I’ve been hearing footsteps throughout my house all day, and I’m home alone now. I’ve been paranoid and obsessive about home intruders for over a month now, and todays the first day ive heard footsteps in a while. Well, I’m always worried about home intruders, but I’ve been obsessing about it since my last rough patch just over a month ago.
Are hearing things like footsteps and doors shutting common in people with psychotic disorders? I guess I’m asking is it possible to hear anything, or is it “abnormal” to hear things other than voices?
I hear noises like that too around the house, especially when I’m stressed and hypervigilent. I think I hear the front door open and close, as well as footsteps going up or down the stairs. Also knocking at the door and the doorbell. Sometimes the sound of the not real doorbell will even wake me up. No one is ever there though. It’s just my mind playing tricks on me.
Thank you for your response! Is there anything you do to destress during these times? I dont want to take my prn unless I absolutely have to, but I’m scared. I have obsessive fears about home intruders and I wonder if this could effect what I hear. It’s not like I hear something for a split second and then it goes away if thay makes sense. I hear shuffling footsteps/walking for a good little bit and when I went to the room they were in the sound moved to another room.
I am super stressed right now. I’m scared to take my meds to go to sleep, but I’m so tired. Maybe I’ll wait until my dad is up in a few hours.
Because if I fall asleep too soon then I’m scared people will break in and hurt my family. Logically I know it won’t happen, but it feels so real. My OCD came back with avengeance after years of being compulsion free and my biggest obsession is fear of home intruders.
Also I’m not skipping my meds or trying to get off them, I’d never do that, I just take them late because they make me pass out and I dont feel safe taking them before 5 in the morning. My treatment team knows about this part and I’m telling them about hearing footsteps later today at my appointment.
Ugh that sounds terrible! I’m sorry that’s happening to you. I definitely know how it feels to know something logically but persist in your rumination and fears despite that. Maybe take your meds in a couple hours like you’ve been doing and regroup with your treatment team later today to come up with a plan? That’s great that you’re seeing them today.
I hear people downstairs, and I hear noises in the house. Sometimes it’s something simple like my guinea pigs, but sometimes it’s in (or rather, out of) my head. I take a PRN, too. I call my husband if he isn’t home, and if it’s really bad, I call my pdoc.
Hey, thanks for asking. It went alright, didn’t get too many answers. My therapist and I set some goals that I’m going to work on meeting throughout the week. My other therapist says that it is not abnormal to hear footsteps and other things, especially if one has a fear of home intruders.