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Question

Sometimes when I am walking home from the bus at night I get very scared and I think that people walking behind me are going to attack me. It feels totally real like my life is in danger and it takes all my self control to not freak out and run away screaming. Sometimes I did run away and I didn’t care how I looked. Now I won’t take evening shifts even though I really need the money because I am so scared of the walk home. The crazy thing is I have never been attacked at all and I live in a very safe part of town. The danger is all in my head but the TERROR I feel is real. I want to understand why I am scared of something that is not dangerous?

Dr. Shirley Schaye · Accepted Answer

I am sorry to hear how you are feeling. Since you live in a safe part of town we can assume that this fear is not a reality, as you, yourself, have pointed out. I don't know anything about you or your family history to enable me to determine why this is happening. I can say this, though. Any well trained therapist who saw you in-person would be able to help you, not only get to the root of why you are feeling the way you are about your safety, but if you stayed in therapy the therapist would be able to help you work this through. I would be very glad to help you find a therapist with the right kind of training to help you with this if you give me your city and zip code.

Dr. Shirley Schaye

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