How to stay safe

Hi @DGoldman.

I imagine it's hard knowing there is a period of 5 days coming up where you will be on your own. It's great how proactive you are being about preparing for this beforehand. Having a plan of how you are going to get through it will hopefully help. I'm sure other members will chime in with their own experiences soon. I wonder what ideas you have already?

Hi @DGoldman,

I think it's hard to answer your question in a helpful way without understanding more about what 'alone' looks like for you compared to what interaction/support you usually have. Are you able to explain a bit more about what you usually do, what you'll be doing during those 5 days etc.?

My response would be different depending on the circumstances -

e.g. I've had experiences as a teenager where I was living with my parents who usually did lots of stuff for me, but then they went away for a few days... which could count as "alone".

Or as an adult who lives on my own but goes to work 5 days a week so I'm not really "alone" unless I stay inside for a whole long weekend.

But both of those are completely different from someone who doesn't have an out-of-the-home work/study commitment, has a regular support person who they're dependent upon for things, where they can or can't leave the house without that person around...

Just too many variables without more info.

Hey @DGoldman - this is a really interesting topic to explore generally. How does everyone else deal with alone time when they find there is discomfort and fear?

What kind of strategies and tips do others engage with to stay safe when alone time is coming up?

Are there people at your work potentially that you could maybe organise to have lunches with so you ensure you have been social that day? Perhaps exercise classes at a local gym to help not only keep you social but then nice and tired for sleep when you are home alone? Creating a safety plan is also another useful resource!

@TheVorticon - interesting to clarify as well what alone space looks like to everyone. I wonder if looking at what helps when you feel unsafe generally could be good to explore too.

Can you Psyciatrist organise a nurse to do home visits daily?

I've found this very helpful in the past.