AIBU to trust my intuition sometimes, and is there a logical explanation for what happened this morning?

[MidnightSun77]

(N/C for this as I'm a MN regular).

We live in a first floor flat in a small gated complex.

This morning, about 10mins after DH left for work, someone buzzed our intercom. For no apparent reason I felt a sudden surge of fear. I asked who it was over intercom, couldn't hear anything but this often happens as there's a fault with it. Usually I buzz people in anyway even if I'm alone (I know I probably shouldn't but it usually turns out to be a delivery or my neighbour forgetting his key-fob).
However, this morning I felt strongly that I should NOT buzz them in or even go downstairs to check who it was. They buzzed again, I answered but couldn't hear much, faintly heard a man's voice but couldn't make out any words. I still had a very strong sense I shouldn't buzz him in so I ignored it. Why would I suddenly feel like this? Do you think there's any truth in 'intuition' or sensing danger or is it something else? Would you have listened to this feeling, or let him in as usual? I could have gone down to communal front door and looked through glass, but even that felt like really bad idea.

Im not usually superstitious or nervous. The only time something similar happened was years ago. I was in uni halls and used to take my laundry to campus laundrette at 2am as this was only time it was quiet. I'd done this regularly for 6months. One night I got my laundry ready as usual but felt jumpy and kept delaying. Eventually I carried it down the 4 flights of stairs to the side-door (laundrette was a 5-min walk away to a different part of campus, isolated from main buildings). It was a warm moonlit night. When I opened the door I noticed a dead glassy-eyed rabbit on the path, which made me jump. Suddenly the nerves turned into full-blown fear. I shut door and hurried back to my room. I felt really silly about this and almost made myself go out anyway as had no clean clothes left! Then next day we had visit from police... a girl had been sexually assaulted on campus by an unknown attacker (who wasn't caught) at 3am close to the laundrette I'd been about to go to. I was really shaken up.
Do you think this was a 'sixth sense' warning me against going out that night, or a complete coincidence? I was already uneasy before I saw the dead rabbit but would probably have gone to laundrette anyway had the rabbit not been there. On a different night I might have not been fazed by dead rabbit at all.

Anyone else had any experiences like this? Do you listen to your intuition or dismiss it?

About 2 years ago, someone knocked on my door, DH was at work. I knew that if i opened the door, something bad was going to happen. I didn't and a little, later police were all over a house further up my street. Turns out, the guy that had knocked on my door had done the same further up, barged in, beat up the man that owned the house and robbed him. Always trust your intuition! (definitely not saying that would of happened to you, just a personal example) Hope you're okay OP x

I dont think it is woooo but old instinct.
I have read that scents are massivelyimportant in these feelings, you can smell a difference in someones pheromones or something if they are building up to committing a crime or similar.

I think believing in intuition is a load of bollocks, and similar to woo.

There is also 'instinct' which I think is very real and worth heeding.

(And remember, anecdote is not evidence)

Ah we got a desk from Freecycle recently. We said what a shame it didn't come with a chair and that we should get one. That evening on my way home from work, I had the urge to drive down a road that I haven't driven down in years. There outside someone's house with a big 'free to collector' sign was an office chair. Perfect!

I sat down in the chair of a new hairdresser and my intuition was SCREAMING don't let the old hag near you with scissors!! I ignored it and had the worst cut of my life...will never ignore that voice again (or get my hair cut on a whim!!).

Years ago, my mother was in a nursing home and I used to visit her every Saturday afternoon.
One Thursday evening out of the blue, I got it into my head that I should go and see her.
It was cold and wet and two bus journeys away plus I had my elderly Dad to look after so I talked myself out of it and didn't go in to visit.
The following morning I had a phone call from the home to say that she had died.

There is a lot about this in Gavin De Becker's book "the gift of fear". I am really glad you didn't let him in op!

Really interesting thread, love things like this tho not the awful things that have happened to some posters of course.

I've just downloaded Blink on the strength of the mention of it by pp (thank u!) n can't put it down. On page 550 of 743. Thoroughly intriguing.

OP - yanbu. Whether the feelings we get r scientific (thinslicing), down to r evolution or if they r woo, they served u well n I don't believe we should ever ignore them.

I've had a similar experience to you OP. I was about 14 and home alone after school. A man knocked on my door. Normally I would answer it without hesitation but when I looked through the peephole, I went cold with fear. He was a perfectly normal looking man so I don't know why I reacted the way I did. My basset hound who normally wouldn't even get up for knock at the door let alone bark, could sense my fear and starting barking loudly. I crouched down underneath the door and quietly encouraged my dog to carry on barking. The man continued knocking for ages, perhaps assuming someone was in since the dog was. Eventually he went away. That's it.

I believe intuition is more often than not something the conscious mind has fully processed

The Gift of Fear is an interesting book with examples of people feeling fear and not always being able to understand why but once they start to explore what had happened they piece together the little signals that at the time they ignored or just didn't register but knew something felt wrong

we pick up on a number of signals that we are not aware of and at times we get it wrong but it is always I believe important to try to listen to that little voice especially when you are sensing something is not how it should be

Blink is a good book too

Oooh! Spooky.

What you are all picking up is like device less dowsing.

Anyone who has heard Phillipa Langley's talk will know what I mean.

Keep them coming

Fantastic stories

I was in junior school with someone, got on with him, but we weren't really friends, but he seemed nice enough. I met him again years later, when he was going out with a family friend's daughter, and he'd really changed, and I couldn't wait to get away from him. I felt really nervous and unsettled being around him.

He's now on trial for murder.

A pp has reminded me of the night my DG died.
She was in a nursing home a good hours drive from where I lived, I had young DC and my dp was on nights.
It was about 7pm and I just knew that I must go see my gran. It took a lot of ringing round to get a lift and a babysitter!
I got there about 9pm and she died about 15 minutes after. It was just so peaceful, iykwim.
There were also a few of my relatives who'd had the same feeling and rushed to get there but none had arrived in time so it was just me and my lovely lovely grandma.

I hesitate to tell this, because it's so personal, but I had this weird niggle the last time I saw my Dad, and I ignored it. He was happy and well, came for a meal at our house, and at one point was up a ladder inspecting some of the electrics for us.

When he came to leave, I was so preoccupied keeping the kids and the puppy indoors/off the road, I didn't kiss him goodbye. I realised this as he drove off, although we had had our usual fond farewells. A horrible, unwelcome thought popped into my mind, that might be the last time you see him, and it was. He collapsed and died 5 days later.

I realise there is a strong confirmation bias here, but I just can't forget it. I keep thinking why didn't I ring him in the week? Why didn't I check on him.

PeppermintCrayon
I've never regretted trusting my intuition. I've only regretted ignoring it.

Same here. I usually take pride in being a very logical person and I spent years suppressing and ignoring my intuition only to bitterly regret it immediately or some time down the line.

I am now of the opinion that it is better to feel foolish than be hurt.

I think you did the right thing too. He could have been watching your place and seen your husband leave and waited 10 mins just to make sure coast is clear (that DH hasn't forgot car keys/wallet etc and isn't coming back soon) to then knock on your door hoping that you'll think it's your husband and answer or that you'd just let whoever it was in out of curiosity and then they'd try their luck at trying to get into your place for whatever god forsaken reason

You did the right thing. You should always listen to your intuition. It's there for a reason

notsmartenough - I had similar with my grandmother. 3 times one evening I had the urge to phone her, but felt that it was for spurious reasons (mum's phone had been engaged for ages and I wanted to ask my grandmother if she knew what she was doing) so I didn't.

The next day she died of a massive heart attack - I regret enormously not following the promptings I had to phone her. :(

So OP - I think you did the right thing too. And agree that you should get your buzzer fixed, and don't answer the door without checking who it is!

I was once walking home from work along a river path by a Mai. road which was not isolated other than one short section where it went to the side of a supermarket building. It was broad daylight and there was a bloke walking ahead of me who just instantly gave me the creeps, just from the back of him.

I slowed my pace and kept walking, counting down in my head to when we'd be visible to the main road again. Just when we were getting to the point when we were almost there, he suddenly wheeled round and started walking back towards me. So I did exactly the same, on total instinct and legged it into the supermarket until he'd gone.

I just knew he meant me harm. Very odd.

Like other posters I truly believe in the power of instinct, that is the subconscious processing of cues/signals. A few years ago at graduate school I went on a group evening out. One of my friends had brought his friend he'd known since childhood along. The friend was extremely attractive and gregarious but for some reason within seconds of meeting him I wanted to stay as far away from him as possible. He was extremely popular with the women in the group that evening but I found myself monitoring his position to make sure that I wasn't near him. I ended up making my excuses and leaving early - I slipped out on purpose as (I know it sounds crazy) I didn't want to draw any attention - meaning his attention to me. I guess I'd sum up my instincts as telling me to be as invisible as possible to this person.

A month or so later I heard that this man was arrested for the rape of a woman in our group that evening. She'd agreed to give him a lift to a tube station close to her flat which had the line he needed to take. He managed to talk her into driving back to her place saying he could walk from hers, he asked to use the toilet and once inside raped her. It turned out that this wasn't his first time to be accused of sexual assault.

I have looked back at that evening to try and figure out what it was about him that set me off and I honestly cannot think of what it was. Instinct is a precious gift.

I do have the ability to speed read, it's always shocked those around me n did me well in school . Thoroughly neglected the children yesterday while I became immersed but just loved it!

Tut. That was meant to be for @CactusAnnie. Sorry, new here n using a very free spirited phone!