2013 Agoraphobia Thread

[flossie]

Hi to all the people I haven't 'spoken' to before.
Congrats to all who have accomplished new achievements and good luck to those continuing the journey to recovery.

[trish1955]

Flossie I no you said to chat on here but I don't really no were to begin on here I may have already got PST on here in facet I think I have to be honest my post are all over. Place well how you coping now do you go out now I use to go out with family it safety people you could say but hand on heart I was out with hem but always tense holding myself together not wanting to be there really jut wanting to go home wen I did get home I would be drained after ten sly holding my self together would not of enjoyed it one bit x

[flossie]

Hi Trish. I am going out now but am still very restricted on what I can do. I find it easier to be on my own, it is much harder for me to be out with others. We are all different in what helps us.
Something that has been a huge help has been practising relaxation techniques. It takes quite a while to master but once you have it is an invaluable tool for coping with panicky moments.
Are you able to go out at all at the moment? How far can you get on your own?

[trish1955]

My back garden Flossie I do run round to my daughters next door but can't sit own and ave a cuppa with her and she works o are I did use to pop round check the dog and empty dish wzdher tidy round for her I am so bad now I can't even do that its my head its so full of tension my eyes alwzy feel like they popping out and dry they feel word and send me dizzy and I sometimes feel like u no worn u been sat down and u get up fast and feels like yr eye sight sort of going o go for a spilt second well this tense feeling in my head is wzts making me more agoraphobic I have been to hospital an seen eye doctor who was happy with my eyes so wzt is it why can't it go away I am aware of it as soon as I wake up and get out of bed xxxx

[flossie]

Well you know that the blurred vision and wooly head feelings are a symptom of high anxiety. It throws you off balance and is horrible but nothing bad will happen to you because of it. Anxiety is a bully and the best way to treat a bully is to ignore it and do whatever you want regardless.
You know that voice in your head that goes 'omg I'm dizzy, something is wrong and I need to sit down.' Kick its backside (I really wanted to put something else but thought I'd better not!) and replace it with a more mature and stronger one that very calmly and matter of factly reassures you that everything is OK. 'You know that this is all part of the anxiety, you have been through it loads before.' This is where the relaxation and breathing exercises play their part.
You can have more than one safe place. Your daughters house could be another of your safe places too.

[trish1955]

Thanks Flossie I will try and go round more and stay a little longer at a time xxxx

[flossie]

I will try and go round more and stay a little longer at a time xxxx

How about focusing on managing the anxiety and controlling your breathing at home first. Think of it as building the foundation for moving forward to the next stages. Once you feel more comfortable in your safe place you will learn that you can trust yourself to cope when those anxious sensations start to creep in.
You already go to your daughters house. That is great. It doesn't matter if you are there for 2 minutes or 2 hours. You make the effort to go and that is the main thing. It is a big positive so pat yourself on the back for that. You have proved to yourself that you can do it. It may not be easy but you can do it.
You are better going for 2 minutes working on your breathing techniques and feeling calm than for an hour that is absolute torture. Staying until you are climbing the walls just serves to reinforce your belief that you cannot cope with being there.
If it would help you to build your confidence then take a step back. Slow down your breathing, slow down all your movements to help stay calm. Walk calmly to her front door and stay there for the count of 4, turn round and walk back home. Then ask if she would mind having the door open, stand just over the threshhold for the count of 4. Build it up as you go along. Know that you are in control and you can go home any time you want to. Just do it calmly without rushing back. Every time you give it a go you are a winner. Don't get despondent about not making it sometimes. It takes lots and lots of practise. There is no rush, it is your recovery and you call the shots.

[trish1955]

This is was I said to the CBT therapist maybe if you could help me relax in my own home then I could work on taking that feeling outside but they say they don't have time ad you get eight to ten weeks to be cured I been this way forty yr I don't think ten wks will cut it. I no cuts I had a therapist in 2004 she was working with me for nearly a yr. She was just begging to get me to think different. But she had to leave I was left with no therapist some bad stuff happened in my family I wz left with nothing till 2011 and not was CBT supposed to have been for ten weeks we quit at Severn I had to much family.y stuff on and she cold not help me to sepdrate the real anxiety from my own x

[flossie]

Your CBT therapist will not have been able to help you in the way you seem to have expected in the short time given to the course. It sounds as if you would have been helped better at that time having the support of a counsellor.
Don't worry about that now though, it is in the past. Concentrate on how you can help yourself today. There are many really good books available which work on the CBT principles. I borrowed one from the library a few weeks ago called Overcoming anxiety, stress and panic: a five areas approach by Dr.Chris Williams. It was written in an easy to read and understand format.
Have you looked at Robin Halls CBT4panic available on this forum? This is another good source of advice and guidance.
Because you may have felt that something didn't work for you in the past don't let that stop you from trying it again. You are in a different place now and ready to try a new challenge. You can do it. It won't be easy but the reward of each small success will make it all worthwhile.

[bernie1977]

I hate this illness so much.

Got used to a regular walk with my dog and today when out I had a really bad panic attack for no reason. Thinking all negative at the moment like I won't be able to go on that walk again as it's too far incase I have another panic attack. It took a lot of work and building up to go further on my walks and I'm feeling like I've being kicked back down.

I was on the field and sheer terror was running through my mind and body. I felt disorientated, nauseous and dizzy. As soon as I feel nauseous I panic as I'm terrified of vomitting. I had to get home as quick as I could. The dog was looking confused as to why we were going home so quickly. I feel awful as he'll now have to wait until my partner gets home for a walk.

I'm now thinking how am I going to face going out again.