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I'm battling with agoraphobia. I'm trying to do the 'feel the fear and do it anyway' kind of think to accept it's just anxiety and go with it, but the fact I deel depressed (or at least fed up - I'm not sure it's deep depression) means I just can't face the hardships I need to go through to conquer this.
Plus I don't really have the motivation to overcome my fears. Much of me just wants to find some way to seal itself off from the world so I don't have to endure any hardships.
Any comments?
Hello Solent and welcome to NMP.
I too am agoraphobic and at the moment, like you, I am trying to feel the fear, and I know it's so not easy. Each night lately I have been going for short drives, with someone with me, but I still feel the fear before going out and get the shakes, racing heart etc...although mostly they do seem to be easing a little, that is...until I try to go somewhere different (have been doing the same route over and over)..and a couple of times have ventured out onto the main road, which terrifies me.
You will find lots of people on here who will truly understand how you feel and you will also find lots of useful advice etc.
I wish you the best of luck with facing your demons and look forward to hearing how you are progressing.
Kaz
im also going through agoraphobia, its hard , i use to be scared of going out the door , but then i have to push myself sometimes because i wont be able to go to work ! I find it hard to talk to people to and everything goes all distant and i need the rush to get back home ... Its hard but you have to push yourself and set yourself a new target and reward yourself if you can do it !! I wish you best of luck !
hi solent im also very depressed from not going out and doing all the things i used to every time i get up ifeel as if i 've got a tight band around my chest and i feel very scared of this feeling so it stops me from being motivated i do try to ignore this feeling but it so hard ijust put up with it and try and get on with it so im sat at home all of the time getting worse by the day i hope you find a way through your bad times lot s
of love lin x
Hi my name is steve im 49 and like the ppl on this site i struggle with agrophobia if anyone would like to talk to me please either email me through this site or talk to me on msn my msn address is the themidnightpirate@hotmail.com
Thanks
Steve
Hi guys
Im sorry you are going through this hell of a symptom but what I dont read in your posts is what youre doing to get rid of it. Is anyone having therapy or medication?
I too have been through this and now I am fine but unless I know some background I cannot make any suggestions.
Wish you luck
Andy
Hi there
You have got to find some belief that at some point things will be different. It's so hard to push yourself to go through something so unpleasant if you don't have a believable goal on the other side, and of course when you're depressed that's hard to see.
When I was in my teens I was so agorophobic the only time I'd leave the house was with my mum once a week to go get my meds from the doctors. It was a terrifying experience and for a long time I couldn't imagine it could be any different. But it does start with the tiny steps - just a walk to the post box, then the shop etc. It's really important you have someone to counsel you along the way, to help you set goals and reassure you with your progress. Have you asked your doc to refer you to a therapist? Or for something more immediate get a book like the Anxiety Workbook (by Edmund Burke I think, it's available on here and at most bookshops), and keep reading it, it can be that other voice you need to counter your anxiety and negativity.
After much therapy with a psychologist I started getting better, but it was hard and I'm not fully recovered, I still don't go on holiday or anywhere outside my "invisible" boundary which is much further than it ever used to be, which means my life is fairly normal. It's helpful to focus on something you'd like to achieve and each time you go out, however horrible the experience, see it as a step towards that goal.
Agorophobia is a very lonely illness so try to keep in touch with people and talk as much as possible to keep your spirits up. Remember it is possible to go out, feel absolutely awful, but not run away, just grit your teeth through the symptoms, almost have a dialogue with them (I used to greet them, then say f**k you, I'm doing this anyway, you can do your best to stop me but I'm going to ignore you), try to turn that fear to anger and it gives you so much more strength. I would often spend whole nights out feeling horrible - sick, dizzy, unable to swallow etc. but it was worth it as gradually I'd see the symptoms fade. And by not running home I came to truly believe that as much as I felt like I was going to faint/be sick/lose it completely in public - that just never happens. It's the fear of this that gives panic attacks their power, once you truly realize all these terrifying things really won't happen (and that only happens when we stick it out, every time I ran home it strengthened by belief that I had to get home to stop the anxiety) then you get your power back.
Sorry to ramble on, but I know how awful agorophobia is and wanted you to know it can get better!
Nettles X