Stupid agoraphobia

[doodah]

YAY!! Well done Poppy and everyone else who plucks up the courage to step outside! I'm in the same boat and get VERY angry with myself and angry at agoraphobia - but I'm sure, one day, I'll overcome it again!!

Keep on keeping on Poppy!!

[PoppyC]

Thanks Doodah for your encouragement! I appreciate it I will Keep on Keeping On lol
How often do you get to go out and how long have you had agoraphobia for?

[t50kym]

Well done poppy, am going through something simliar at the moment, i have a outting on sunday that am not looking forward but need to face my fears, am totally petrified about and just thinking about it at the moment am getting sweaty palms. I will be with good friends but i dont i might say i cant go but after reading you post you have given me will power. I will keep you posted xxxxx

[PoppyC]

Well done poppy, am going through something simliar at the moment, i have a outting on sunday that am not looking forward but need to face my fears, am totally petrified about and just thinking about it at the moment am getting sweaty palms. I will be with good friends but i dont i might say i cant go but after reading you post you have given me will power. I will keep you posted xxxxx

Thank you for your post! I will keep my fingers crossed for you! I wont pretend it wasnt really uncomfortable going out because as I am sure you know only too well how bad it gets, but I honestly have felt so good since I went out. I was so upset before I went and was crying and angry. I turned to this site and then after I had posted I thought I am really upset and have not gone out and so I may as well be really upset and go out. I felt dissapointed in myself for not getting through that door and that's what made me do it. I think it was a combination of being angry and frustrated and so I went for it, out the door and down the road to the village post office lol Ok the Baileys helped but I dont recommend drinking! I am going to try again only this time without the help of a drink!
You will feel so much better for having gone out. It made me feel proud of myself that I had stood up to agoraphobia and that I wasn't beaten by it.
I know realistically that there are going to be times when I find I can't overcome it but this time I used my anger & frustration to get me out there and it worked. It was definitely worth it for how I felt afterwards!
I hope you manage to get out with your friends and that you have a lovely day. You will feel so much better for it. It really has boosted my confidence in that it showed me that all is not lost, and it gave me hope that it needn't be like this forever for us all.
Let us know how you get on. Will be thinking of you!

[NoPoet]

Hi,

I have found that I don't like spending time alone any more and I think it has developed into a bit of agoraphobia, as I no longer want to go anywhere on my own. Stupid anxiety! Of course, being out of work for 5 months will do this to people.

I don't mind so much if I'm going out with someone. It takes a bit of effort to work up the nerve to go somewhere or do something, sometimes even to leave the room I'm in, but it can and must be done. Having someone there makes it a million times easier

[PoppyC]

Hi Poet!
I agree with your post.
I didnt use to be as bad as I am now with agoraphobia and I think the more we stay home, the more we will find going out on our own difficult. Our homes become our comfort zone and we dont want to leave them.
I cant go anywhere on my own now unless I am with other people. I will go out on my own but like the other afternoon its accompanied by lots of tears and upset.
I used to be roombound mostly a few months ago when very ill and then I recovered from that and gradually I improved.
I am quite an outdoorsy person naturally so now having agoraphobia can really get me down but I am not going to allow it to make me this way for years. I will just have to spend my life crying when outdoors lol
I think not working does have a big effect on our confidence. It helps take our minds off our problems too doesnt it?
I have friends and people I go out with but who are obviously not around a lot of the time due to working.

[Anxious_gal]

agoraphobia can really sneak up on you ! I remember I'd be nervous going places alone, then i wouldn't go certain places, then I'd only go out if i was with someone. being with some i felt normal! so i honestly didn't realize i was having anxiety!
then i started not going out. I'd be like I'll feel better tomorrow!
the only thing that helps is going out over and over again!
if i didn't go out for a few days then i find it even harder to go out.
the longer i stay inside the harder it is to go out side!

[PoppyC]

Mishel - That is a really good post! Thank you for replying!
I am going to really confront my agoraphobia - I couldnt stand being stuck in on my own forever. That thought alone scares me so much as there is so much I want to do and see in my life.
I sometimes think what if my 'safe people' disapeared - then what??? I dont like being too dependent on other people, it makes me feel insecure and like I am a burden. It takes away my confidence and self esteem.
I am going out later (not on my own) but what I am going to do is walk back on my own from where we are going.
I was remembering earlier that when I was little - I was attacked by a roaming dog on my way to school - after that, I developed a fear of dogs, which I still have to this day, and I would walk miles out of my way if I spotted a dog on its own - this was years ago when there seemed to be a lot of dogs wandering around without their owners - maybe this triggered off the beginnings of agoraphobia, about the fear of being out on my own & feeling vulnerable outside on my own.

[Dizzy-Dave]

Poppy, congratulations on your sucess so far.

As someone who is facing the big wide world aswell, I can relate to you in a big way and i'm sure many others can too (who might not post).

I just updated one of my posts and I put a paul mckenna quote in there which always gives me a boost when i think about it.

'We were not born with Agoraphobia, we learnt it..... and if we learnt it, we can unlearn it!'

Take care

[PoppyC]

Hi Dave!
Thanks for your post. I love the quote. I really like Paul Mckenna. Its true we were not born with agoraphobia however....do you think it could be genetic like anxiety and depression can be? My mum was agoraphobic at times in her life and she has suffered all her life refusing all help with anxiety and depression - she has been an alcoholic for 30 years and still hanging on in there at 81 years old! She turned to drink because of her anxiety and depression My sister also has agoraphobia but manages to get out and about in her car.
I will take a look at your other post. You seem very positive about your agoraphobia and that is a good thing. I am feeling really inspired by how people are dealing with and overcoming agoraphobia. I always thought there was no recovery from agoraphobia and at one point thought I would end up spending my life indoors if no one was around to accompany me outdoors
Thank you for congratulating me too! I shall take a look at your other post!