Today marks my 1 year anniversary of living in lead tenant. It sure feels like it's been longer than a year.
It's an odd feeling. Overall, my life is definitely better now than it was this time 1 year and 6 months ago, but with everything that's happened recently, it's difficult to say that I'm still happy here. It's difficult to think back on how good, and how happy I was a month after moving in to now when I wake up in a panic at 2 in the morning thinking I've heard something, and barricade my door at night time.
Baku, I think I speak for a lot us when I say how impressed I am with your maturity and common sense. Things have been hard for you recently, and this will take some time to adjust to. Waking up at 2 am thinking we've heard something happens to us all, I think though for most of us its just possums or rats or a piece of household equipment falling over (thank you cats). You are being exceptionally mature about this, especially since the threat is probably still quite real.
The real problem is that one can't just assume that 'its all in my head' cos when you do that - its real. Heightened alertness is a known side effect of trauma - and I consider the ex-housemate as trauma on legs. Be gentle with yourself - the hyperalertness will dissipate over time. Sucks to go through it though.
Thanks Goonsy. I've been through this all before at the last place, multiple times, so it makes it a little easier to know what to do, but it never gets any easier to cope with