Agorophobia

[Aqua]

Hey there...I'm not sure if I've posted this in the right place but here goes.

I've got Agorophobia. I haven't been formally diagnosed. In fact I haven't even told my GP about it and those who know about it don't believe me. (aunt & cousins). My mum and nan know I have agorophobia and keep telling me to get help for it as I'm letting it ruin my life.

Their right. Im too afraid to leave the house now and on the rare occassions I do I need someone with me and feel like I'm having a panic attack. I dont know what a panic attack feels like so Im just guessing here but it feels pretty scary and constricting. This really is controlling my life. I cant go out, answer the front door or even pop my head out the door without feeling pressure in my chest and worrying.

Its horrible. I do driving lessons once a week for 2 hours and this is really hard to do. I'm fine in the car but when I'm driving past crowds of people or shops that I expect to be busy or its after 3pm, I panic. I thought I was hiding it well until my driving instructor asked my nan is something wrong with me. So much for hiding it well, eh? Lol.

I will do everything I can to avoid going out. I used to be always outside having fun with friends and been a regular, wild teenager. Now Im like a frightened OAP. I dont know what brought this on. I wish I did. Maybe then I could face the cause and get over it. Ive been trying to fight it and thought I was winning until I felt myself being scared to open the door again. Im fine at my GPs surgeyu but walking home is pretty intimidating. My family keep telling me to go outside and get some chips or a drink for them. They know Im scared and I mumble something and say I need toilet and stay in there for 30minutes, lol. But their horrible so I think their doing it on purpose to send me crazy. [V]

Ive noticed Its worse when kids are off school and on holidays. You'd need a crane to get me out of the house around that time. When I rarely go out I only do this around 9-3pm and must be home by 3pm. If I have a appointment which I know will mean I wont be home till after 3pm, I'll cancel it or make up some excuse. I wont go on buses as they terrify me. I feel like wherever I go, everyone is staring at me and know some awful secrets about me or something. If Im standing in a que (this was around christmas time) there was 2 girls by me, a few years younger than me. They were whispering by the side of me and I looked at them and saw one of the girls looking at me and it freaked me out. Thinking about it now I think she saw me turn aorund out of the corner of her eye and looked but I dunno. I feel like a freak.

I cant tell my GP as they wont listen to me. They'll give me Prozac which doesn't work. I've heard Valim works but I'll never get that off my GP. Their a bunch of "quacks". How is agorophobia diagnosed and treated?

Has anyone else got this? I would like to hear personal experiences as well as advice if thats ok. Hope your all doing well.



You have to fight to survive and never give in.

[andrew]

hi aqua,

welcome to the site. reading what you've wrote it sounds like you've got some 'social anxiety' issues as well as agorophobic ones.

have you tried talking to your doctor, you dont have to take any medication they might offer you but you can ask for counselling - although i think the waiting lists are longish. other alturnatives, pay for private counselling, i think CBT type counselling is reckoned to be the most successful. contact your local 'mind' a mental health charity and see if they can offer you anything that might help. no panic offer telephone support for anxiety issues, i think its £10 a year membership, check them out www.nopanic.org.uk and its free to post and chat here, you'll get good support.

i am fairly recovered and in control but i can relate to some of the things you've written from when i was struggling. the avoiding travelling around 3 o'clock thought still pops up lol, altho i can choose what i do. thoughts that people dont like you and are talking about you are fairly common social anxiety traits. and thinking that theres something wrong with ourselves is a fairly common anxiety trait lol.

if you are prepared to fight and keep on trying you will learn to regain control, good luck with the driving, you take care .. andrew

[Piglet]

I agree with Andrew about registering with NoPanic - I am waiting to hear about their telephone course myself.

I would work on getting your general anxiety levels down to a more acceptable level which will in turn help you feel more like working on the agoraphobia side of things.

I get panic attacks and this in turn has lead to the odd spell of semi agoraphobia and this year this has been the worst ever. I was having probs gettin out even accompanied sometimes.

Have you read any of Claire Weekes books many of us on here find them excellent. There are lots of other tips etc on the site if you look around.

One tip that has helped me is to get out every evening for a short walk - for some reason I have no major probs getting out if it is dark - I am guessing this is because I don't feel so noticable in the dark.

Try and work on getting comfortable in some of your feared situations rather than just enduring them before making yourself do more.

Lots of us on the site know exactly how you feel and that it can be sorted out.

Good luck.

Love Piglet



"Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it?" said Piglet.
"Supposing it didn't," said Pooh after careful thought.

[Meg]

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/symptoms.htm
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/healthanxiety.htm


First Steps to overcoming Panic and Anxiety

Lets try to keep our thoughts in perspective

The Battle that Rages in my Head

: Maxine's cbt progress.
CBT
Starting CBT


Have a good read of the Sucesses catagory too.


Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?

[tattybear]

I also suffer from this, but I also agree with piglet with regards to the dark - I find now that its darker at night, i feel so much more safe and less anxious and wanting to go out and do more, and i think it is because we're less noticable in the dark - i supose it acts as a security blanket.

From what i make out, most people feel more depsressd in autum/winter, but im the opposit I love the winter and cold and dark nights and cosy evenings - i feel much more depressed and anxious in the summer!

Work on little stages and smart goals - try not o do too much at once as it may have a negative effect. set yourself small goals and you will ge there.

Tatty B xx

[nomorepanic]

Small steps are needed

Open door
Step out
Go back inside
Deep breaths
Go back out
Stay longer

Keep doing this until you realise that nothing can hurt you.

Nicola

[kirgray]

Hi Aqua

I also suffer with agoraphobia and social anxiety, I have had those thoughts of people staring and catching someones eye, it freaks me out.

Tatty and Piglet-totally agree about the dark nights, I love em!!. they make me feel sooo secure, I think it is the noticeable thing!!, in the summer I walk around half the time with my cap on or sunglasses-I look like Im a celeb in disguise ha ha.

PM me if you want Aqua.

Take Care XKX

[Aqua]

Hiya everyone and thanks for your very kind replies. I'll take a look at all of them links and registering with NoPanic.

I totally agree with you about the dark nights. I think it is kind of a security blanket as we're less noticeable. Sometimes I wish I was invisible. It would be easier, lol.

I love the autumn/winter too and yup I wear caps when Im outside in the summer. I think its because I feel like everyone is staring and criticizing me behind my back when Im wearing summery clothes so I try to avoid going out during summer and hot months.

I'll try going outside for a few minutes then going back in and going out again and staying out longer this time. I'll have to do it during daylight as I'm a night person and its my security blanket at the moment.

Im not sure if my GP will listen. Ive got myself a appointment for Fri morning but I doubt she'll do anything. I really think Im at the stage where I need medication and something stronger than Prozac but then again I dont want to become reliant upon the medication so much that I think the agorophobia is gone until I stop the medication and it starts up again.

There is a counsellor at my GP surgery but I dont know what area she specalises in. Hopefully anxiety disorders. Im glad Im not the only one who thinks people are staring and whispering behind their backs. My GP would probably think Ive got bad paranoia and Im schizo or something. Seriously she would, lol.

Isn't social anxiety issues all part of agorophobia? I know hardly anything about agorophobia. [:I]

Thank you all.

You have to fight to survive and never give in.

[Nicky]

if i were you seek help before it takes hold of u. make sure they get u seen to right away no waiting about for years.

[snuggly-sam]

Hi aqua.
i also suffer with AGORAPHOBIA and social phobias,i know how u feel and for 6 years i became house bound lost friends and felt totally isolated.whenever i went out i felt hot tight chest felt like i was going to be sick and many a time i had walked out of asda trolley full of shopping left in the isles as im running tot he exit.i know how u feel Pm me if u want to chat ok anytime,Please thought try to seek help from your gp too its a start.let me now how u get on too ok.