New Girl

[fran]

hi - my name is fran and i live in surrey and i hv 3 kids aged 26,24 and 17 so they are old enough to be understanding about my problems.My husband is pretty good too, although i think he kind of forgets sometimes, and i have to remind him what i can and cant hack. hv started reducing my medication this last week cos i feel that i hv got to - i dont panic like i used to, i am not so anxious, so feel i shld perhaps try and join the real world. it is early days so dont know what its going to be like? my main problem now is agraphobia - i am ok with other people but on my own i am kind of crap - really want to be able to go on a bus/train on my own and travel more than 5 miles or so which is my limit at the moment. i feel kind of like my friends and family dont really know what i am going through and it is so nice to realise there are people like me out there - so wld be great to be able to chat with yu and be honest.perhaps you can tell me whether agraphobia does get better with time. i dont think staying on medication is the answer. fran

fran

[imported_n/a]

hi there fran let me be the first to welcome you, i have had anxiety which over time has led to agraphobia and now i can only go about 1 or 2 miles from my home and i have been like this for the last 2 years i have told no-one no family or friends not that i have many now because of this ? i do admire you for taking medication i was always too scared to ,i have only been a member for three days and it truly is great to talk here but hey welcome again and maybe we will talk soon ok keep smileing darren

[fran]

[hi there and thanks for welcoming me. i took medication because i was so desperate after having a huge panic attack and i was absolutely desperate. i had seen some cognitive therapy lady who had literally frightened the life out of me and i had been threatened with being admitted. i went in desperation to see a wonderful lady doctor who actually understood me and realised that for me medication was necessary to kind of enable me to start over. i hv to say it changed my life in that i could actually go out and i have improved alot anxiety wise. i also do a relaxation tape every day and record each and every little achievement. i also saw a counsellor for about 6 months which was great because i could talk to her without feeling foolish. i think with the agraphobia (which i suddenly realised was now my real problem) it will always be there but i really push myself - a little more each day - even if it is by being out 15 minutes longer or a quarter of a mile further.can you go out if you are with others ? tell me if this is easier for you than being out on your own. being out with friends is certainly easier for me than being on my own, and i going down that route quite alot recently as even though i am not on my own it actually gives you confidence - which lets face it is what it is all about. do something brave tomorrow and tell me and i'll do the same. quote]Originally posted by darren

hi there fran let me be the first to welcome you, i have had anxiety which over time has led to agraphobia and now i can only go about 1 or 2 miles from my home and i have been like this for the last 2 years i have told no-one no family or friends not that i have many now because of this ? i do admire you for taking medication i was always too scared to ,i have only been a member for three days and it truly is great to talk here but hey welcome again and maybe we will talk soon ok keep smileing darren
[/quote]

fran

[twister]

Hi fran

Welcome! You should come and join us in the chat room - most nights after 9pm.

This site is great and I'm sure you'll get loads of help.:D

Emily

[fran]

[thanks emily i- i did try earlier on but no-one there will try agaihquote]Originally posted by twister

Hi fran

Welcome! You should come and join us in the chat room - most nights after 9pm.

This site is great and I'm sure you'll get loads of help.:D

Emily
[/quote]

fran

[kate]

Hiya Fran,

Just wanted to say welcome to the site!

Kate x

[red]

Hiya Fran
Welcome to the site - glad you found us! Also, good to know that I am not the only 'golden oldie' on here now!!!!

You are quite right in thinking that friends and family, although supportive, do not know what is going on - I think you have to experience what we do to really understand - but you really do seem to have a load of support which is good. And........you just found some more support from the site, so well done you!

You chat away to any of us! I actually help people with anxiety, agoraphobia and panics as a psychotherapist and have seen numerous agrophobics turn around and get better. Medication is a real help at first if you are having trouble 'functioning' properly and you will be able to do without it eventually, so don't get too despondent on having to take it now - it is helping you and getting you to see glimpses of the 'real world' already.

You just took a really good firt step being here! Look forward to hearing from you again.

Red
x

[imported_n/a]

:)hi there fran yeah i can only go 1 or 2 miles from my home the hardest thing for me is having to make excuses all the time why i cant go somwhere like to my mum dad oh sorry really busy today or i am doing the garden or/ or? or? because no one knows,,,and i find it easier doing it on my own like pushing myself to go that little further i tend to get a little too anxious when i am with someone there esspecially when they are not awere of what i am going through thanks fran lets keep our chins up yeah

[kate]

Hiya Darren,

I also find trying to do things easier on my own.

Lots of people in the past have offered to come with me to places like going on a bus but I would prefer to do it on my own cos then if I freak out, I can do it privately!

The downside to this though is that if you are not reliant on people helping you, you can end up avoiding doing it at all which is what I'm guilty of!!

Take care

Kate x

[Meg]

Hi Fran ,
Welcome .

Please do have a good hunt round the home pages as there s plenty of information and stories about people who have bene where you are now.

I couldn't make it down the road to the post office - all of 75 yards a while ago and I just got back from Portugal today having spent Easter on a 20,000 acre farm with no ameneties or access apart from a dirt track .

It can be done. Step by step, challenge by challenge.

The 'secret' is consistency in trying.





Meg

"Come to the edge."
"We can't. We're afraid."
"Come to the edge."
"We can't. We will fall!"
"Come to the edge."
And they came.
And he pushed them.
And they flew.

- Guillaume Apollinaire