grow up?

[gloves123]

well last night my mom and dad went out to dinner with friends so me and my brother were home alone. now that dosent bother me.... until i have to go to bed. i had taken a quiz on what monster you attract and i got banchy.[IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Rochelle/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msohtml1/01/clip_image001.gif[/IMG] that didnt really spook me when i got it but yesterday my dad showed me this ghost video that turned out to be a pop up ghost thing where it screams and i couldent get the ghost face out of my head. i went to my window to see if my mom or dad were home yet but even though I know there was nothing there when I opened the blinds I actually jump because I was expecting a banchy or something!!! I finally got the curege to turn off the light and run onder my covers 45 minutes later if I didn’t open the door because I was afraid of opening it!!!! I actually put a metal stick beside my bed just in case!!! It was raining and really windy outside so that didn’t help. This dosent happen when my mom and dad are home and I don’t know why it happens when theyer not home but I hate it! I was in tears for awhile before I shut off the light and I was in broken sobs for awhile to! Is this normal or do I need to grow up and fast?

[PSY]

Even adults get startled from time to time. Just the other day, I was home alone at night and the smoke alarm went off for a few seconds, then turned right back off. I walked around the house, but couldn't find any smoke. It was pretty creepy, and I was hyper-alert for about an hour afterward. There have also been times where I've heard creaking noises, or I've seen a weird shape/shadow outside my window, and become hyper-alert as a result. I'm 22, and I wouldn't say I respond in this way because I'm childish... it can happen to anyone at any time!

If you're okay under "normal" circumstances (ex. NOT when you're home alone and have just watched something scary), then I'd say you have nothing to worry about. If you're hyper-alert more often than not, though (to the point where you can't go to sleep at night without feeling scared), then I would talk to someone about what's going on. It may not be rational, but that doesn't mean you should have to ignore these feelings. Talk to someone who is willing to listen and help you view the situation differently, so you can calmly go about your normal routine at night when you're home alone. =)

[JKmadu619]

To be honest, I have all sorts of crazy thoughts too. I blame watching too many episodes of CSI, Criminal Minds, Cold Case, 48 Hour Mystery, Without a Trace, etcetera.

Anything from hearing something in the attic to swearing I could hear footsteps outside my window. I actually took to sleeping with a steel baseball bat under my bed and a bible nearby. Seriously. Is it irrational in the light of day? Of course. But at the time I get pretty startled. The other day my brother was sleep walking and scared my mother, my sister got scared of a thunderstorm that woke her up in the middle of the night. My dad was scared by our twenty pound puppy when it ran up behind him and started biting his ankles when he didn't expect it (Note that he's six foot three).

Being scared is a normal human emotion, but finding ways to cope with being scared is necessary to keep you from being paranoid.

- Justin