Housebound Agoraphobic and Diazepam

[cosmicpants]

Hi Everyone,
I am so very nervous right now. I have been agoraphobic for 9 years now and the last time I left my road was 6 years ago. Tomorrow I am due to go to my doctors surgery which is about 5 minutes car drive away and I am petrified. My doctorhas given me 2mg diazepam in liquid form, I have been told to take 2 spoonfuls 1 hour before leaving and if not real effect after 30minutes to take another 2 spoonfuls. Can someone please tell me, will this really help me and allow me to be outside of my home and my comfort zone for what could be up to 40mins? I really dont want to feel ok leaving the house and then as soon as we get to the bottom of the road freak out as this has happened before and I cannot bear to go through it again and put my family through it as well. If anyone can help, I would be very grateful.
Thank you
Donna :wacko:

[nicola1980]

Hi the diazepam will certainly help to relax you, 2mg is a very low dose so you may find you need the 2 doses like the doc suggested, good luck xx

[josh1987]

im in the same boat as you. n im moving soon so my comfort zone will no longer be there

[bernie1977]

Hi Donna,

I'm in the same boat as you, I too am housebound with agoraphobia.

That is a low dose of diazepam, but if you've never had it before it might do the trick as you won't have any tolerance to it. If you have enough why not take some today and do a test run to the surgery and see if it works, it make take a bit of the strain off tomorrow.

Good luck and I hope you get to your appointment ok.

[kittikat]

I have agoraphobia but with meds (diazepam) & CBT I have managed to get out and do some of the things that frightened me so much. I have a very small comfort zone which I can do alone, otherwise I need someone to accompany me for support if I it's a situation or place that makes me feel really anxious. 2mg is a very low dose, (I'm on 12mg a day) but see how you feel after 30 minutes as the doctor suggested. It should definitely take the edge off your anxiety.

The thing with agoraphobia & exposure is that you need to stay in the situation that makes you uncomfortable for 30-40 minutes for it to benefit you anyway. The theory is that during this time your anxiety should drop naturally anyway. When that happens it can be a real benefit to you in making small steps into the big wide world again.

Best of luck...you can do this!! Kitti :)

[ewood79]

How did you go cosmic?