Mostly aimed at the "older" group here.. LOL.. Being alone..

[C.Ann]

Let's say 50 and up..

Are you afraid to be in your house alone? If your DH was going to be gone overnight - you have a good-sized dog that would guard you with his life - and you live in a very nice crime-free neighborhood surrounded by neighbors - would you be afraid to stay in your house without him there?

Nothing traumatic or frightening has ever happened to the person in question, so I don't really understand it.. Not saying it's "wrong" - that's not for me to decide - just wondering if others feel that way by the time they reach their "golden years" and beyond.. (When I was younger, there were times when I wasn't crazy about being left alone - but never really "scared" to the point that I would ask someone if I could stay with them..)

The majority of the time I'm at the lake I'm alone (with no one around) and it doesn't bother me in the least - unless I know for a fact that there's someone "shady" in the vicinity.. Even then I won't pack up and leave though..

I can't help but wonder what would happen if this woman were to become a widow.. I think she would spend the rest of her life being terrified..

Do others feel this way?

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

Not in the least. I have never actually lived alone, but I have been alone while family went out of town. I used to get a little lonely when it was just DH and me, I would come home from work and literally not talk until the next day.

I would always have to have a dog around me, so that helps.

I don't understand what scares some women about being alone.

 

[karibritt01]

My mom went through something like this. She is a widow with 5 kids, and there were 3 of us at home. Within 6 months my older brother bought a house and moved out, and my younger brother and I got married (not to each other... LOL) and moved out, so she was alone for the first time in her life. We found out that she was sleeping with her shoes on so that she could run away if someone broke into the house. We convinced her to buy an alarm system, which helped her to feel more secure.

On a personal note, I don't love being alone in my house overnight. I usually set the alarm, then go up to my bedroom once it gets late. I will read or watch TV and be fine, but I like to be enclosed in my room!

 

[tazdev3225]

My kids are all on their own and my DH travels once a week. I do have a big dog, German Shepherd/Boxer, who is very scary looking sometimes. I feel less frightened now than I do when the kids were babies and he worked overnight shifts. I try not to live my life governed by fear.

 

[ols386]

No, I've never been afraid to be alone overnight, or anytime. We live in somewhat of a secluded area (way far back off of the road in a wooded area), and we have a big dog, but it doesn't bother me at all.

 

[momrek06]

I have a single family home in Boston and YES, I hated being alone in that house if DH was gone overnight. And I felt bad because he knew I hated to stay alone but this was his job.

We are currently living in San Diego and it is a gated community and he does travel allot and I am absolutely, totally fine with it. He will be off to San Jose all next week ... fine!

 

[walden]

I get the question and sympathise.

Right now, I'm not overly scared about being alone, I'm just sensible. By which I mean I have my fully charged cell phone at the ready and one of those really loud personal alarm things. No burglar alarm or panic room in this house.

I alert my neighbors if DH will be out of town so that they keep an eye out. Never had to disturb them. So far.

I also have 2 large dogs who do bark if they hear strange noises. And at least one of them looks somewhat intimidating. He is big! Scares the poor plumber out of his mind! I hope their obvious presence is some protection. Guard me with their lives? Not so much. They usually go belly up and ask for love when people visit. Thank goodness I'm anonymous here, because my *guard dogs* are worthless.

I do trust my neighbors. We are a Neighborhood Watch community and we are almost too conscientious. If I did not have good neighbors I might be more scared, but I feel OK at the moment.

 

[minkydog]

There was a time in my young adult days that being alone really did wig me out. I was afraid of everything! But over the years I've setteled down and now it doesn't work me over if DH has to be away. I have my giant poodle, Minky, who would gladly eat the face off an intruder and I have my cell phone. I take reasonable precautions and I live in a very low crime neighborhood. If I were going to be living alone for long periods I would invest in a security system, probably, but I don't think I would otherwise change my life too much.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

The first house DH and I bought had been lived in by an elderly widow. There was a dead bolt on the bedroom door!

My guard dogs are worthless, too. At least the last worthless guard dog I had barked, this one (in my sig) doesn't even bark when someone comes by the house or to the door. She only barks at me when everyone else is asleep. She is not too bright.

 

[Feralpeg]

From the time I was 24 until I was 36, I lived alone. At age 36, I had my daughter. We've lived alone ever since. Yes, we've always had large dogs, but I've never really been afraid to be alone.

 

[donac]

I used to hate to be alone when dh went off with ds's to go on camping trips. Now that he is not going as much I miss having the house to myself.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

When I was a kid my mother would send me to the neighbor's house to spend the night with her if she were going to be alone. The house was huge and I slept on a completely different floor than the neighbor. Never did quite understand what purpose my presence served!