Hi all,

Thank you so much for the replies. It feels nice to be supported and understood somewhat. Nina- I think you hit it right on! Yes! I never thought of it that way, but I do feel guilty about struggling with this constant defensiveness. I just want to live my life without the constant fearful worry that someone is going to hurt me. My rational mind understands that I dont need to fear everyone, and that I also dont need unconditional trust from everyone. (I should clarify, thats not really what im looking for anyway. I do understand that there are varying degrees and types of trust in different relationships.) Its the obsessive worry and physical anxiety I feel even when I know Im rationally safe that are driving me nuts!