Are You Afraid Of Being Home Alone?

Being at home all by yourself can be a totally liberating occurrence if you live in a bustling household and crave peace and quiet. However, if you are in any way timid or lacking in confidence it can turn into a nerve-wracking experience, particularly if it’s your first time home alone or if you have recently moved into your own place.

Whatever the reason for being home alone, going from a situation where you are used to being surrounded by people and their accompanying noise to being by yourself can be scary, and with this in mind, we have put together a few tips to make you feel safe and secure.

•        Don’t advertise that you are going to be home alone, particularly on social media:

o   You don’t know who might find out accidentally via a third party.

o   Your friends could decide to play a trick on you for fun – it will probably not be much fun for you.

•        Lock the door and check the windows are closed:

o    You may live in a safe neighbourhood but that won’t stop you getting nervous as darkness approaches.

o   It is always practical to actually take some security precautions if you are the only person at home.

•        Check that your mobile is charged and has a good signal and that the landline is working.

o   If you get nervous you can call a family member or a friend.

o   Just having someone to chat to can be sufficient to take your mind off your nerves and it will make the time pass quickly.

•        Turn on exterior lights and close the blinds – there is no reason to assume that a burglar will choose your home on that particular night but it makes sense to notify the outside world that the house is fully occupied.

•        Don’t leave a spare key outside:

o   You really shouldn’t do this anyway unless you have a well-hidden and secure key safe. 

o   It makes more sense to give a trusted neighbour, family member or friend your spare key.  You can reciprocate by looking after their house key.

•        Do something to distract yourself:

o   Plan some pampering for yourself and get everything ready beforehand.

o   Read a novel that you have looked forward to for ages.

o   Watch a comedy movie to pass the time.

o   Play some good music and maybe even practice your moves.

If you habitually spend time alone it makes sense to take a few more permanent precautions:

•        Fit your home with good quality door and window locks, an alarm system and some good security lighting.

•        Have a fire emergency plan and know the safest way to get out in case of an emergency. You may need to react quickly if there is a fire so having a plan will help you to feel in control and safe.

•        Get a dog – you don’t need to go and get yourself a big ferocious guard dog. Some small to medium dogs have really loud barks which will hopefully scare away any intruder.  Plus your dog can also become your wonderful friendly companion.

•        Self-defence classes – they will make you feel more secure but will also get you out of the house and meeting people.  Many community centres and schools run classes for a small fee and even for free occasionally.

•        Get to know you neighbours – you never know they could become really good friends, but at the very least they will be there if you need to call on them in an emergency.

Being comfortable being home alone is actually about having confidence and being in control.  If you know that you have taken every precaution to keep yourself safe then you will feel happy and contented with your own company - and that alone should keep those nerves and fears at bay. door