acrophobia

[blackie]

Hi all,
I am feeling really desprate that i will never get through this acrophobia. I cant make it out of my door. I have tried once before to go out and was doing really well. I even managed shopping and was going out 3 or 4 times a week. But the feelings of panic never really went away and then they started to get worse again and i stopped going out.
I guess i really want to know how i can overcome this. I am on medication which has no bad side effects im glad to say.But i dont know what else to do. Should i start going out again? I have been accepted at uni next year and i really want to go. I have allready put iton hold. Any advice would bemore then welcome.
Blackie

[groovygranny]

Hello!

Don't know if you managed to watch the tv prog The House of Agrophobics which was shown very recently?

Here is a link to a post from one of the participants which you may find helpful:

Howdy folks... (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=15925)

Take cae

Lotsa luv

GG [:P]

xx

'There are no such things as strangers; just friends we haven't made yet!'

[vagabond]

hi blackie

i have suffered from anxiety for 18 years. thankfully, not all of them bad.

my downfall is that i didnt seek advice or help for the first 8 years.

after seeking help......within weeks i was travelling again....and doing things normally.

however, in the last year, i have let it get the better of me again.

my advice to you is...........face the fear......step by step.

our thoughts and fear becomes an habit.....and if we let it...it does restrict us totally.

im slowly on the mend now....thanks to people here and me actually asking for help from my local doctor.

good luck

If I could replace my Fear with Love - Even Jesus would ask my Secret !!!

[shoegal]

Hi,
I'm sorry to hear you are suffering from agoraphobia.
Please try to keep going out as it gets harder the more you stay in (trust me, I am speaking from experience).
The feeling of panic does lessen with time, but you do have to experience quite a few bad panic attacks before they start getting better.
I suffered from agoraphobia when I was a teenager, but I was able to make a complete recovery by forcing myself into the situations I feared. Recovery is very gradual. The attacks don't suddenly go away, but after a while you will realise that it has got easier to go out.
Unfortunately, I am agoraphobic again now, but I'm in the process of forcing myself to go out again so I'll get better. I do manage to have some fun when I go out, so it's worth all the stress! LOL! :D
You will get better with time, I promise.
GOOD LUCK!!!
shoegal xxx

[blackie]

Hi guys,
Thanks for all your advice. I think it is very true what shoegal says about the longer you dont go out the harder it is. I really must try. I just about manage to get to the doctors once a week over the road. Last time i broke down in his office. I dont think he knew what to do with a sobbing 18yr old.lol.
groovygranny, thanks for you advice. I did watch that program. The guy who was on it seemed to be doing really well and was so motervated to keep going. But then he relapsed. I though that was really sad. I guess thats what happened to be.
Your right. you do have to face your fear. Step by step. If you dont a day turns into a week, a week into a month and a month into a year and you still havnt gone out and faced the world.
I have got help before, the thing that really set me back is that i turned 18 last march and since then i had to stop seeing my phyciatrist and move onto adult services. They say they cant help me though, so i cant win.
I guess i shouldnt have given up on going out as it has undone all my hard work. I so badly want to go to uni in setember.
Thanks for listning. I dont get to talk about how im feeling much. Desprate i guess. I just feel like there is no way out.
Take care all
Blackie

[shoegal]

Hi,
Please feel free to PM me anytime if you need to talk.

Love shoegal xxx

[blackie]

Thanks shoegal,
thats really kind of you.
Blackie

[blackie]

A new year, a new start.
Plans for this year will be
1) Stop smoking. on day two so far and feeling ok. Patches deffinatly help. Hope i can keep it up
2) Stop drinking alcohol. Firstly it makes it harder to quit smoking and also increases anxiousty levels. I know i drink too much so i think my body needs a break.
3) Exercise. I have a new exercise bike so now i need to use it. Should help energy levels, fight off depression and make me feel more relaxed.
4) Get out of the house. Start with small steps and work towards goals. If i want to go to uni in september i have to get out.

Wish me luck guys. Let me know if anyone else has any new year resolutions.
Take care
Blackie