View Full Version : anyone overcome agoraphobia???
just as the title says..''anyone out there overcome agoraphobia?''.. be nice to hear few success stories or advice :)
hi Honeybee,
I had really terrible agrophobia 6 years ago now, I couldnt leave the house at all, panic attacks just stepping out the door. I hated going in the garden and felt totally finished.
Now for example, today I took my 9 year old daughter to the local shops, and came home with 4 bags of shopping...
Its not that I am cured its just that I have learned to cope better I think.
I got dizzy at the shops today but told myself its only dizzyness and not to read into it, just live for the present moment dont think ahead of yourself or back on yourself.
If you read about mindfulness you will see how I made this progress, it has been the best thing I ever tried for agrophobia and is recommended by my CBT. Hope you find relief soon, take care...
Some of us oldies on this forum will remember Maxine and I thought I'd highlight her post here - it describes how she succeeded.
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?p=8632#post8632
hi Honeybee,
I had really terrible agrophobia 6 years ago now, I couldnt leave the house at all, panic attacks just stepping out the door. I hated going in the garden and felt totally finished.
Now for example, today I took my 9 year old daughter to the local shops, and came home with 4 bags of shopping...
Its not that I am cured its just that I have learned to cope better I think.
I got dizzy at the shops today but told myself its only dizzyness and not to read into it, just live for the present moment dont think ahead of yourself or back on yourself.
If you read about mindfulness you will see how I made this progress, it has been the best thing I ever tried for agrophobia and is recommended by my CBT. Hope you find relief soon, take care...
yay, thats great.. just out of personal curiosity, i know you said not to look ahead of yourself, but do you think it's possible that one day you'll be rid of it completely, or do you think once you've experianced it it'll probably always be with you slightly??? i'm a really positve person and do believe everything happens for a reason but i'm just curious of how others think about it. x
Some of us oldies on this forum will remember Maxine and I thought I'd highlight her post here - it describes how she succeeded.
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?p=8632#post8632
thanks for that link.. in already knew what she said is true, i've heard it time and time again.. ''JUST DO IT''.. but that really hit home, think its been a while since i've heard it.. plus hearing it from somewho who's come through it is 1000000 times more believeable than some old doctor or whoever that really hasn't got a clue.. hmmm, think this is the year i start living my dreams again.. (with a little help from you guys :) ) thanks again
Andrea you are beating it!!!!!!
You came all the way from Yorkshire to the meet up only the week before last!!!!
You are half way there already
Luv Kaz x x x
Kaz - this is a different honeybee - a new honeybee member not Andrea lol!!
honeybee - its coincidental hun that you happened to pick the same name as one of our administrators who's taking a break at the mo! Although Andy had some numbers at the end of her name too, so hopefully that will stop any confusion when she comes back.
Piglet :)
Honeybee, Im hoping that by practising the mindfulness I will be re training my mind to think differently. At the moment sometimes it comes naturually and other times I have to work hard at it. I was told it takes 1 - 2 years of hard work by my CBT.
I had palpatations in a shop yesturday yet managed to stay with it and not think ahead of myself, It was just palpatations....nothing more or nothing less, I managed to see it for what it was and it dissapeared.
good luck
I wish I could grasp this mindfulness and the way you think Mirry. I was in a queue in a dept. store on monday and felt hot and dizzy and then couldnt breathe and started to hyperventilate. I talked to myself that what was theworse thing that could happen - I faint??? so big deal - I stayed in the shop but bottled out of paying by card as it takes forever and paid cash instead. I can use supermarkets but not queue and not many items and cant go to the theatre etc as I am constanting looking for the exit to get out if needed. I had CBT for 5 months which helped a bit and I now do Paul Mckennas relaxation cd that came with the Mail some weeks back but I still feel upset that its still there! Any tips. Love wenjoy x
I wish I could grasp this mindfulness and the way you think Mirry. I was in a queue in a dept. store on monday and felt hot and dizzy and then couldnt breathe and started to hyperventilate. I talked to myself that what was theworse thing that could happen - I faint??? so big deal - I stayed in the shop but bottled out of paying by card as it takes forever and paid cash instead. I can use supermarkets but not queue and not many items and cant go to the theatre etc as I am constanting looking for the exit to get out if needed. I had CBT for 5 months which helped a bit and I now do Paul Mckennas relaxation cd that came with the Mail some weeks back but I still feel upset that its still there! Any tips. Love wenjoy x
hello, i was just wondering if the paul mckenna tapes worked??? i've tryed to have a session with him but couldn't get one.... as for being in shops, im the same, the last time i tryed to venture out on my own was to a garage about 100 meters up the road, i was having a positive day a thought ''f**k it, just do it'' i was ok until i started queueing up, every second seemed like an eternity, i was trying to tell myself to relax but the more i was reassuring myself the more i was aware that i needed to be reasurred. by the time i got to the counter i had my 2 items in one hand and my open wallet FULL of change in the other.. i put my things on the counter but at that point completely freaked out and said '' i'm sorry, i've forgotten my money'' at which point she looked down at my open wallet FULL of money and i basically ran out the shop all the way home.. at the time it's the most scary thing and it's put me off even attempting it again BUT looking back on it now just makes me laughh out loud, she must've thought i was a right loony.. ha ha ha
Hi..
Having suffered with agoraphobia since 11th July 1998 my faith is slowly disappearing!
Sarah x
Hi there Honeybee - I understand what you mean- I think we are supposed to stay int he queue and not run away as it reinforces the situation as being one we should be scared of. I wait in the queue but go betwen feeling faint,breathless,sick, dizzy and unwell but end up paying in cash - well done for making it to a garage tho - keep in touch and e mail me anytime you want.
Love wenjoy x
Hi
I wouldn't leave the house to go anywhere for a while and certainly nowhere by myself for a long time.
It was the hardest thing I ever did but I did self CBT and overcame it bit by bit and I've not had any blips for years now and do everything I did pre panic.
Noone says its easy and it wasn't, but it is doable.
Don't lose hope.
*cant go to the theatre etc as I am constanting looking for the exit to get out if needed* I did that too and always sat on the end for ages and gradually worked my way along the row- you can go.
Mirry - well done !!!
Cheers Piglet!!!!! I dident realise thet 2 peeps could have same nickname lol!!!
And welcome other Honeybee!!!
Luv Kaz x x x
I had Ag bad since i was 14(i now 27) when i was 19 i got a fab CPN and she taught me CBT,and i really dont believe i'd be where i am now if it wasnt for that.I wouldnt even get out of bed let alone to the front door,i'd just look out or the window and sob knowing i'm trapped in myself,and now where am i?? I've moved to the country i go shopping each week,go to pubs now and again,sit in my garden,walk my dogs!
I dont think i'll ever be free of it completly,but i'm nearly there.Yes i do still find things difficult but i make myself stay in the situation or if i'm in a shop i'll go back in,Please dont let this beat you,its not worth it!!
The one thing i make myself do is go out EVERY day no matter how bad i feel,even if its just outside the back door,you wll be fine,No one ever died of a panic attack,lol.
The more i stay in the house the harder it is to go out again,and if you do feel anxious let it go,just breathe,relax and let it go through you,it will leave you.
Just start doing what you feel comfertable at,even if its putting your head out of the door,gradually get to standing on the doorstep,then 1 foot outside,then 2 and continue form there.Just take it at your own pace and remember if you get anxious Breathe,Relax your shoulders and just stand there for as long as you can before it gets too bad,keep at it hun and you WILL get there
Hugs
xx
HI Honeybee - I became agrophobic last year early in December. I couldn't leave the house for over a month. I got some great support here from the members of NMP and they advised me to at least try and get out once every day, even if it was only to the bottom of the garden path.
Because once you start to avoid going out the problem intensifies to the point where just putting the rubbish out can become a nightmare. I was fortunate - I had a lot of encouragement to get out and because I was in the early stages of agrophobia and still had the will power to push myself and my boundaries.
I eventually made it to the local shop (not a quarter of a mile away) around Jan 10th. Since then I've been widening my circle of places I go day by day. At the moment I'm well on the way to having it beat. Currently my safety zone extends about 10 miles around my house, and I plan to push further next week.
Without the people here driving me to push my boundaries, then its quite possible I would be a total agraphobe by now. As it is my lifes getting back on track. I did catch it early enough to force myself out into those uncomfortable situations I had been avoiding, and was sooo pleased with myself when I returned that I'd actually been out and done it.
It still wasn't a walk in the park though - my first success was opening the front door, going to the bottom of the path then back in again. I did this a few times on my first day and tried a little further the next day.
I believe the secret is in small steps. Don't try and push yourself to the extent where you believe you'll fail before you even try. Take small, realistic, manageable steps and try to widen your net each day. You'll be amazed how just achieving small goals will spur you on to go that bit further.
Krakers.
Hi
I wouldn't leave the house to go anywhere for a while and certainly nowhere by myself for a long time.
It was the hardest thing I ever did but I did self CBT and overcame it bit by bit and I've not had any blips for years now and do everything I did pre panic.
Noone says its easy and it wasn't, but it is doable.
Don't lose hope.
*cant go to the theatre etc as I am constanting looking for the exit to get out if needed* I did that too and always sat on the end for ages and gradually worked my way along the row- you can go.
Mirry - well done !!!
yay.. thanks.. thats what makes the hard struggle worth it, thanks for your encouragement
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