Scared

As some rare people might know, I've gotten mugged one day before school ends(just my luck). The guy had just casually walked up to me, started talking then threatened me with a gun so I just gave my phone/money. I'm lucky to have survived since he initially wanted to kill me.

Point is, now I'm scared of strangers and homeless. Today one came up to my dad, while we were in the car and mom was buying meds, to ask for money. And I found myself shaking while he was talking with dad. My heart was beating faster and after he went gone, I felt kinda relieved. I thought things like this wouldn't affect me anymore (bandits broke into our house once while we were in + some people threatened to kill all the family which caused us to move out) but guess they still can. That sucks >_<

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I know how you feel. I've been robbed and held at knife point, had my home broken into, various other crimes against my person, and even spent time living on the streets; being that person on the other end of the gun. I promise that, while it is extremely terrifying at the time, that's no reason to fear the homeless.

More often that not, the homeless were once the best of society, being lawyers, doctors, and often men and women who served in our military. I work with an organization that goes to homeless camps and shelters, so I get to spend a fair amount of time communicating with these people and feel that I can say with relative confidence that no homeless person wants to hurt anyone.

I'm sorry you experienced what you did, and I share in that same anxiety. But please don't let that fear influence the fact that the better part of "homelessness" is merely a state of existence and not a state of mind.

Fairy;bt99251 said:

I know how you feel. I've been robbed and held at knife point, had my home broken into, various other crimes against my person, and even spent time living on the streets; being that person on the other end of the gun. I promise that, while it is extremely terrifying at the time, that's no reason to fear the homeless.

More often that not, the homeless were once the best of society, being lawyers, doctors, and often men and women who served in our military. I work with an organization that goes to homeless camps and shelters, so I get to spend a fair amount of time communicating with these people and feel that I can say with relative confidence that no homeless person wants to hurt anyone.

I'm sorry you experienced what you did, and I share in that same anxiety. But please don't let that fear influence the fact that the better part of "homelessness" is merely a state of existence and not a state of mind.

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I know some of these people aren't bad but I can't really help it. Whenever one comes up, I kinda tense and wish that they leave as soon as possible. I don't dislike them but they just make me uncomfortable because of the recent incidents.

I avoid the hell out of the homeless and whenever I'm in a shady area I have a knife ready for leg-stabbing. I also keep my wallet in places where people wouldn't expect, like in an almost impossible to see area. What I would personally do is I would carry a fake wallet just in case, and put maybe like $10 in there, with some fake credit cards. I'm sure you could find those online somewhere.

Don't get me wrong, I don't hate homeless people, but they are desperate people.

Sorry about that though man.

That's awful :( I'm sorry to hear this, Nathan!

I get the same way when it comes to strange men. My ex' held me at knifepoint, tried to strangle me and would throw me against walls and scream at me that he was going to kill me, before committing either more physical violence or sexual assault.

I get very anxious around strange men as a result, or in large groups where I feel very vulnerable. If one person can jeopardize my wellbeing so much, then what can a whole mob do? Horrible, awful things.

It's been over a year and I'm still not much better than I was last year in April. I try to use the resources available to me to overcome the fear, but it takes me by surprise and I'll start having a meltdown or hyperventilating, having heart issues, etc. as a result of how badly people trigger my anxiety.

At the end of the day, it's best to know that you came out safe, as I did in a similar (yet much more on-going) situation. Some people aren't so lucky :( phones and money can be replaced, but not life, right.

... o_O i like australia it's nice n safe

I'm glad you're alright Nathan, and I'm sorry that happened to you. And I can sympathize with what you have been through, because I also have a fear of homeless people and shady strangers, and this stems mainly from the fact that I have had a similar encounter with a shady stranger/homeless person like you.

So I just wanted you to know, you're not alone, and I hope you and your family recover from all this soon. :)

-Best Wishes, Professor Jared