View Full Version : Agoraphobic and need your HELP PLEASE
Hi everyone, I'm 24yrs old from the Uk and have been agoraphobic for about 3years now.
It makes me sad to have to ask these questions but because of my agorophobia i can't work at the moment and after 3 years of not being able to work i've run out of my savings. My doctor isn't being helpful and i don't know what to do or who to turn to...
1) Can you get benefits for being agoraphobic?
2) What benefits can i get?
3) Where can i find out about the benefits?
4) Any help anyone can give me about Uk benefits for agorophobia would be really helpful?
More about me....
I went to see my doctor about having social phobia, at the time i was able to go anywhere i wanted but just couldn't stay somewhere that was crowded. My Doctor just brushed me off and said there is nothing wrong with me. He made me feel like i was a silly little girl so i thought to myself "just snap out of it, if the doctor says your fine you must be, right??"
I used to only have panic attacks when i went somewhere that was really crowded but then i started having panic attacks when i was at home and thinking about going to places. I didn't want to go to see my doctor about it because i knew he'd make me feel like i was being stupid so for months i left it and the problem got worse. Everytime i thought about going outside i'd think DANGER. DANGER but didn't know what i was afraid of. I thought i was going mad, it got to the point that i couldn't leave the house, open the front door or even pick up the house phone if someone called. My friend kept on putting pressure on my doctor to help me and finally after 3months he referred me to somewhere that i could get cognitive behaviour therapy. The therapy was great to start with i got to the stage that i could leave the house for 15mins at a time and when with my counciler we'd go for 45min walks and i'd be fine. My cognitive behaviour therapy was free as i was referred by my doctor but it was for a limited time. I went from going to therapy once every 2 weeks to being told to come back in 3months time for a check up.
I'm at the stage that i can go out of my house for about 20 - 30mins only with my bestfriend and only if we go somewhere in the car and i don't have to get out of the car for more than 5mins.
I live with my bestfriend at the moment and have been almost since my problem started. Our friendship is starting to fall apart :( I have panic attacks when she brings people round to the flat so she's stopped bring people round and instead she goes out to meet friends and i hate being alone so i start to get angry with her when she gets back because i feel like she left me. She used to try everyday to get me out the house but i'd just snap at her and say it's not that simple to just walk out the door and she just doesn't understand. We never have fun anymore and she spends most her time out of the flat because she just can't deal with me. We argue alot about me not paying my way and since my saving run out i can't help with bills. She's done so much for me over the 3 years that i want to get benefits so i can help out with the bills ect and take some of the strain off our friendship. I get very little sleep because i'm worried that i've run out of my savings and don't have any income coming in.
Thank you for reading this and i hope someone can help.
try this
http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/
Hi there..
I reckon you'd be able to get the low level disability living allowance.
I'm sorry you are going through this, i am dealing with exactly the same thing, although i can ONLY go out with my mother!
If you ever want to chat, feel free to PM me :)
x
Hi Lady24UK,
If you are unable to work due to your agoraphobia you should be able to get Income Support and also Disability Living Allowance at the low rate. I too have agoraphobia and cant work because of it. If you want to talk pm me.
Starlight
Thank you for replying and taking the time to read this :) It's nice to meet so many nice people that are understanding.
:) hi, i can tgive you any advice on the benefits, but i totally sympathise with your dilemma over your realtionship with your friend. i would advise you to try to not expect to much from her, she doesn tunderstand and so therfore she is just trying her hardest to help, and compared to the people ive known in my life she sounds like an angel. so please try your hardest not to lose this friendship by expecting too much, you may live to regret it. thats not to say that i advocate staying with people if they are damaging or abusive but she clearly isnt and its obvious that it is your agoraphobia that is the problem - not you or your freind. you do not have to blame yourself just because you say you wont expect too much of people - you dont have to say 'oh this is all my fault, im sooo worthless and i shouldnt expect anything of anyone' thats not how you have to think. you didnt ge tlike this on purpose to upset or inconveinience anyone, you were unfortunate to develop this disorder like thousands (maybe millions), but it is a silent,secret thing and nobody notices because it doesnt manifest itself physically - beleive it or not you will look toatally normal so ppl dont know you are suffering and then ppl who are suffering themselves are too wrappped up with their own lives to notice you.so basically you are on your own:weep:
anyway im waffling!:doh: youve done so well to ge tyourself out of the house, but now you have to apply that to the issue of dependancy on your freind - this is also part of agaoraphobia and needs tackling as well as the fear of going out. how i got ove rit was to say to myself ' well if i can do this stuff with someone else then why cant i do it alone? and it is obviously my dependancy on this person tha tis enabling me to do these things, but i dont want to depend on ppl all my life, and anything i could once do i will try to do again' and this helped me, i realised tha ti was setting my standards for recovery way too high. you know i have only been out of my town alone twice in my entire life!!!!:blush: so when i became agoraphobic, why was i putting so much pressure on myself to be able to do things id never done anyway - surely i was trying to run before i could walk? but i was doing this because i had forgot who i was, i had got into a relationship with a guy from a' normal' family, and i suppose i thought that i would become 'normal' or that i had to become 'normal' to fit in with them - well i dont!!!!! so now i get better:yesyes: take little steps and keep motivated to be the person you used to be - only better because you will prob learn alot about yourself and other ppl through your experience and you will be stronger because you have suffered, remeber it can happen to anyone,and you are never ever alone while you are a member of nmp, tc, emma xxxxx:hugs:
fallinstar
10-07-08, 03:18
i cant help you with anything to do with benifits but im going through the same thing, i struggle to go out with anyone but my mom and my dog (i feel Mason my dog will protect me) if u ever need to rant or even just chat pm me!
i didnt leave the house at all for nearly a year but im slowly managing to go out now
hope ur ok xx
Hi there Lady24UK, you should be able to claim Incapacity Benefit, or Income Support.
I currently receive Incapacity Benefit because my company had to let me go and I am unable to work at the moment, been nearly 2 years since i've worked. If you go to http://www.dwp.gov.uk/ you can actually claim online, although they will contact your Doctor and may send you to see a medical examiner who just ask's you question about your condition.
I do feel for you and like most people on this site I understand how you feel. If you feel that your Doctor is being unhelpful can you request to see another GP??
Anyway hope I have helped.
Take care
I am agrophobic and get Incapacity Benefit. It came on all at once and I began to fear going out the door. I was housebound for a couple of months and am still wary about venturing very far. A trip to town can be a nightmare. I come back totally exhausted. It's a terrible thing, agrophobia.
love
Sunny
Alabasterlyn
21-07-08, 08:14
I am agoraphobic too, like so many who have responded to you, so can understand how hard it all is for you.
Regarding benefits I would think that as you haven't worked for 3yrs then most likely you won't be eligible for Incapacity Benefit as I think it's related to NI contributions. When I lived on my own with my son I did receive Income Support and you should be entitled to that. I'm not sure if they would take into account what your friend earns, all I know is that my benefit was reduced because my son was working, but that could have been because he is related to me. I also lost my benefit totally when I started to live with my partner as they just assume your partner will take on all financial responsibility. You should definitely be eligible for DLA at the lower mobility rate too.
The government is going to scrap incapacity, disability, and other forms of benefit. Apparently if you are not severely handicapped, then you will have to work. Where all the jobs are coming from, god knows.
beverley gango
28-07-08, 19:16
hi there am bev i am in the same situation as u, i dont leave the house ,i can go out in the car but cant get out like u mayb 5 mins at a time . yes u are entitled 2 claim incapacity bft i am on it , i cannot guarantee but it is wotht a go, i have aslso just been awarded dissability living allowance at the end of the day y shudn,t we get it b,cuase our illness is like a dissability isnt it, u can get forms from ur local social security office, gud luck n take care xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi sweetie....Im also agoraphobic and have been in my home for 6 years now...I live in the United States and i get disability because i worked for 14 years before this started....Also i understand how you feel about your best friend because you have no one else but her....Please feel free to message me and we can talk....Take care..WP :)
lifeissweet
04-10-08, 17:40
hi i am agoraphobic too, altho i can go around my own town, but would never dare leave the town alone. i have probs with public transprt and shopping centres but i am slowly getting a bit further. i find claire weekes's book amazing and its really helped me even in the last few days that ive had it.
about work, i hadnt thought of claiming anything, since my oh works and im at home with kids anyway...but have you ever thought of trying a business from home?? i am currently tryig to set up an ironing business, where customers would bring washing to me and collect? i dont know if youd be comfortable with people reound your house?
i am an trying this becasue as im married and hubbie works and we get tax credits too, dont thin id be entitled to anything. the thought of be out at a "workplace" terrifies me, it is too "trapping" and i know i couldnt handle that yet...but just doing nothing means i have too much time to think and dwell on my anxieties.
obviously it just depends on your condition and what you feel you are capable of.
just an idea x
i have araphbia too and i get income support and low rate dla and sickness benefit on top of my income support i also get child tax too as i have kids.
when i first applied for dla i got knocked back but i appleaed it and got low rate.
u should deff apply for it u never know.
tigger1964
06-10-08, 12:11
Hi ladyuk,
i to am agroaphobic again, got better once before but its came back. I used to claim disability living allowance and got the low level component. Best laugh is they stopped it cos i couldnt get to one of the appointments they set up for me in town...... I don understand the agoraphobic part tho, so if you ever need anyone to chat to feel free. take care sharon
Hi
Im also agoraphobic and because i cant work i get incapacity benefit which is about 60 a week
you may be able to get higher than this because youre older than i am, i hope this helps abit
lennons_mammy
19-10-08, 10:09
You should be entitled to incapacity benefit or they will give you income support thats what they did with me because I was not entitled to incapacity benefit. You should also be entitled to a low level disibility living allowance.
hello i have been suffering with agrophobia since i was 15 on and off now for the last three years i am housebound to the point where i can't go down my block anymore i can only go round my garden I live in canda and am not getting any help from medical people as they won't see me unless i go to them does anyone know what i should do because this is hurting my family relationship and the constant pain i am in because of this is even harder
Hi Lady24UK
I remember seing the same your post over at socialphobiaworld, I replied there but not sure if you read it so will post my advice again :yesyes: ....
I suffered agorophobia/panic disorder for years and conquered it, you can too!
each time you get out of the car, push it so you spend more than five minutes, tolerate more, set yourself a target of 7 mins, then next time 9 mins, then 12 and so on....(exposure)
here's another good one, go out of your front door, walk down your path to your front gate, then go back inside, venture further everytime you do it
you can beat agoraphobia by constantly challenging it
you have to do it by baby steps, a little at a time but it does work, I've got better and people I have helped have too, it can be done.
As for benefits DLA is very very hard to get, incapacity benefit/incomesupport is what you will get.
are you seeing a therapist? they really will help you!
get intouch with people on here who suffer or have suffered agorophobia, it helps to know how others conquered/are dealing with it http://www.socialphobiaworld.com/modules/Forums/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif
LADY24 pleased pleased to meet u honey i get low mobility dla for my agarophoiba even tho i can go out but cant travel furhter than half mile and dont wanna get on buses or trains. dla is non means tested which mens ur wages wont be affected f u work xx:D:) u could also get middle rate care which is extra income too. This also isnt means tested. PM me if u need to chat xxx
Hi Lady24,
I also have agoraphobia, Ive recently hit just about rock bottom with it.. Im forcing myself to take my son to school, just this morning I was thinking I couldnt do it.. but I did. Im no longer living in fear, now its terror.. its awful and I know how you feel.
I too have ran out of savings, I was on Income Support while at home looking after my son (I had to come off it when I moved in with my fiance), the intention was to get a job when he started school.. now Im at the point where I could get a p/t job I just cant bare it, how can I work when Im barely functioning!
I was told I wasnt entitled to Incapacity Benefit as Id not paid enought NI contributions over a qualifying period (2 years?), so that was out the window. Ive got forms for DLA but Ive not yet sent them off.. fingers crossed though.
Gd luck xx.
carla-jane
02-12-08, 15:07
Hi
I've just realised that i am agoraphic today. Sounds weird i spoze?! i knew i had panic attacks in busy or unfamiliar places and around people i dont know. I'm looking for any support from people with simiar issues, in the hope that i wont feel so isolated.
In response to your question, Im not working either, and recently put in a claim for Incapacity benefit. It got refused on the basis that i havent paid enough 'stamps' coz i havent worked for 5 years. I appealed the decision and said that i havent worked because ive had anxiety and panic attacks. In response, they sent me a letter asking me to book up a medical. When i phoned to book, they wanted me to travel nearly an hour away for this appointment!!! (NO WAY AM I UP TO THAT!...I WISH!) Anyway, i explained why and they said i could have a home visit if i got a letter from my doctor. Im waiting to hear when my appointment will be, but im hopeful they wouldn't be wasting theirs and my time if there is no chance of me getting Incapacity. Hope this helps.
By the way, your doctor should not make you feel like that. Is their noone else you can see?:ohmy:
Carla.x
I had a doctor come out and see me, it was like an interigation.
carla-jane, i had the same thing i'm agoraphobic and applied for incapacity benefit, they sent me a letter about and appoinment comes from ''medical services'' as my illness meant i couldn't go i rang to inform the benefit office and medical services that i couldn't attend the appointment and they said i needed a letter from my doctor, my doctor charged for it, well he let me off this once but said he would have to in future, i sent it off and recieved a letter asking why i hadn't gone to the appoinment it was like a form i had to fill in which i did along with another copy of the doctors note and i've not heard anything for a couple of months!, i'm going to ring them tomorrow to find out whats going on, i guess its just to make sure your not scamming them or something
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