Agoraphobis please help?

[Panic08]

hey, i'm fairly new to this site and i've been suffering agoraphobia for almost a year now,i'm 19 and i feel really alone although i know i'm not!, i just wondered if there is another thread or people to talk to about it so i don't feel so alone!
thanks
amy

[Lou17]

Hi Amy!

Your not alone, their are quite a few people on here suffering with agoraphobia. I know when I was 19 and I was sufferign with it, it wasnt easy to deal with at all so I can relate. Are you completely housebound or can you still do quite a bit? Liz xxx

[missbecky]

hey :-)

I know exactly how you feel, i had agoraphobia a few years ago. I'm fairly new to this site as well, I'd definitely recommend reading some of the members story's. I did this and it was really comforting to know that other people feel the same way we do.

How are you doing with it lately? xxx

[eeyorelover]

Hi there and welcome to the site :)
I am a functioning agoraphobic in that I get out now and do what I need to but I was housebound for 4 years.
There are loads of posts regarding agoraphobia.
I did a search and came up with 994 posts and/or replies about it.
If you go to the top of the page where it says 'search' and put in agoraphobic they will come up.
I'm sure you will find loads of useful info and great supportive people here :)
xxx
Sandy

[titchjd]

Hi welcome 2 NMP
U will find so much help and advice on here
I understand agoraphobia as I suffered myself but with help and support I am getting better so dont give up you will get there hun xxxxxxxxxxxx

[lennons_mammy]

Hi I am agoraphobic too. This is my third time suffering from agoraphobia and I have currently been housebound for 4 months. If you want to talk you can pm me.

[Panic08]

Thanks for the replies! i'm almost completely housebound right now, the only place i go is the doctors and i have to go in a car and with my mum, for support i guess, i've probably been out no more than 20 times this year, guess its better than nothing! how long have you been suffering? and are there places you can go ?

[Krakers]

Hi Amy - I can certainly empathise. I suffered from Agrophobia myself, all be it for 38 days.

It might sound easy to dismiss but those days fell over Christmas, and I didn't do the shopping, put the bins out, leave the house, anything. We also had visitors which reduced my "safe" zone to 1 room. I was in there for 6 days as I couldn't face others in my space.

I was lucky, I caught it quite early, and with the help of someone (well actually 2 people) on this site expanded where I felt safe. It took time and a lot of motivation from people here helping me. My thanks still go out to them.

The thing that worked for me was "small steps". I got talked into going to the end of the path. I did it and ran back in. Then I got talked into going to the corner shop (2 roads away). First time I made it to the shop, but ran out when there were other people in there.

It took a few months, but I did widen my safety net. I think the breakthrough was going for a drive gone midnight one night. No traffic on the road, no panicy trapped feeling. I drove everywhere I used to go. Went to my Dads, Brothers, Gym, Supermarket, drive through McDonalds (yes, I missed my Big Mac). I didn't actually stop - I just drove round and close to all these places whuch used to be my life.

After that it got easier to go out. What I did have though was help and support. You seem to have that on days you have appointments, but don't be afraid to ask for extra help.

Every small step you take will help you take an extra step next time. Steps become journeys, journeys become outings. I know it all seems so far off, but a little exertion (and I mean stepping outside of your comfort zone just a little) helps relearn the behaviour you once knew. It won't go away overnight, but it is beatable, step by step.

Krakers.

[Panic08]

thank you for the reply Krakers, i'm still trying the small steps thing, i'm ok any where in my house,garden and a few houses in each direction on my street, but any more than that and the panic starts. I've managed to get to a shop in the car before it was a 20 minute drive i was in the shop looking around for 40 minutes or so and then came back home, i really don't know how i managed to do that because i'd not even gone out down the street previous to that, but the next day i just wake up and feel as though i'm back at square one with this huge mountain to climb,even though the day before i managed to accomplish something i hadn't done in months. the only thing i've managed to make some progress with is going to the doctors, i can do this now with minimal fuss, as i remember one time i was so bad the doctor sat in the car with me and my mum for a consultation, but this seems to be the only thing i'm making progress with i don't have the same thing with anything else no matter how many times i've tried.

[Krakers]

Hi amy - you said you were back at square 1. From what I've just read it looks like its square 2 you are on.

Any progress you make is a positive step. I used to have bad months and a good day. Then it was bad weeks and good days. Then a little like a see-saw the days were what they were, sometimes good, sometimes bad. Mostly I have good days now, although I still get days when I'll either be in tears or need solice.

I can't explain why, but it all started with the small steps. Don't beat yourself up about not being able to achieve the same goals every day, rather congratulate yourself on having made a major achievement and look forward to the next.

They will come, and when a good day arrives make the most of it. You have demostrated the strength within already - as time goes by push the boundries when you can and accept that a coffee and a chocy biscuit aint so bad when you can't.

You are on the road to recovery, its just a little further the longer you've suffered. Learned behaviour takes a lot of overcoming but I'm proud of you for your achievements so far. Be proud of yourself as it took a lot of strength to accomplish what you did when you were out. That strength is still there because its part of you. Take advantage when you can, reward yourself when you push the boundries and never take bad days as failures. We all have them.

Krakers.

[Lou17]

Baby steps are definately the best thing to do. Start gradually and build your confidence up, walk to the end of the street and back for a few weeks until your feeling comfortable and then go a little bit further. It slowly enlarges your safety zone, it is difficult but as long as its a gradual process you should be able to cope well with it. CBT may also be worth a try, maybe your doctor can refer you somewhere.

[Panic08]

thanks lou, i had my doctors appointment on tuesday it was in the afternoon and was feeling pretty nervous, i'd been on this forum and said i could go to the doctors with minimal fuss but was really nervous thinking i was going to have a real bad outing because i'd said that but luckily i was ok :yesyes: I spoke to my doctor and she is indeed refering me for cbt treatment so hopefully i'm on the way to some kind of recovery!, i'm trying the small steps but i never seem to get far,just got to keep trying i guess!

[tigger1964]

hi

im agoraphobic and this is the 2nd time ive been housebound, but am taking little steps to get back out there. Plenty of help and advice on this site. Feel free to contact me if you need to chat.

take care

sharon

[Lou17]

Good for you, I really do hope it goes well. Out of all the treatments Ive tried, I do believe it is the most effective. Thats right keep trying and Im sure we'll all beat this! Positivity is the key xxx