Fear of someone standing behind me

    • Fear of someone standing behind me

      I have this weird thing where if someone stands right behind me I get very anxious. The other day I was in a crowded store and had to sit along the wall because I was afraid of people walking behind me. That store made me very nervous. And at work I can’t walk around much when there are a lot of customers because I’m scared of them standing or walking behind me. How do I get over this weird fear?

    • badhabitrabbits wrote:

      I don't think it's something that you necessarily "get over" so much as something you first try to understand, then slowly learn to work around. Do you know why you have this anxiety? What do you worry about when someone walks behind you?
      I don’t know why or what I’m afraid of. In the moment when there is someone behind me, I feel too anxious to think about it. And that I just HAVE to move so that they aren’t behind me. That’s my main thought in the moment, that I have to move. Or something bad could happen. What exactly, I don’t know. Then when I’m out of the moment I can’t remember what I thought would happen.

    • You could try to train these situations to better handle them. You can start with good friends or family members, someone you really trust. They could stand behind you. If you repeat that and try to stay in front of them a little longer every time, your fear could become smaller and smaller. It´s a confrontation therapy. If nothing helps, you can see a therapist about it. They can help to fight such strong fears.
      curious open-minded short but not so short guy from Germany. open for conversations/PMs, all topics, all ages, all genders