damn this agoraphobia!!!!!

Darren John · Post by **Darren John** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 11:16 pm

i`ve suffered with agoraphobia for about 15-20 years now usually its a lot worse after i`ve had a spell of panic attacks which i`ve also suffered that long i`ve had to give my job up because of them and i`m now stuck in the house 24/7 i`m a 40 year old man and have to watch my family go out everywhere without me .My wife is taking my three kids to bulgaria on holiday next year and i have to stop here alone.As i type my wife has taken the kids shopping into the town where we live.Before i had my first panic attack 20 years ago i was always out the house and travelled all over the country without any problems.I`ve known my wife 8 years and have been married six years and i worship the ground she walks on but she has always admitted she doesnt understand this condition and i`ve always had to battle this condition on my own.I understand totally that she doesnt understand and thats fine but i feel so alone fighting this problem.At the moment i`m on lesson 3 and have started trying to go outside for walks.I walk beside my bicycle and use it as my safe person and i listen to my mp3 player but i can only walk 100 yards down the street before i start panicking then its more like a fight for survival to get back home.I try to say positive things but the feelings are still there and they dont seem like they are getting any better.I tell my family i`m really struggling at the moment and i need a little help i dont mean to baby me because its my battle and only i can beat it but i just want someone to support me and every now and then give me a little pat on the head to say well done.I will keep plodding on but the false smile i put on is getting harder to put on!

linny52 · Post by **linny52** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 12:41 am

hello,

I have been where you are. I also did a program similar to this one, and it worked. I also found out I had a chemical imbalance and needed to see a psysicatrist. It was a struggle, and very depressing for me staying home. The program will help. You can learn to relax with the tapes, and the hardest thing is paying attention to your thoughts. I used to wear a rubber band on my wrist and whenever I had a negative thought, I would snap it. It worked and I trained my mind to change my negative thought patterns. People do not understand, and I say they are blessed. But this is real, and we have to worry about ourselves. Take care of yourself physically. Use the term "so what" when you start thinking the "what if's". It will take time, but you need to work on this 24/7 - I wish you well. Linda

angie123456 · Post by **angie123456** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 10:14 am

Originally posted by Darren John:
i`ve suffered with agoraphobia for about 15-20 years now usually its a lot worse after i`ve had a spell of panic attacks which i`ve also suffered that long i`ve had to give my job up because of them and i`m now stuck in the house 24/7 i`m a 40 year old man and have to watch my family go out everywhere without me .My wife is taking my three kids to bulgaria on holiday next year and i have to stop here alone.As i type my wife has taken the kids shopping into the town where we live.Before i had my first panic attack 20 years ago i was always out the house and travelled all over the country without any problems.I`ve known my wife 8 years and have been married six years and i worship the ground she walks on but she has always admitted she doesnt understand this condition and i`ve always had to battle this condition on my own.I understand totally that she doesnt understand and thats fine but i feel so alone fighting this problem.At the moment i`m on lesson 3 and have started trying to go outside for walks.I walk beside my bicycle and use it as my safe person and i listen to my mp3 player but i can only walk 100 yards down the street before i start panicking then its more like a fight for survival to get back home.I try to say positive things but the feelings are still there and they dont seem like they are getting any better.I tell my family i`m really struggling at the moment and i need a little help i dont mean to baby me because its my battle and only i can beat it but i just want someone to support me and every now and then give me a little pat on the head to say well done.I will keep plodding on but the false smile i put on is getting harder to put on!

lizikins · Post by **lizikins** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 11:14 am

Darren John I know agoraphobia sucks big time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have it and I can get around my town a little better,but there was a time where I could barely drive down the street without getting a panic attack. I know where you're coming from and its terribly hard. You just have to keep trying, keep doing the program and taking baby steps. Every day try going a little farther, and the things you thought were so hard will get a lil easier. I know when I wouldn't leave the house for a while, I would start to get anxious and feel terrible even in my house. Whenever I start to feel rly anxious at home, I know I have to get out of the house for even just a second. After I get out of the house and try something, when I get back home i always feel more calm at home. I'm not cured of agoraphobia, I still haven't been able to drive for an hour or more, or gotten out of the state, or the country lol, but someday i will, and i just keep that hope because i want to do all those things. If you keep trying and want it bad enough you'll get there.

selly32 · Post by **selly32** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 1:41 am

i too have for years travelled or went to to afr from home. just this year has if gotten really bad i forsce myself outside even if i suffer panic but everyday i tell myself i will go further and sometimes i do. but i do find myself making excuses. so i knwo how u feel . its alot about the thoughts i ahve before i go out if it ell myself i will panic or soemthign will happen it does. I want to be me again what happened to that just anxious girl??? i really think that i was better off just being anxious all the time. At least i still went out now im misssing work and my life is becoming smalller aND SMALLLER

Butterfly22 · Post by **Butterfly22** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 2:32 pm

I was wondering, I had anxiety/panic attacks since I was a child but didn't really understand what it was back then. Just wondering, why is it so many people have this real fear of driving? I have had panic attacks from many other situations, but wondered what the fear is about in driving, what is the real anxiety producing reason for fear of driving? Can someone explain that to me?