Anxiety over a mouse...
Hello.
So I moved into a studio flat in Septemeber for my third year at uni in the middle of a city centre. My flat is above a row of a bookshop, cafes and supermarket that is part of a whole street. The past two flats I have had had mice but I managed to cope but this year it is completely different. I got woken up by a mouse last Friday morning darting around my room and spent 2 hours trying to get it out before having to go to class. I contacted my university (I rent the flat of them) but they say that there is nothing they can really do as there is shops and other flats along the whole street that are all one building so you can't get rid of them.
Ever since I actually saw one, every single noise (from big bang to little scratch) is making me jump and I get so anxious. I start shaking, get palpitations and feel sick all the time thinking 'there is a mouse in my room'. I try and tell myself yeah even if there is one it wont harm me but I just hate the fact that they could be running around with their germs, eating stuff etc. I can't sleep at night - I lie there with headphones in and music blaring but I still think I hear things and am on edge all the time. When I eventually get to sleep after about 4 hours, I keep waking up after 45 minutes or so as I have had a dream that there was a mouse. It has really started messing with my uni work as when I eventually get to sleep for a couple of hours I sleep right through my alarms and miss classes or I can't concentrate during the day as I am that tired.
I think I have covered up all the holes (but you never do know) and put peppermint oil everywhere and moth balls as I read that they can't stand them. I can't bring myself to put traps down - 1) don't think it will do much good as if the whole building row has them then a few I kill wont make a difference 2) I can't deal with a dead mouse, I hate killing things 3) If i do catch one then i will know there was one and it will freak me out as there will be more.
I just want to ran away somewhere else but have no where, not even a different room to go in as my flat is all one room bar one tiny wet room. A dread it getting dark as my body is on alert and its turned into during the day now too. My family said that I would get better as time passed since it has only been a few days but I have actually gotten worse. I just hate the feeling off not knowing when I'll get to sleep and how long I'll sleep for and even though I tell myself they wont hurt me I just cant stop my body reacting.
I don't know whether to get an emergency appointment with my doctor and just try and keep going and find ways to deal with it. Has anyone else had a similar situation and has any advice on how to deal with this type of paranoia/anxiety?
So I moved into a studio flat in Septemeber for my third year at uni in the middle of a city centre. My flat is above a row of a bookshop, cafes and supermarket that is part of a whole street. The past two flats I have had had mice but I managed to cope but this year it is completely different. I got woken up by a mouse last Friday morning darting around my room and spent 2 hours trying to get it out before having to go to class. I contacted my university (I rent the flat of them) but they say that there is nothing they can really do as there is shops and other flats along the whole street that are all one building so you can't get rid of them.
Ever since I actually saw one, every single noise (from big bang to little scratch) is making me jump and I get so anxious. I start shaking, get palpitations and feel sick all the time thinking 'there is a mouse in my room'. I try and tell myself yeah even if there is one it wont harm me but I just hate the fact that they could be running around with their germs, eating stuff etc. I can't sleep at night - I lie there with headphones in and music blaring but I still think I hear things and am on edge all the time. When I eventually get to sleep after about 4 hours, I keep waking up after 45 minutes or so as I have had a dream that there was a mouse. It has really started messing with my uni work as when I eventually get to sleep for a couple of hours I sleep right through my alarms and miss classes or I can't concentrate during the day as I am that tired.
I think I have covered up all the holes (but you never do know) and put peppermint oil everywhere and moth balls as I read that they can't stand them. I can't bring myself to put traps down - 1) don't think it will do much good as if the whole building row has them then a few I kill wont make a difference 2) I can't deal with a dead mouse, I hate killing things 3) If i do catch one then i will know there was one and it will freak me out as there will be more.
I just want to ran away somewhere else but have no where, not even a different room to go in as my flat is all one room bar one tiny wet room. A dread it getting dark as my body is on alert and its turned into during the day now too. My family said that I would get better as time passed since it has only been a few days but I have actually gotten worse. I just hate the feeling off not knowing when I'll get to sleep and how long I'll sleep for and even though I tell myself they wont hurt me I just cant stop my body reacting.
I don't know whether to get an emergency appointment with my doctor and just try and keep going and find ways to deal with it. Has anyone else had a similar situation and has any advice on how to deal with this type of paranoia/anxiety?
I can't really think of anything helpful to say other than just normal anxiety stuff- try and focus on breathing to calm yourself down a bit, go for walks, listen to music, try mindfulness and things like that (google it!). Hopefully your GP will be helpful and you can see them soon. The other thing I find helpful with anxiety is write down what I'm scared of or I think is irrational and then write rational reasons why whatever it is won't happen or is not a 'normal' thing to think. I'm not sure how well it would work in this situation but might be worth a try.
