Housebound 20+ years, I have to get to a wedding!

[jillybee]

I have 10 months to do this, at present I can only get to the end of my road, which is only 6 houses away.
My daughters wedding is next June, the Church is 5 miles from my house, then the reception is further still and in the middle of remote countryside.
Has anyone been able to enjoy something like this after a long time?
I can't let my daughter down but I am scared.
I've never even been out in a car for 20+ years.

[trish1955]

Omg I really feel for you I am agoraphobic to mine started wen I was12years old now 58 and still battling it to be honest I did get out a fair bit only by car and only to small shops or visiting but these past four years my world as gotten smaller I can not even visit my daughter next door I can get anxioyse an visitors come to my house were about do you liv jillybee you will ave to practice small little drives in the car even if its round the block do you take medication I have not till this past week is my second attempt this year to try I am scared of side effects so I have chopped the med down into quarter and just going to build up to the full amount I hope it works as like you now I am fast becoming house bound and its getting harder ad harder to get a doctor out to you. Were I live in Nottingham. Let me no how you doing. Takes care

[HalfJack]

Exposure therapy is really good. I don't know about long term sufferers but it helped me with my agoraphobia. I was assigned a support worker to help me with it at first too. Have you asked your Dr about anything like that or mental health services?

[jillybee]

Thankyou, I take Paroxetine 20mg which isn't for everyone but a few years ago when I was at my lowest and coming off Diazepam it really helped. I too fear side effects of meds so I took my time with dosage etc.
Yes I think it's going to be little and often in the car..scary times but hoping it'll get easier.

[Neurotic Nick]

Hi jillybee exposure therapy is the ticket and i have been told it can work no matter how long youve been suffering from this. Here's some ispiring recordings by claire weeks to give you an early confidence boost:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/a9nc0yx8l8...o-Recover1.mp3
https://www.dropbox.com/s/mbyta10av9...o-Recover2.mp3
https://www.dropbox.com/s/l5ylhh0hvz...o-Recover3.mp3
https://www.dropbox.com/s/kufg6wnaxm...o-Recover4.mp3
Secondly check out the cbt4panic course on this site (besides any proffesional help you might seek of course) ive just started it and i think its very good.
Thirdly as bit of a cheat you might want to consider taking something like xanax on the big day, i do that from time to time to get through big outings. Also perhaps you only need to attend the wedding itself? Maybe that way the end goal seems a little less daunting

And just think when youve made it to the wedding after 20 years of being housebound youll be a hero to everyone on this site