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View Full Version : Beating agoraphobia and panic attacks



diane07
06-03-14, 21:29
I wanted to do this post to give others hope that Panic Attacks aren't necessarily here for life and Agoraphobia can be beaten.

I'd love to be able to tell you that theres a lovely little tablet to take and all will be cured...........sadly, as far as i am aware it doesn't exist.

Without boring everyone, i got to a stage where i could no longer go in a corner shop because my shaking was out of control.............I was scared of the whole world.

I had ONE AIM....... to be able to take my little girl to school.

Looking back to my bad days, it was a mission to try and walk up the road on my own, i honestly felt like it was always going to be a mission, always a fight with myself that i would make it to the top without collapsing and i really did think that it was always going to be like this forever.

I was wrong.

I went above and beyond, taking my girl to school is a breeze, going the dentist, going in meetings, walking as far as my little legs will take me, going to huge city centres on my own, standing in queues..............you name it and i do it........its not a struggle and i don't have the fight or flight to deal with.

How did i do it?.............................I listened to my CBT therapist and then went off on my own with the tools he gave me to go grab my life back.

I'm not stronger than anyone else, i had probably become one of the weakest three years ago.

I changed my lifestyle................i eat healthily, i exercise, i read very amusing books to keep my mind in a good place as i have a very stressful but rewarding job.

I deal with people everyday who have anxiety issues and i spend my time keeping them in a good place, so i don't visit here as often as i wish i could or that i should.

I just want to give some positive thoughts to those who think they will always be agoraphobic for life..................its just not the case.

I am about to organise my first "Fell Walk" in memory of my agoraphobic days.

To remind me of where i am today and where i will be tomorrow.

Don't ever lose hope.

Di xx

Phuzella
06-03-14, 21:46
Nice one:)

beauty
07-03-14, 00:40
That's a really inspiring post, thank you.

I also got over my anxiety and spent 7 years leading a normal happy life. Unfortunately it has returned recently and taken over again but I'm determined to get back on track and your post is a nice reminder that it is possible.

mgw
07-03-14, 01:12
Well done Diane! It's an amazing feeling isn't it, be proud, it's an Inspiring post

bernie1977
07-03-14, 10:37
We'll done Diane! Thank you for posting, it's inspiring to read that recovery can be achieved

HalfJack
13-03-14, 08:55
That made me cry. Inspirations galore! :notworthy::notworthy::notworthy:

venusbluejeans
13-03-14, 10:39
Just found your thread Di, no idea ho I missed it :blush:

Such an inspiring post and proof to others it can be done.... Well Done you xxxx

GingerFish
14-03-14, 19:19
Well done! I'm currently doing the same thing to beat my panic attacks too. Its early days but in the last 3 days I have went into shops, went out long walks, went on public transport etc. Those are something I haven't been able to do for almost a year due to panic attacks. I found meds made me worse so I made myself a challenge chart and set challenges like going on a train etc and I've to do each challenge at least 5 times within a set time say a month and hopefully then it'll become easier and easier the more I do it.

I'm doing a challenge every day and then ticking it off my chart. Its deffo gave me a big confidence boost especially going on public transport, that was a massive drawback for me.

diane07
14-03-14, 20:26
Well done ginger and thats exactly the way forward.

Different challenges everyday, even the smallest of things that we do help to chip away at the Agora.

Beauty............you have done it once and you can do it again...... we all get blips. Keep fighting that fight :yesyes:

Thanks guys :bighug1:

Positive thinking is good for the soul and good for the mind.

Onwards and upwards x

DEREKG
18-03-14, 15:59
Congratulations, Di. That's an ispiring post and well done you. Hope is better than any therapy or medication in my opinion and thankyou for giving a little of that out. :)

---------- Post added at 14:59 ---------- Previous post was at 14:59 ----------

"inspiring" lol

Adam**
20-03-14, 17:22
Well done :)

diane07
20-03-14, 23:00
Driving in places i am unfamiliar with............

After 22 years of avoiding driving in places that i don't know, i combatted last saturday.

I went way out of my comfort zone and i have to say that i never even contemplated ever doing this in my life.

I don't think i can put in words how this made me feel, i've never felt such happiness and such freedom.

Next step.............Motorway! :shades:

Neurotic Nick
21-03-14, 02:22
Thank you Diane, i regularly feel that i'll never be able to move about the world freely again and every successtory i read gives me courage to keep going out every day and plugging away. I think my biggest hurdles are impatience and frustation! ;) But reading your story helps quiet those beasts!

Oh and good luck with the motorway! From previous experience (it used to be one of my only phobias) audiobooks and podcasts help.

CameronG
22-10-14, 04:38
Currently agoraphobic for roughly 3 years, lost my wife and child in May due to my illness & her not being able to cope with it after I'd given up. Lying in bed at around 4:30am thinking about how my ex has now moved on with someone else & how my life is pretty much over...THEN I come across this little post as I thought I'd have one more to, I rarely visit this site nowadays due to It mainly being negative posts (no offence intended to anyone) but it's nice to see a positive post & someone actually over coming agoraphobia.

Xx

JustBeMe
31-12-14, 07:38
Way to go, Diane. Is it ironic that we share the same name? This is a big encouragement for me. The panic and agoraphobia is all new to me, but I see it can be overcome!

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Just want to be me again.