Doorbell Dread

[lilmutegirl]

I am about to leave my house, which wouldn't be that big of a deal, except the doorbell rang a bit ago, which sent me into a panic. I didn't answer. Turns out, there are 4 guys re-doing the sidewalk leading to my house. I'm afraid of their reaction when I try to leave, and am worried I may not be able to back out of my driveway (car is in the garage, so they may think nobody's home, since I didn't answer). I hate stuff like this. I loathe answering the door, and avoid doing so at all costs.

 

[Nanita]

I can really relate to this! Sometimes I don´t answer when the doorbell rings, it usually freaks me out. And all those speculations and worries about what people will think of me, and what they will do. Argh it´s so messed up and exhausting.

 

[KerrBear]

If I have someone coming over I usually have them call so I KNOW who is going to be at my door. I panic at unexpected visitors as well it kinda throws you off-guard. If I don't know who is at my door, I won't answer either.

 

[IntheLabyrinth]

It happens to me too. I try to remind myself that there may be numerous reasons for me not answering for all the people who rang the doorbell know, so when I leave I don't have to fret so much about running into them. e.g. showering, on the phone, in the backyard, etc... And plus they are not giving it a second thought. Then the irrational part takes over and tells me that I will panic if I have to speak to them and I forget all of the evidence proving that it's no big deal. Just try to remember that they probably forgot about it already.

 

[kilojoule]

what happened? did you get your car out ok?

 

[this_portrait]

I live in an apartment with a buzzer system, so luckily I don't have to worry about people knocking directly on my door. On the rare occasion someone does ring my buzzer, they're actually looking for someone else in the building and rang the wrong one.

Feeling the doorbell dread isn't really common with me; it's more of a who-the-hell-is-trying-to-bother-me? feeling.

 

[jaim38]

I dread answering the door when someone rang. I don't want my neighbors to see me or know about me.

 

[JohnDee]

I actually don't mind the door, Its the phone calls that get me, if its an unknown number I hate it. I actually do it so they don't do it again. I find getting angry helps me deal with the issue.

 

[lilmutegirl]

what happened? did you get your car out ok?

Yeah, it ended up fine. as soon as I opened the garage door I saw a guy and he said that he tried to knock. I told him I must've been in the shower. I left and didn't even think much about it after that.

 

[mikebird]

Great thread!!

My main reason is that about 6 - 8 years ago, our apartments' all got a buzzer upgrade. It's so loud that it makes me shriek, even more than my hated phone ring, making me feel very much like a celebrity. Only one visitor, really, between 1 or two weeks. No video, so it's old school, and I DO NOT pick up the handset to screen who wants to come in. The block gets advice every Xmas to watch out for fraud & robbery. As a realistic person I don't get paranoid about this. I'm happy to defend my home with a set of tools by the door used for a bathroom retiling - saw, hammer, mallet & chisel. I can check outside the window from above. My mate always smiles upwards towards me when buzzing. Many buzzes happen when people aren't visible, hiding under the awning. I buzz someone in when the timing makes me sure who it is.

I do wake to vivid dreams over the last 12 years that my home contents are gone. The quality possessions I gathered while happily employed.

Ummm... I guess this is because of the dread of my Dad transferred to me at a young age. He always kept a truncheon to hand

I could describe all the above meaning in this: "SO LOUD!!" It feels like two 50 megawatt megaphone glued to both of my ears. BBBBBRRRRRLLLLL!

Perhaps that's designed to deafen all inhabitants, so we'll never hear it again, while still paying for the power required to fuel that inducer :moderator:

Actually, it's not that bad. Same noise when other people get buzzed. It's not mine cos there are walls between. Often I get sad and lonely, because all types of hordes come to visit others, and keep ringing if nobody's in. I can't tell who else's number is buzzed, but when it is mine, ooohh! My ears hurt, whichever room I'm in.

 

[CaptainArgh]

I dont mind the door - it wont be a personal thing anway - only business or people I am not interested in talking to anyway.

What gets me is the phone... the knowledge for work that anxiety awaits caused by the problems I have to solve as a consequence. Over these holidays I didnt answer it for a solid 9 days irrespective of who called.

Whats on my mind lately is that i go through cycles where I'm not too bad, the phone wont worry me, minor avoidance, positive and this super version of myself where I can actually be pleasant to be around, or the complete alternatives where the black periods get blacker and blacker and blacker.