[skeksi]

Does anyone else have a hard time with having strangers, like repairmen, in the house? I had someone out today doing maintenance on an appliance and he was very nice, didn't feel threatening at all, but it was still very tense for me and now I am a mess. I feel so unsafe even though I know I'm locked up safe.

[LittleLeah]

I get that way when I'm home alone. Just having strangers outside my house is stressful. Even if they're neighbors I know and I'm okay with. I have an extremely hard time with vulnerable moments like showering and changing. Any noise, like my dog moving around the house or construction in the neighborhood, sets off panic. I know I'm safe, I know my fear isn't reasonable but it's still terrifying and triggering.

[skeksi]

Thank you for helping me feel a little less weird.

[Open Eyes]

No, you are not being weird at all. People with PTSD are very sensitive about their environment and their personal space. I can be challenged that way myself and I have come to realize it is a symptom of PTSD and to work on being patient with it when I do have someone come into my home like a repair man because it does make me uncomfortable.

[skeksi]

Yes, I think you are right that it helps to be patient towards ourselves. I have a very hard time with that but T is trying to teach me to have some compassion for myself.

As freaked out as I was, I forced myself to take my sleep mess instead of staying up scared all night. I'm still anxious, but it has come down a notch or two.

I'm the same- really struggle with strangers in the house, and also feel vulnerable showering etc.

[sammo777]

no, not weird. I hate having people come to repair things. Our machine machine/dryer is forever getting clogged, and we call "the man" (it's usually always a man!), and they're always professional, and really polite, but just the idea of having a strange man in my house makes me anxious. I get the jitters. It triggers me into thinking about the past, events that happened in that past, et cetera, and if they're late, oh, so much worse. I have to get up early and make sure I'm "suitably dressed": long top to cover my bottom, high neck so no hint of cleavage, I start worrying that if I wear mascara he'll think I've done it for his benefit and see it as a come-on, I worry if I don't wear mascara he'll think me ugly and lazy. Sucks, huh?

My usual strategy in the past was... buy a new machine. Better then having strangers in my house. But, as strategies go, way too expensive to maintain.

It gets easier. Two years ago, I'd be sweating, heart racing, feeling sick and close to running. Yesterday, when the repair man came, I just felt slightly uncomfortable.

Progress, I reckon.

[Baizyl]

I'm the same way. I HAVE to be around this person and NEVER have my back to them if they're in my house. I refuse to leave my house if they're still present.

So no, it isn't weird.

I can relate. Even if im not alone and a stranger has to come in im extremely uncomfortable. I had no idea this was ptsd. Im new to the dx.

[Icecream-4]

Hi I have COMPLEX PTSD and my psychologist is saying I have DID too.

I totally relate to your post, like another post I find myself choosing what to wear carefully - scared of the tradesman getting the wrong idea. It's as though I know on some logical level that I should be/feel safe but somewhere in my brain it just doesn't compute no matter what.

I find smells very triggering, so any lingering smells like aftershave etc freak me out - I usually have the Windows open to clear it, can be chilly. Then I feel like I can smell things when really they can't be there too.

Until I read a bit more about it I thought I was going mad. The hypervigellent side is exhausting.
You're not alone.

[skeksi]

Ugh, yes, the lingering smell!

I originally wrote this when I had a repairman in a few weeks ago, and then I had someone in this week as well. I remembered that in addition to the PTSD I have good reason to be uneasy--I have had two unsettling experiences that I don't want to describe. I tend to discount my experiences and not see that the fears are perfectly rational given the facts.

[leomama]

I actually had to live in community for about 5 years and there was a guest house that I was forced to help with. I had no privacy. It was awful. I think that contributed to my PTSD .

god no i Hate having strangers in the house, especially if they're going to be in my room. i had a roommate who would bring random men into our shared bedroom off of tinder and every time it was terrifying. i wouldn't sleep until they were gone. at this point i don't even let the pizza boy know which apartment i live in, i meet him in the lobby!!!!