housebound

[anx mum]

Hello for the past 3 months i have been housebound i will only go out in my partners car. I have a fear that if i go out i will pass out or even die. This is concerning me with xmas coming up plus i have 2 young children. Anyone else feel like this?

[belle]

Hi. You're definitely not alone,
I can only go out with my mother, apart from that, i too am housebound.

Why does it worry you more that Christmas is coming?

x

[anx mum]

Cos the thought of xmas shopping. Not good in shops. How long u been like this?

[BasilCat]

Hi anx mum, I have just replied to your thread at Symptoms. By the way I have two kids as well, 14 year old twins, and its been very very hard as you can appreciate. I meant to say at the other thread, have you got a shop near where you live or any friends near by. Perhaps if these things are near by you could practice walking to the shop or even a friends and see how you get on with that. Thats what I did. We have a retail park 2 minutes away and I would go and make my self walk round there for 20 minutes everyday. I must say that it did help and when I knew I was ok with that I told my self that I could walk round town etc. Its doing it in stages anx mum. I know totally just how you feel though and its the pits of hell isnt it. I will add here though, that even though its not easy, the more you can get out and about, the better it will be for you. Take Care.
Shirley

[anx mum]

Thanx shirley yeah its awful just want my life back. How long were u housebound?

[Tinks_loves_pan]

i have been housebound for over a year and now even my husband car is part of the fear everything i loved to do has slipped away

[belle]

Tinks..

My husband stopped being a "safe" person for me too.
I was housebound for almost 2 years and even roombound for a period of time. That was bad.

[lilly-lou]

I am agoraphobic and was housebound for over 2yrs. One of my fears is that I will pass out when I am out. I have 6 kids to look after. You can get better, I have gone from being completely house bound and not even being able to get to my garden gate, I couldn't drive for fear of having a panic attack. I am now at the stage where I can go to my local shops by myself although if I go food shopping or venture further away from home I still need somebody with me.

Just take things slowly, if you can only go out the door and back in again then just do that and venture a little further with each journey. I have really worked quite hard at the exposure therapy, just doing what I knew I could achieve and if I am having a good day then I would push myself a little further, this has really helped me regain some sort of life. You soon learn how to retrain your way of thinking, it can be done, just remember, baby steps.

Hugs

[BasilCat]

Hi anx mum and Tinks _ loves _ pan, When I had panic/anxiety the first time, when I was 19 years old, I was housebound for a year! There was not the awareness about it then that there is now and the Doctors just told me I was being stupid!! Meanwhile I was in a state of panic almost constantly. I couldnt leave the house at all. The 2nd time was 10 years later and I was sent to a Psychologist who got me through it in 6 months by stopping me hyperventilating. I wasnt housebound then and was going to work but I had to keep disappearing to the loo as I was in an anxiety state.
7 or 8 years later it came back and I wasnt housebound then either. I was getting "wise" to it by then and just made myself get out of the house.
Then he we are 15 years later and I have been this way for 2.5 years! Its the longest I have ever had it for. I am not housebound and havent been either. That said, I am still not 100% confident about going out and still feel unreal when I do go out. But it is getting less and I am doing better. You talk about the car Tink. Well, feeling unreal put me off driving too far but I can go about 10 miles now. Just after the breakdown 2. 5 years ago, I wouldnt even get in a car, let alone drive it. So whilst I can go about 10 miles now, I have only managed the 55 mile drive to my parents once in all that 2.5years, and that was about 3 weeks ago. Before I could almost do it blindfolded but even now, I am not sure I would want to do it on my own - hubby and kids were with me last time so he could take over if need be. Not easy. I used to have regular trips to my parents but the anxiety took that from me too.

Shirley

[BasilCat]

Hi Lilly Lou, I was just reading your post and I have been like you with the driving. Its not good is it. As you can see from my post above, I have had to take it easy with the driving too. Like you, I have worked quite hard on exposure therapy (my friends would tell you the same) and it has helped me get some of my life back I am pleased to say. Yes you can learn how to re train your thinking and it can be done. And I agree with the baby steps too. I now walk round town and go to the town 6 or 7 miles away and walk round there too. Its like you get used to it in stages isnt it.
Hope you have had a nice weekend.
Shirley
x x x