miss_moose
14-01-09, 15:47
I wrote this plan years ago when i'd been completely housebound (bedroom bound really) for 4 or 5 years, I stuck to it and although i've had set backs along the way, as we all do at some point, i did get to lead a more "normal life", so I thought I would share it with you.
1. Firstly, do you have a support person? Mine is my boyfriend Daniel, he's the only person I feel completely safe and at ease with, so if you have someone like that then that will help a great deal. It can be a family member, friend, anyone you feel comfortable with.
If they have a car, even better, as you can see new place and be more motivated.
2. A comfort bag is also a great way of making you feel comfortable while you are out. A comfort bag is a bag that you can take everywhere you go that has just about everything you need to ease your panic and distract you. In mine I have a hot water bottle, spare car keys (so I can go and sit in the car if I panic), a drink, some water, tissues, my mobile phone, a pen and a few magazines.
* (I'd just like to add at this point, I no longer need a comfort bag:))
3. I know it's scary but with your support person, if you have one, go for a little walk. It doesn’t matter if you don’t get far because it's just a little tester to see how far you get and how bad your agoraphobia has got. When I did my “tester walk” I only got to our bin, about 8 meters from our door, then I stopped and had a panic attack. I stayed outside though until the panic eased, it’s not always possible to do this but will a lot of encouragement and support I managed, there was no one around either which helped loads.
Then I came back inside and relaxed.
It’s so hard but that tester walk is the first step to recovery. You just have to not give up because it’s when you stop trying, that’s when you slip back to square 1 again.
A few days after my tester walk I tried again, this time on my own, just a little walk in our back street to meet Daniel, then walked back with him.
The trick is to try, even if you feel bad, just try once your anxiety has lowered. Being spontaneous is best for when you go for a walk, if you’re just watching TV and feeling good, then just go and put your shoes on and try a walk. Even if you only get a few meters, like Daniel keeps telling me “if you don’t try, you don’t know what you can do”, I works because even if I feel bad and I say I don’t want to get out of the car, I always do better than I thought.
4.
Don’t set goals either, if you set goals and don’t reach them you feel like a failure. So every time you go out just say “I’ll try my best, I’ll just see how far I get”, this has worked wonders for me because there’s no pressure. YOU are in control so it eases your anxiety, it’s up to you where you go, how long your out for, if you need to stop then stop, you’ll find your self pushing yourself further in time once your more comfortable because it’s your decision.
Make sure that your support person knows this too and doesn’t push you into things you aren’t ready for, encouragement is great and ask you to just try even if you feel you cant, but it’s important they don’t pressure you.
5. If you feel panicky it’s still important to get out so even if you don’t feel well enough to walk then just sit in the garden or go for a drive in the car (you being the passenger), then if you do get the urge to go for a walk in the park or something then you can. This usually happens to me when we just go for a drive.
6.
If you have a camera then that is great, photography has helped many agoraphobics, including myself, to get out and take beautiful photos. It makes you want to go further, I push myself so much when I have my camera because I want to take new photos. If you have a digital camera that’s even better as your photos are instant and you can shop people in your support group what you’ve been up to.
Also it’s a great way of proving to yourself that you can go out, even when you feel you cant because you have photographic proof.
7. If you have a bad experience, it's vital that you don’t let it set you back, I’ve had loads of panic attacks outside but avoiding going out again will just set you back then you have to start all over again which is so frustrating as well as heartbreaking so don’t let it put you off and still go out the same day or the next day at the very least.
1. Firstly, do you have a support person? Mine is my boyfriend Daniel, he's the only person I feel completely safe and at ease with, so if you have someone like that then that will help a great deal. It can be a family member, friend, anyone you feel comfortable with.
If they have a car, even better, as you can see new place and be more motivated.
2. A comfort bag is also a great way of making you feel comfortable while you are out. A comfort bag is a bag that you can take everywhere you go that has just about everything you need to ease your panic and distract you. In mine I have a hot water bottle, spare car keys (so I can go and sit in the car if I panic), a drink, some water, tissues, my mobile phone, a pen and a few magazines.
* (I'd just like to add at this point, I no longer need a comfort bag:))
3. I know it's scary but with your support person, if you have one, go for a little walk. It doesn’t matter if you don’t get far because it's just a little tester to see how far you get and how bad your agoraphobia has got. When I did my “tester walk” I only got to our bin, about 8 meters from our door, then I stopped and had a panic attack. I stayed outside though until the panic eased, it’s not always possible to do this but will a lot of encouragement and support I managed, there was no one around either which helped loads.
Then I came back inside and relaxed.
It’s so hard but that tester walk is the first step to recovery. You just have to not give up because it’s when you stop trying, that’s when you slip back to square 1 again.
A few days after my tester walk I tried again, this time on my own, just a little walk in our back street to meet Daniel, then walked back with him.
The trick is to try, even if you feel bad, just try once your anxiety has lowered. Being spontaneous is best for when you go for a walk, if you’re just watching TV and feeling good, then just go and put your shoes on and try a walk. Even if you only get a few meters, like Daniel keeps telling me “if you don’t try, you don’t know what you can do”, I works because even if I feel bad and I say I don’t want to get out of the car, I always do better than I thought.
4.
Don’t set goals either, if you set goals and don’t reach them you feel like a failure. So every time you go out just say “I’ll try my best, I’ll just see how far I get”, this has worked wonders for me because there’s no pressure. YOU are in control so it eases your anxiety, it’s up to you where you go, how long your out for, if you need to stop then stop, you’ll find your self pushing yourself further in time once your more comfortable because it’s your decision.
Make sure that your support person knows this too and doesn’t push you into things you aren’t ready for, encouragement is great and ask you to just try even if you feel you cant, but it’s important they don’t pressure you.
5. If you feel panicky it’s still important to get out so even if you don’t feel well enough to walk then just sit in the garden or go for a drive in the car (you being the passenger), then if you do get the urge to go for a walk in the park or something then you can. This usually happens to me when we just go for a drive.
6.
If you have a camera then that is great, photography has helped many agoraphobics, including myself, to get out and take beautiful photos. It makes you want to go further, I push myself so much when I have my camera because I want to take new photos. If you have a digital camera that’s even better as your photos are instant and you can shop people in your support group what you’ve been up to.
Also it’s a great way of proving to yourself that you can go out, even when you feel you cant because you have photographic proof.
7. If you have a bad experience, it's vital that you don’t let it set you back, I’ve had loads of panic attacks outside but avoiding going out again will just set you back then you have to start all over again which is so frustrating as well as heartbreaking so don’t let it put you off and still go out the same day or the next day at the very least.