Nel
15-12-07, 14:12
Hi folks,
Haven't been on the site in a long time. I thought I’d come back on and let everyone know how I was doing, I think it’s important that those of us who overcome anxiety come back to let others know there is light at the end of the tunnel.
I was agoraphobic, suffering from severe obsessive thoughts and anxiety attacks. I had gotten to the stage where I couldn’t leave my house at all; opening the gate of my garden was enough to bring on an anxiety attack. I tried lots of meds but CBT was what finally sent me on the path to recovery. I had to learn new behaviours and (this was the most important) new reactions to my scary thoughts. To begin with I was very conscious of replacing my negative thoughts with positive, it took a great effort however as time has gone on (roughly a year has passed) I do it automatically. It is very difficult to explain how CBT works, and we all find our own ways of putting CB techniques into practice. I would urge anyone though with an anxiety disorder of any sort to give CBT a bash (and be willing to stick it out for the long haul).
So, from being terrified to step out of my garden gate I am now out and about all the time. This past week for example I have been out of town shopping, shopping in my local mall, bar lunch down the harbour and out to a restaurant for an evening meal with my husband and parents – all with zero anxiety. This has taken time, at first my outings were hellish and I could only manage short trips to relatives house and up and down my street with my dogs. I have had to keep at it; sometimes I felt like abandoning it but the further I pushed myself the easier it got. Going out now is no longer ‘practice’, it’s just an enjoyable experience and I actually look forward to relaxing and enjoying a nice meal out or a shopping expedition where I can pick things out instead of relying on the internet to buy all my stuff.
I hope agoraphobics can find some hope in my story xxx
Haven't been on the site in a long time. I thought I’d come back on and let everyone know how I was doing, I think it’s important that those of us who overcome anxiety come back to let others know there is light at the end of the tunnel.
I was agoraphobic, suffering from severe obsessive thoughts and anxiety attacks. I had gotten to the stage where I couldn’t leave my house at all; opening the gate of my garden was enough to bring on an anxiety attack. I tried lots of meds but CBT was what finally sent me on the path to recovery. I had to learn new behaviours and (this was the most important) new reactions to my scary thoughts. To begin with I was very conscious of replacing my negative thoughts with positive, it took a great effort however as time has gone on (roughly a year has passed) I do it automatically. It is very difficult to explain how CBT works, and we all find our own ways of putting CB techniques into practice. I would urge anyone though with an anxiety disorder of any sort to give CBT a bash (and be willing to stick it out for the long haul).
So, from being terrified to step out of my garden gate I am now out and about all the time. This past week for example I have been out of town shopping, shopping in my local mall, bar lunch down the harbour and out to a restaurant for an evening meal with my husband and parents – all with zero anxiety. This has taken time, at first my outings were hellish and I could only manage short trips to relatives house and up and down my street with my dogs. I have had to keep at it; sometimes I felt like abandoning it but the further I pushed myself the easier it got. Going out now is no longer ‘practice’, it’s just an enjoyable experience and I actually look forward to relaxing and enjoying a nice meal out or a shopping expedition where I can pick things out instead of relying on the internet to buy all my stuff.
I hope agoraphobics can find some hope in my story xxx