How life has changed!!

[maxine]

Hello,

I not sure how many members are the ones who used to know me alot, I was a regular here some time ago but i thought it might be worth posting to hopefully inspire others not to give up hope.

Briefly..two years ago I was still a full blown agoraphobic who suffered panic attack severly, I didn't leave my home for 3 years I'd given up to be honest and at my lowest i considered suicide. Not something I'm proud of by i could see how my life was ever going to be "normal" again.

Anyway the point of this little post is to tell you what I'm doing now.. I turned 24 on the 12th of this month and the change in the last two years still makes me smile.

Firstly I'm no longer on any medication, I am a walking , talking ,almost cocky member of the "normal" world!
I'm now working full time as a carer to others with Agoraphobia in Devon you should see clients faces when I tell them I used to be just like they are now! lol
I'm at collage learning my NVQ in care and social care and i seem to be a rather vocal student nowadays :D not bad for the girl who wouldn't speak for such a long time.

I'm also learning to drive I have my test on the 30th Nov..and when my instructor said to me " you might get a little nervous on the day" I burst out laughing and replied" If i can bring my life back from the brink than i can do anything!"

In short It's been a long old road and took nearly everything I had but I done it, I'm "normal" whatever that means...I mean I'm off out tonight, going clubbing with friends, had you told me I would be doing that a few years ago I would have paniced at the thought!

I just wanted to hopefully help anyone who might be feeling a like their life is over, I promise you it is not, you can do this, please, please do not give up!!

I don't have the magic answers ( sorry if you PM me asking how to do it!) I guess the turning point for me was panicing so much in an Asda car park that i couldn't panic anymore is when I realised it can't hurt me,no one is looking and more to the point no-one cares if i'm panicing or not!

Oh and by the way, you never faint or throw up no matter how much you think you are going to!! lol

I really hope this helps someone.

Thanks for reading this.

Maxine

[trac67]

Max,

Its brilliant to see you post and see how well you are doing, I always ask a certain person how things are with you lol

You have achieved so much and no one deserves it more than you do.

Its really made my day reading your story

Love

Trac xxxx

[maxine]

Hiya Trac!

How are you??

Thank you for taking time to read my post, nice to see someone remembers me lol

As for that certain someone I'm still trying to persude him to meet up lol...We rabbit on the phone nowadays, just checking he's alive :)

[trac67]

Lol Max,

My agoraphobia really got me this year, thats why im so pleased to see how well your doing, I shall keep battling on though.

Im really pleased you came back to post about it.

Oh and I think you will be pushing that certain someone forever lol mind we do speak on the phone now too lol

Keep in touch mate

Trac xxxx

[maxine]

Sorry your agoraphobia is being so difficult at the minute, you can do it chick I know you can. Keep your chin and keep trying you'll get there in the end.

As for the certain someone I will end up driving up there and knocking on his dorr if he ain't careful! lol

[trac67]

Thanks mate :hugs:

And someones ears are burning right now lol

Love

Trac xxxx

[SammiB]

hello maxine.

i'm new to this site so i wouldn't have known you back when you were here lots, i just wanted to say how great that you are and what hope that coming back here to give us a good its ok is so very uplifting.

i don't suffer with agraphobia lots but i don't stay out too long as i start thinking i will collapse even if i'm not having a panic attack just generally out of the blue - its these thoughts i have to seal with now as i'm no longer afraid of the physical symptoms.

congratulations or your life achievements and one day i will be back here doing the same. good luck in your "normal" life


Sammi xxx

[kate]

Hi Max, lovely to see you again :hugs:

Great to see that you are doing so well :yesyes:

Kate xx

[nomorepanic]

Hi Maxine

Wow - long time no see:hugs: :hugs:

So lovely to hear you are doing so well and thanks for the update. It is aways great to hear from people that have recovered as sometimes we never know what happened to people.

Well done on all your successes and so pleased for you :yesyes: :yesyes:

[honeybee3939]

Hi Maxine

What a lovely success post, so pleased to hear you are doing so well.:yesyes:

Love
:hugs:
Andrea
xxxx

[chucklehound]

Hi Maxine,

I am so pleased you are doing so well at the moment - well done!!

[mirry]

Maxine , your post ill mean so much to people on this site ,
I am struggling with this beast still , but I often think surely it will go away just as quick as it came :shrug: .

I wonder if being young and free helps ?
for example I have two children so cant go off and do too much anyway ,
anyway I am so pleased for you ,

You are the p erfect person to help other going thru this,
can you come and help me :blush: (only joking).

take care :flowers:

[Piglet]

Hi Maxine,

I remember you from when I first joined the site and it's absolutely smashing to hear how well you're doing.

Good on ya!:yesyes:

Piglet :flowers:

[maxine]

Thanks everyone for replying, i'm rather suprised some of you remember me lol

SammiB - I'm glad you are no longer afraid of the phyical symptoms anymore the thoughts are generally hardest to get rid of, I found it helped to take something with me so i could distract myself when i felt it building..a books good, not so much when in full blown panic but you get the idea!

Goodluck x

Mirry- I wasn't free and single at the time, no kids but alot of commitments i know it's frustrating. Could you ask someone to babysit the kids for a few hours to give yourself some time to focus on you?

Piglet!- my little lamb , how are you?

Nicola- I thought about you the other day when i went through your area...completely slipped my mind the name of it now lol, been busy with the site i see, looks great :yesyes:

Kate- I remember you! How have you been?

Off out to pub now lol will reply tomorrow .:hugs:

[belle]

Hi...

Wow...what a success story! I need tips :)

Been living with the horribleness that is agoraphobia for nearly 10 years, i am only 32 years old. I have no life but i would LOVE LOVE LOVE to be able to go out again without fear, panic and unable to breath!!!!!!!!!!

You should be really proud of what you have achieved.

x

[clickaway]

Hi Max - it's always great to see you here, especially when you are so full of positive vibes.

People here need to know that full recovery is possible and you are obviously living proof!

I'm now on anti-depressants and consequently am now able to get out more. I'm going mad this weekend and spending three days in Yorkshire, which I could not have done a few months back.

Now, go for that driving test, then you can hire a car in P**u

:hugs:

[Southern_Belle]

Hi Maxine,

Congratulations on all that you have achieved, so nice to hear such great success stories.

Laura

[maxine]

Bluebell- Don't give up! I never thought i'd get better and live without fear again and I have, took it's time and yeah it's one long road but you will do it.

Tips erm...rescue remedy nice to know you have it, that seemed to calm me on it's own, do your breathing excercises they are invaluable when you feel panic building, practise them when you feel calm at home and do them everyday then they become second nature when you panic, you will be able to control the panic before it becomes a monster.

Start small you can wait for CBT specialists but to be honest they don't tell you anything you don't already know, make goals , mine where simple to start off with , things like walking around my block i kept doing that until it felt "easy" to do then i aimed for crossing the road, going into a local shop and getting the newspaper. You will feel so proud of yourself and it'll give you confidence.
Write it all down in a diary so you can see what you have achieved.

Good luck x

Clickaway! _ I can't believe you remember that lol I will get there eventually!

I'm so glad that you're improving that's wonderful news. Have fun in Yorkshire i'm sure you'll enjoy yourself!

Southern Belle- Thank you for repling to my post.

[Piglet]

Lol hun I am getting there slowly - good days bad days, you know the drill. Just done a thread about managing to stay in London for a few days this week.

Love Piglet xxxxxxxxx

[Nel]

Start small you can wait for CBT specialists but to be honest they don't tell you anything you don't already know

Hi Maxine,

Great to hear you're doing well! I'm the same, I've beaten the monster and feel quite 'cocky' sometimes too :D:yesyes:

I wouldn't write off CBT though (for anyone else reading this!), it was my lifeline and it's thanks to what I learned through CBT that I was able to get my life back.

Nel xxx

[maxine]

Hey Nel,

Glad to hear you've also beaten the monster!

I didn't mean it like that with the CBT I just meant alot of it I already knew from the stuff I'd read on here although he (in my case) the CBT guy did point me in the right direction and showed me where to start.

[alexis]

Hiya Max, I remember you well, I am so pleased things are going well, know it wasnt easy for you,
VERY VERY VERY WELL DONE!!!