We don't even have a doorbell. We do have dogs, so they let us know when somebody drives into the yard. I'm so terrified by people that I won't even look to see who's outside, not even a peek through the blinds.

George H., I'm sure you're right. The only way to get over the behavior is to stop doing it. I've used that method to get over some of my other phobias (centipedes, spiders), but this one has defeated me so far. Like I did with the bug man, I will sometimes force myself to stay downstairs or even to speak with a visitor outside, but it never gets any easier. I suppose it's because we don't have many people coming by here, so months can pass between chances to directly confront my fear. I guess at this point in my life, I'll just have to accept that I'm stuck this way.

Heh. Lady Gaga should record a song about that .