Discomfort of tradesmen

[LittleMissSleepy]

Suffering from anxiety and agoraphobia can become worse when you have to call in help of a tradesmen/person into your safe zone, home.

I wondered how other people felt when you have to have your safety bubble invaded By the gas, boiler, BT, builders or delivery guys ? I hate it.

[charlotteAnne]

Hi,

Yep! My anxiety peaked at new year, and my roof was leaking! so my landlord got some workers round. They would just turn up! It was spiral my anxiety to hell. So bad. But its all in the mind. But i truely do understand. Luckily, my husband to be is a gas engineer and plumber... so that helps!
Out of interest littleMissSleepy... i also think of home as my safe zone. But it doesnt stop the anxiety when im here. Does your anxiety completely go when you are at home?

[LittleMissSleepy]

Hello Charlotte,
No my anxiety does not always ebb completely away at home. It used to be a relief to return home but other issues can make me anxious within my bubble, eg I'm phone phobic. My recent poor health triggers most of my anxiety these days. Things outside my control in the neighbourhood can also trigger it, eg loud noises when I am very tired/anxious.

Home is still the place I like to be though, how about you ? We also had the roofers in last year.

[kittikat]

Totally hate visitors to my home (unless it's my family), hate the phone ringing, hate it when there is a knock at the door. I just hate my comfort zone/safe place being invaded :)

[haz]

I get really anxious about it beforehand. Usually don't sleep much the night before. Once they're here, I'm the perfect "customer". Smiling, cracking jokes, making them tea/biscuits. Usually end up chatting about other stuff, i.e. the guy who did my cavity wall insulation last week gave me a horse racing tip when he noticed paintings of racehorses on my walls. People who don't know I've got an anxiety disorder think I;m a "happy go lucky", really funny person. People comment on how "laid back" I am. Guess it's my way of dealing with it and I must be a pretty good actress.:shrug:

BUT, I am SO relieved to see the back of them. Got Virgin installed last month and the guy took 3 hours!! Nightmare, but I kept it together and it was worth it.

Afterwards, I can say to myself "Well, that's another job sorted!".

Haz. x

[hoshi]

HATE. IT.

lol. there's my answer.
i remember i once lived in a house-share and my room was the only place in the house i could go to be alone, and one day the landlord just decided to let us know on the /same morning/ as it was scheduled, that people were coming to replace the patio doors in my room (i was on the ground floor right by the garden so i had these big french doors leading outside). anyway i was woken up early by my housemate to be told this, then had to turf myself out so my room could be cordened off as several random polish men covered all of my bed and furniture in linens, and all i could do was look in every now and then as they proceeded to rip the doors out and leave a huge gaping hole in my wall that would take the entire day to then fit new ones into. oh, and also i couldn't even get in the bathroom or shower and get properly dressed because they decided to replace the window in there aswell so we weren't able to use it the whole day.

so there's me in shock, unshowered and dissheveled half in my pyjamas, unable even to get away to my own room while these guys are basically wandering freely in and out of the house like i don't even exist, and basically turning it into a construction site.

i mean WHAT THE HELL!! :wacko:

[LauraSmith27]

I hate it too. I've had a plumber in doing the bathroom for the last 8 days and even though he's a family friend, I will be so glad to have my house back. I was doing really well until day 5 when I had a major stress about everything. Last day today thank goodness!

Laura x

[haz]

I think it's also important to remember that nobody likes "upheaval" in their house but I agree it is a lot worse for anxiety sufferers, especially agoraphobics.

Haz. :)