Dear Aetheria:

Your story reminds me of my past experience: I lived in an apartment. For months it was a good experience, then a new neighbor moved in to an apartment below. She was in the habit of being awake all night and asleep part of the day. At night she would vacuum, wash dishes, move around, making a lot of noise, into the morning. And to supplement the harassment, she slammed doors, day and night.

Nothing helped: talking nicely with her, talking angrily with her- asserting myself- nothing. At one point I knew: I was either going to survive this or not. I was sleep deprived and distressed. I could have died in a car accident or such. Eventually I moved out to a new place before it was furnished, slept on an inflated mattress bought for the purpose of moving as soon as possible.

Some people we can do nothing but survive.

I believe that moving out ASAP should be your first priority, in effort to survive her. In the meantime, before you move, I wonder if you had a friend that can move in with you, into the apartment, if that will help to make it easier for you being there…?

anita