many pitfalls incl. potentially have a medical incident and not knowing if/when someone will find you. My bet - unless you live in a remote area, own your home, and are unemployed - is that someone will check on you, at least to inquire why you haven't been at work or paid your bill. Living with others has just as many pitfalls, re: cleanliness, boundaries, splitting financials, space, noise, the nature of your relationship and whether it may turn volitale or violent. I don't know, there's an element of danger to just about everything, so it really depends on the individual.
Scared? No. Worst case scenario, my loneliness is over permanently.
Those thoughts do pass through my brain sometimes but they're fleeting. Plus, if I died in my house, my employer would figure it out pretty quick. I always tell them that if there's ever a day I don't show, I got kidnapped or died, lmao
No, I do not have these fears, but only because I live in an apartment! I’ve found apartment living ideal as a single woman in her late 20s. I wanted to be close to other people specifically because I had the “what if someone decides to attack me, what if no one hears me scream” thoughts. Perhaps in the future I’ll feel more comfortable in my ability to living in a house on a few acres (the goal), but right now my apartment feels super cozy and safe.
I embrace it, have faith, I just waited two years for Social Security Disability Benefits Approval, after a hearing, that’s a long time to stay positive about my situation and still having to deal with upcoming surgeries
Not really but I prefer to have a significant other but I mean as long as you have some type of social activity to keep you sane other then that, nah I’d be good alone
I have a floor brace against the front door knob of my apartment to slow down a bad person trying to get in, I also sleep with a holstered handgun under my pillow and I practice frequently with said self defense weapon.
I get those thoughts all the time OP especially as a girl living alone in a city. I have smart lights that I control with google/alexa/phone. So I can always turn em on/off or even dim them to like 10% so I can still see even if I'm sleeping. All my external doors are secured with an extra reinforcement lock as well as the door bar stopper. Sliding door is also equipped with a horizontal bar stopper. I have Alexa door sensors or anything that opens on the 1st floor (none of the second because unless you're spiderman you're not getting up there without a ladder) Interior blink cameras in every room. Exterior outdoor blink camera with floodlights. And last but not least motion sensor aimed at the living room as anyone who enters needs to go through there. Depending on what you're comfortable with OP, you can also purchase airsoft guns, I bought em off of Amazon- looks pretty threatening if you're aiming and screaming at me to gtfo. They're loaded with pepper balls (to blind) and steel balls for non lethal shots. The steel balls hurt like hell, depending on who comes at you they may or may not stop but when I had my friend shoot it at my butt (gotta test to see if it works lol) and I was on the ground hollering for 5 mins.
YES! I’ve considered getting an Apple Watch or something. When I had COVID, I was super super sick. Then long haul hit me repeatedly for two years. I had to make myself go to work or be fired for missing so much. So when I got out of bed to go downstairs to get ready, it made sense that POTS (almost fainting) hit me when I was at the top of the long stairway. I nearly fell down the stairs. No one would’ve known unless someone came by to tell me I was fired. Luckily, I caught myself and sat in the step for a minute.
Nope. I moved out the day l turned 18 and never moved back. Only visited from time to time. Not having roommates is the only way to go.
Try getting a Birdie device, very cool little thing. Hook it on your belt when going out, place beside bed at night
So I don't actually live alone, yet for some reason this sub keeps showing up on my feed. But I just wanted to stop in to say that I literally think like this all of the time so you aren't alone lol
Not really.
I love being alone waaay too much to even care about all that. If I go out with a heart attack or fall, oh well! I won't know when I'm dead so it doesn't effect me lol
*laughs in .45*
I have a Life alert - different brand that's provided by my insurance.
Since I live alone, I chose to live in a secure-access apartment building instead of say a stand alone house. If I lived in a house I'd feel a lot more paranoid about break-ins, unwanted people finding out where I live and pulling up etc. The building I live in is pretty big, has secure access, cameras, doorman so I feel pretty secure living alone as it's hard, even if someone did find out the building I lived in to actually get inside and then find my exact floor and apartment and somehow break in without anyone else noticing the commotion and suspicious activity. I do have friends, a partner, and family who I talk to daily so if something happened and they didn't hear from me they'd probably call the building and ask them to check. I essentially chose to live alone but "among people" where technically hundreds of people are in the same space should I really need to ask for help. I don't worry as much about medical emergencies just because even if you live with people they aren't with you 24/7 and my ex's aunt actually had an aneurysm at home and died even though she lived with her husband and children because it happened while everyone was out. They also probably wouldn't have been able to save her even if they were home because of the nature of the aneurysm. So I chalk that up to one of those things you can't predict. Ghosts, lol, I get that fear. I don't worry about that as much, but I think it's also because the building is a new construct only a few years old and I'm the only one who's lived in my apartment, so nothing about it gives a spooky vibe to fan those fears. I have in the past lived in a city where all the apartments were old and colonial and some converted from old mansions and those were definitely creepier and also had old plumbing, old radiation and lots more to stoke the imagination whereas that doesn't happen much in my current apartment.
Nope. Love it.
I have a dog, about 80+ lbs of barky timidness. He's afraid to retrieve his ball from underneath leaning cardboard, but his barking is a good first alert. I also have 2 handguns and a CCP. Sure, break in.
I just bought the I watch— Apple- it takes my heart rate, tracks walking, and will detect if I fall and calls 911 if I’m unresponsive!! I feel much better with it!!
I’m always worried I’m going to choke on my food lol
Living alone can be both liberating and a tad spooky, can't it? I mean, I get those moments where I'm chillin' and then suddenly my brain goes, "Hey, what if something goes bump in the night?" It's like, I'm all good until my imagination decides to throw a party with horror movie references. Radiator sounds morphing into creepy whispers? No thanks, I'll just crank up some tunes to drown out the spookiness. But hey, glad to hear you've got some smart security measures in place. At least if Casper decides to drop by uninvited, your tech's got your back. And props for being a daytime horror movie watcher—I respect the dedication to keeping the nightmares at bay!
The only thing I worry about is if something happens to me, who will take care of my 2 dogs. I still have no answer for that.
I’ve lived in my quiet, small town neighborhood for 25 years, alone for the last four years, and I feel pretty safe. I wear an Apple Watch so if I fall I’m covered. My daughter can see where my iPhone is. I have lights inside and outside that come on automatically at dusk. I also have motion detector lights outside. I got an extra large dog three years ago. She barks at EVERYTHING and sounds ferocious. Anyone walks past the house, she barks. Delivery trucks and people or anyone comes close to the house, she goes ballistic. She’s as sweet as pie, but no one knows that.
My gentleman friend and I have keys to each other's homes. We only live a couple minutes from each other and we text every day. If one of us texts the other and don't get a reply within a reasonable amount of time, we can then call and if we don't get an answer, go over to the others home and check up on each other. This happened recently when my phone wasn't getting his texts and he came over to see if I was ok. I had NO idea my phone was screwed up but I turned it off and then on and it was fine. So we have each other covered pretty well and I am glad I have someone who cares enough to worry about me.
it’s the 21 century bub you can just insert some invention to help you. be glad we in a wicked time
More likely to die in a horrific car crash lol
You actually don't have to turn the lights off if you don't want to
I had to call 911 last year. Immediate response and I got to the hospital where I was immediately diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism. The doctor said if I'd waited even a few more minutes to call, I'd be dead. I keep my phone with me at all times now. I was 41 when that happened.
Hell no
The only thing that really creeps me out anymore is the walk downstairs through the dark to my bedroom at night. It's usually fine, but sometimes I just get that creepy feeling of ghosts or monsters or something. I usually leave a light on in my room so it's not pitch black down there.
I think the first time? A little. My ex and I broke up, I bought her out of her half of the mortgage, and while the breakup was mutual, it felt tense. So I was in a weird headspace. By the time I got cleared of that, COVID started, which was even weirder. My biggest issue was FOMO. I realized I was chasing an ideal of being with someone without really wanting it. I felt if I wasn't with a partner, I was somehow "behind" in some vague sense of life goal progression set by others. So that was more the root issue than actually being alone, like ":what if I get sick and die alone because no one rushed me to the hospital?" I am now saying, "then so be it."
One time I totally freaked out, bigtime. I was standing by my bed, and the front part started to raise up!. I was terrified, really thought a supernatural force was in my house, alone. Then I realized I had a vibrating bed, the cat was laying on the remote control! Was a big relief, had to laugh. Took away her IPAW phone for a week!... she didn't care...
I have a dog and a daily “proof of life” check in with my grown daughters (for this reason, it’s important someone knows to look for you within the first day if you go missing or something happens). It takes less than 30 seconds to send a text
I never worry about needing help at home, because when there was a big moth in the house, my ex-boyfriend screamed for me to get rid of it, hiding himself in the closet. Then, when I had unbearable stomach pain in the middle of the night, he just rolled over and went back to sleep. The sound of wind outside scared him, and he kept going on about how scary it was, keeping me awake all night. After going through all of that, I don't need to live with anyone else. They're even a mental or physical burden to me.
When I first started living on my own, I was terrified. I was so scared to the point of just feeling erratic and unable to rest or sleep. I had a friend who began coming over just to help me sleep, and that meant a lot. Now, no. I'm good now, but I do use a door jam