overcoming fear...

[Fifteen+1]

For the past few weeks or so I have been losing sleep because I lay awake wondering if I would be able to to fight off an intruder. A few weeks ago my wife woke up to get ready for work and I was sleeping so very well. She had gotten up and left the room with out me waking up and went to check the weather. As she came back into the room she stepped over the baby gate that keeps my ferocious Yorkshire Terriers in, and knocked a shirt that was hanging up down. I heard the noise and had what I can consider a mild cardio infarction. I was scared out of my mind. I had no idea who, or what was coming into that room. I reached over to grab my wife to see if she was even awake, and with the other hand reached for my Beretta 92.

Last night I woke up about every 45 minutes or so and would lay still and listen to the sounds in my house. I kept hearing feet dragging on carpet, and freaked out. Since the almost shooting of my wife I decided that my gun needed to be in the closet. I woke up one morning and it was laying by my pillow. I have a fear that someone will break into my home and that by the time I get the gun, and get the flash light that it will be too late. Is this natural, and is there a way to overcome it. I don't sleep well at all because of it.

 

[Duke of Doubt]

Over the counter and herbal alternatives exist to prescribed sleeping pills in order to avoid a prescription record or an appointment with a psychiatrist.

That and lots of vodka.

Training and practice with threat identification and trigger discipline will bring confidence in your ability to meet an assailant's attack without endangering others.

Over a period of years you may find yourself waking partly up, paralyzed and unable to speak or lift yourself out of bed. You will imagine that you heard gunshots, an explosion, a door opening, or any of a number of other threat indicia. Good luck with that.

Lots and lots of vodka.

 

[indoorsoccerfrea]

would you sleep better if you had reliable alarms? dogs, window sensors, motion detectors and the like? then you wouldnt have to worry so much about hearing the intruders yourself...

 

[chris in va]

There's a few other things you can do, like an alarm system or just trust your yappy Yorkies.

I bought these door jammer bars that brace under the knob. Not going to completely keep someone from busting the door through, but it'll wake me up in the process. You can also reinforce the windows with eyebolts if they're made of wood. Drill a 3/8" hole, slide one in. If a fire breaks out you'll just pull the pin so-to-speak.

Do you live in a high risk area?

 

[kingpin008]

Honestly, it sounds to me like you might need to consult a doctor or psychologist for anxiety. If you're so worried that it keeps you awake on a regular basis, that's a problem and should be managed.

And I know (hope?) that he was joking, but I'm going to have to formally and strongly disagree with Duke's comments about lots of vodka. Last thing we need is a drunk with a gun who's jumping at every little noise.

 

[JImbothefiveth]

+1 on the alarm system. I used to get worried about noises I heard at night (but not nearly as bad as you do) and I rest much better at night with the alarm system. Also, be sure to identify your target. If your wife is not there, don't even raise the pistol before you identify your target, as if she's not there, it's probably just her.

 

[UnclePete]

Fifteen+1 you need professional help; it is simply not natural to be so nervous. That is one of the most worrying posts I have ever read, get treatment before tragedy occurs.

 

[jad0110]

I heard the noise and had what I can consider a mild cardio infarction. I was scared out of my mind. I had no idea who, or what was coming into that room. I reached over to grab my wife to see if she was even awake, and with the other hand reached for my Beretta 92.

Methinks this has probably happened to most of us at least once. It did to me about 2 years ago. I remember opening my eyes and thinking I saw a shadow/silloutte standing in the doorway to our bedroom. It felt like my heart jumped up into my throat. Though I had my doubts about what I was seeing, I immediately grabbed my Taurus 66 (my bedside gun at the time), rolled to the floor and observed for a few moments before realized I just "freaked" a bit. I was proud of myself for keeping my booger hook off the bang switch, and for keeping the muzzle pointed just to the right of the doorway until I could positively ID the "target".

I was a little jumpy the next night, but after that, no biggie. Maybe you are just afraid of the unknown? Study the layout of your house, run scenarios through your mind. Practice how you would respond in your mind first, then try acting them out without a weapon. Later, you could practice your response with your 92, empty with slide locked to the rear. Basically, come up with a plan and perhaps a few backups for how you and your wife would respond to an intruder, God forbid that ever happens. Having a plan or three that you have rehearsed takes at least some of the unknown out of the whole thing. I do the same thing in case of a fire or tornado.

Hope this helps!

 

[longdayjake]

I think I saw in the NRA magazine an ad for a door stop that had an alarm on it when someone tried to open the door. You simply put it under your closed door and when someone tries to enter the room it holds the door shut but also sets off an alarm.

 

[yenchisks]

relax the boogadie or boogie man ain't going to get you!try sleeping with a bible,God is a great protector!

 

[hso]

If you don't remember getting a gun during the night you need to secure the weapon more effectively while you address this unnatural level of anxiety. It isn't the threat of not waking in time to defend yourself that you need to worry about. It is shooting you wife or yourself accidentally that should be your greatest concern.

Remember that the dogs will alert you to any actual strange noises. Start a routine of checking that the doors are locked and the windows secured before going to bed to reassure yourself that no one is going to get in without making noise the barking alarm won't alert on in plenty of time to wake you up. See about an alarm system for the house so that you'll be further assured that no one is likely to get in undetected.

But until you reestablish normal sleep behavior that doesn't include getting a gun in your sleep you need to lock the weapon up so that you don't have a tragic accident.

 

[Floppy_D]

For my first apartment, I lived in a very sketchy neighborhood, on the first floor. I could hear conversations at night, quite clearly, through the thin walls. Gunshots were heard once or twice during the workweek, more on weekends. Worse, I'd deploy and have to leave my wife and young son at home to tough it out. "Move to a better neighborhood" sounded nice, but E4 pay didn't allow it. I couldn't sleep at night, and I feel your pain on this one. I was on edge, not at home.

Since then, we've moved. I have an alarm (that we use, they do nothing if you don't use them) and a dog, my yards are well lit, I have locks on every window and door, and my wife and I have a solid plan, practiced regularly.

I've worked with my neighbors, and we have a neighborhood recall list, and check up on one another. If we're gone on Friday morning, someone will pull our trashbins out to the street for pickup.. and we do the same. If I see a few newspapers on a neighbor's step, I'll pick 'em up and get 'em delivered when my neighbor gets back.

The layers run deep. Almost every one of my neighbors has gotten a dog. I can tell you which way a person is walking down my street at night, based on which dogs bark first.

The result is that I sleep like a baby. When I wake up uneasy (which still happens every now and then) I ask myself, "Is the dog barking? Is the alarm sounding?" If I have to, I'll check the house with a flashlight, but nothing ever comes up. Not paranoid, but a few good scares will keep your alert status high for a while.

Dog, alarm, neighbors on alert/ neighborhood crimewatch, train self and wife more, locks on everything, confidence in your system... good night's sleep.

 

[Hoppy590]

melatonin works as a great sleep aid for me. also it gives you awesome dreams!

 

[Duke of Doubt]

Mega dittos, Hoppy.

 

[WardenWolf]

Honestly, eventually you'll learn what your house sounds like at night and know what's normal and abnormal. If I'm alone, I sleep with my bedroom door open so I can hear the house. Creaking metal ductwork and other things are the norm with a 1970's house. Even with an alarm system, I've gotten up once or twice to check something out, but that's very rare. I really need to get a second bell installed on that alarm, though. I sleep so deep that I can sleep right through it with the bell where it is now.

 

[mbt2001]

I noticed that you had a baby gate... I take it that you recently had a baby and am guessing that you are recently (in the last 5 or so years) married.

When I first got married and all that I had some of the same issues, I mean, these people are depending on you. Paranoia makes us strong. Don't let anyone tell you different.

 

[yenchisks]

O bull paranoia makes us strong:no it don't,just makes you all uptight,i say relax be at peace with yourself and your surroundings you'll handle bad situations better

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

Over a period of years you may find yourself waking partly up, paralyzed and unable to speak or lift yourself out of bed. You will imagine that you heard gunshots, an explosion, a door opening, or any of a number of other threat indicia. Good luck with that.

Waking dreams. Those aren't fun. Your body is still paralyzed from sleep but your mind is awake...but still dreaming so you think you hear all kinds of not-so-good sounds going on around you. Usually happens when sleeping on your stomach.

 

[rainbowbob]

Over the counter and herbal alternatives exist to prescribed sleeping pills in order to avoid a prescription record or an appointment with a psychiatrist.

It's possible that an over-the-counter sleep aid may help you get some much needed rest while recovering from what may be the result of sleep depravation (little children, bills, work, etc can get to anybody at times).

If, in fact, you have an anxiety disorder or depression - visiting a psychiatrist and doing a trial of a prescription medication can be a life saver.

Avoiding a "prescription record or an appointment with a psychiatrist" is not good advice if that is what is needed.

I'm not sure what the concern about such such a "record" is. It will NOT negatively affect your abiltity to work, legally posses a firearm, etc.

 

[Treo]

First of all ( to my knowlege) none of the posters prescribing herbal sleep aids and melatonin has a license to practice medicine or knows your prior history or what medications you may be on now. Please keep that in mind while evaluating their advice.

My Experience

I was a little flaky when I got married ( some here would tell you I still am) I have been known to shove my wife out of bed in the middle of the night because I heard somebody firing an M-60 at us. I've also woke up yelling "incoming" a time or two. And once I woke up roled over and popped DW in the eye. and I've woke up W/ the gun in my hand a time or two.

My solution
like it or not this worked for me I got a copy of the Bible on tape and started playing it at night continuosly ( faith cometh by hearing & hearing by the word) later I changed to leaving a radio on the Christian station all night.

Again, say what you will I sleep like a baby with no medication at all

 

[Jeff White]

For the past few weeks or so I have been losing sleep because I lay awake wondering if I would be able to to fight off an intruder.

An internet forum is not the place to look for advice on this. We live in one of the safest societies ever to exist, despite what you see on the evening news.

If you are taking reasonable precautions like locking your doors and you have dogs that will hopefully make noise if there is an intruder, you need to speak to a medical professional. If you are a veteran there are programs available through the VA. Seriously PTSD and other illnesses that cause this kind of reaction are nothing to trifle with.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

despite what you see on the evening news.

I think internet forums probably are as much to blame as the evening news. There seems to be more fearmongering here then on any new show I've seen of late. Probably because so many people seem to comb the news looking for any violent act to post here as some kind of justification for gun ownership.

But, as Jeff said, if you're consistently losing sleep over this, you need to seek some more qualified help than you'll find here. Many employers offer an Employee Assistance Program that can get you in touch with someone to evaluate what is going on.

 

[Hoppy590]

while i completely agree being a safe sleeper is just as important as being a sound sleeper. you need to ask yourself if your capable of owning guns right now. no amount of keys or combinations can keep you out of them.

i used to sleep walk, talk in my sleep, and on occasion sleep with my eyes open and have lucid dreams where i was in control but totally asleep. iv long since broken these habits. i use melatonin as a supplement to help me sleep when my normal cycle has been disrupted or iv been stressed. it works great for temporary relief.

temporary relief is what i originally believed this thread to be about , but if you think this is more than new house jitters then by all means seek help. voluntary help is not counted against you on the federal level. your state level i dont know

as a side note, and yes a some what defensive one, il trust hippy herbal supplements before ... eh screw it.

 

[Treo]

as a side note, and yes a some what defensive one, il trust hippy herbal supplements before ... eh screw it.

I have no problem W/ that statement, but unless you have a license to practice medicine you might want to think twice before reccomending them to people you really don't know on the internet.

 

[Duke of Doubt]

An appointment with a psychiatrist or a prescription record MOST DEFINITELY can come back to bite you in the job setting.

Try getting a security clearance with a documented history of anxiety, depression, PTSD or other "disorders" and a record of prescriptions for whatever anti-anxiety or anti-depressive medication Big Pharma was giving away with free trips to Hawaii to prescribing psychiatrists that year. Just try it.

Planning a career in intelligence? Not anymore.

Recalled to active duty? In an MOS which requires a Top Secret clearance? Not anymore, buddy. You just bought yourself four years of scrubbing garbage cans behind the mess hall or repairing showers -- all because you just had to talk to a psych.

I've seen it happen to several others.

Me for the melatonin and vodka.