Someone was in my bedroom today while I was at therapy.

Post Reply New Topic

I am not sure how to respond to this.

I have a box filled with my prescriptions - most of the pills were dumped onto the floor, and the box itself was ~3 feet away from where I usually put it. It was not possible for it to fall to that location as they were of similar height. It also was not me, as I noticed my bottle of sertraline HCl on the floor as soon as I opened my door. I also noticed some items are missing.

This is provoking an emotional response that I am unable to understand, and I do not even know how to bring the subject up. All I can say is that this is very unpleasant.

There have been times in the past where the thought of someone entering my room left me severely agoraphobic. I am worried that this will happen again, and I am worried that if someone is willing to come in here once that they will do so again.

If I were you, I would be feeling violated. Is that how you feel?

That is serious. It's scary and majorly disrespectful to your personal home. Most likely, it's a person with substance abuse issues looking for drugs. And yes, burglars sometimes return to the same place, not always, but sometimes. It is an issue.

Try not to carry this burden alone. Obviously, use us here as a resource as long as we're helpful. Above and beyond that, maybe stay with a friend or relative for a couple of days? You'll be in a safe place and then you can kind of strategically make decisions. It is a big deal, and moving is not entirely off the table, as long as you feel it's a move to a better place. And in the meantime, maybe better solid deadbolt locks (which can still be beaten just more in your favor) and additional window locks that have the thumbscrew so you can get out but someone else can't get in without breaking the window.

On the plus side, maybe the person didn't find the kind of drugs they were looking for. Probably they were looking for stuff like oxycontin or demerol. Of course, still not 100 percent won't come back.

I agree. I do not know right now if I feel violated, but I think that would be an accurate assessment. Historically, such a thing is extremely discombobulating and upsetting to me, but it often takes time for me to untangle it, but panic attacks typically ensue at some point.



This was not a burglary, it was someone who lives here.

None of my medications are missing, including my slightly narcotic cyclobenzaprine and my Adderall.



I live with relatives, and it was a relative who came in here. I am fairly certain I know which relative was in here. I do not have anywhere else I can go.

People have been here all day, there are two small dogs who bark and continue barking if they hear someone outside, my bedroom window faces the front porch, and people frequently sit on the front porch and smoke. Also, the likelihood of a burglar coming into my room and taking a plate while leaving my Adderall alone seems fairly low.

I meant to be clearer about what was removed from my room, but I am apparently not thinking as clearly as I would prefer.

Sounds like your relative cannot be trusted. Or he/she doesn't actually mean any harm? Maybe he/she thinks that you are part of the family and so it's ok to touch your things? Feeling close enough to you to touch your stuff without permission? Leaving such a mess seems to indicate that he/she didn't try to hide the fact that he/she touched your things.

I don't mean to question your mind, but do you think you might have possibly done it yourself and have forgotten it? It's very unlikely, but something like that does happen sometimes.

I don't know.

If it is who I suspect it was, she probably won't say anything, but she knows that I freak out when people enter my space.



Nope. I do not miss when I knock my meds over. It makes a big mess and I have to find everything, and I always put them back in exactly the same space. I'd never put them where I found them.

If they were not looking to take meds with recreational value, do you know why they were looking?

I would be very discombobulated, too. And I would not like it at all. It doesn't matter if they are your relatives. They do not have the right to enter your personal space and go through your personal belongings.

For me, personally, I would want to address it, but I would want to do so in a careful manner since these are your relatives and you need a place to live.

I might start by saying "I noticed that someone was in my room today. Did you need something?" And then when they respond I'd just say "Next time could you please wait until I am home and ask me or let me help you look? I find it upsetting to think of someone in my personal space without my knowledge when I am not home. I think most people would feel that way."

I am so sorry this happened to you. I feel a little sick myself just thinking about it.

Yes. I suspect they were looking for the plate, because I hadn't taken it out and washed it yet.



On a very primal level, the thought of bringing it up makes me panic. I think that if I don't bring it up I can let it be, but if I talk about it, it will lead to a conversation that I am not equipped to handle.



Thank you, I appreciate the sentiment.

Lets look at this logically, if you are working.. It is time to invest in an alarm system. Always lock your door. And notify your neighbors there is a burglar possi bly near by. Be grateful there is no physical harm done. Hopeful this helps.

Wasn't a burglar, as explained above. My bedroom door does not have a lock, but I think I will add one.

That's it. Sad you have to do that though.

It really is.

As a temporary lock when you're in the room, I've used a folded towel placed right next to the door slightly pushed under. Also reduces a little noise volume.

The relative was feeling resentment toward you and the plate symbolized some of that, and so she threw your pills on the ground ? ? These kind of things sometimes don't make any sense.

No, the pills are located in a place where it's very easy to knock the box over. This isn't really intentional on my part, that's just the most accessible place for me. I rarely knock them over, but someone who's not used to my room could easily do so without thinking.

While I can't know just how you feel, I think I can relate some....when I was staying with my dad one summer as a teenager, my stepmom gave our relatives a tour of my bedroom so they could see the furniture and the windows and the paint and such -- I walked past as this was happening and completely freaked out. I couldn't even begin to coherently express how upset I was and why (my dad figured it out and ended up explaining to my stepmom that I had been raised to expect that my bedroom was my own private space)....it was a horrible experience.