Agoraphobic
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Hope77
Is anyone else dealing with agoraphobia right now where you can't even leave your house? Or maybe you can't drive very far from your house? I have been dealing with not leaving my house for two months already and just want to know if there is anyone else in here that is going through the same thing.
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SilverLining
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 9:42 am
Hi Charles, I have dealt with and still do deal with agoraphobic symptoms but not where I can't leave my house. Instead I have trouble going into restaurants, stores, etc. I'm ok getting out and driving and going some places, I guess the ones that are in my comfort zone. I did get to a place when I was in my early twenties (mid 40's now!) where I wasn't even comfortable in my parents home, where I lived, when people came over. I know it can be a very discouraging thing to deal with but I have gotten better and I take little steps to get better when I feel courageous! I let my world shrink before and I don't want to let it get that small again.
It's overcoming the fear of something bad happening. FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real. There really is nothing to be afraid of and we have to tell ourselves over and over that we will be fine. I must say that I don't think I would have even the victories I've had to this point without my faith in the Lord. I pray alot and that helps me face the fears.
Wishing you the best.
It's overcoming the fear of something bad happening. FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real. There really is nothing to be afraid of and we have to tell ourselves over and over that we will be fine. I must say that I don't think I would have even the victories I've had to this point without my faith in the Lord. I pray alot and that helps me face the fears.
Wishing you the best.
Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
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Hope77
Thanks SilverLining. I am in my early thirties and this is my second round of agoraphobia. I had it before when I was 20 and living at my parents house. I have been in counseling for two months and am on my 6th week of the program. It just feels like I will never get over this. SoWhatIf I did see the show Housebound on DHC last week which lets people see there are people out there with this. The only problem I thought with the hour show was they made it seem very easy to get over this condition. At the beginning of the show one lady hadn't been out of her house in over three years and the other hadn't been out of her bedroom for 6 months. At the end of the show they were both recovered and living normal lives in only a few days the show made it seem.
Charles -
If I didn't know better, I'd say you were talking about me! I too am going through a second round of agoraphobia. I've had anxiety and panic the whole time, but there have only been two periods in my life when it really impacted my ability to live a normal life.
I first started having trouble with my anxiety shortly before turning 15. It didn't turn to true agoraphobia until I was 16 or 17 and I was housebound for nearly a year. It took a long time to get through the fears before I could do most of the things I wanted. But by the time I graduated high school I was pretty much free of my agoraphobic response. Like I said, I still had anxiety and occasional panic attacks, but they didn't stop me from doing what I wanted. I did graduate a year late from high school because I couldn't attend for about twelve months.
I did well for many years afterward but things came crashing back down again about five years ago. I became highly agoraphobic over the course of the next few years and now am struggling to get myself back out. The worst of it was about a year and a half ago where I became mostly housebound again. I'm now able to travel within a certain distance of my house but I rarely can make the drive to my office still. Fortunately, my company has been very understanding and is allowing me to work from home as I gather myself back together. I'm in my mid-thirties now.
I've learned over the years that the best approach for me is desensitization. That is, exposing myself to my fears in small increments such that I become comfortable over time with the situations that frighten me. That is how I got through this the first time and it is how I recently went from housebound again to the limited range I have now. It's slow and tedious work, but I haven't found anything else that works for me. I do take medications, but they only work partially and it's been difficult finding anything that even works that well.
I wish you the best of luck with your recovery. Keep fighting and know that you can get through this. It really is possible and you must know this if it's your second time too. Try to remind yourself that you've done it before, you can do it again. That's what I tell myself.
Jamie
If I didn't know better, I'd say you were talking about me! I too am going through a second round of agoraphobia. I've had anxiety and panic the whole time, but there have only been two periods in my life when it really impacted my ability to live a normal life.
I first started having trouble with my anxiety shortly before turning 15. It didn't turn to true agoraphobia until I was 16 or 17 and I was housebound for nearly a year. It took a long time to get through the fears before I could do most of the things I wanted. But by the time I graduated high school I was pretty much free of my agoraphobic response. Like I said, I still had anxiety and occasional panic attacks, but they didn't stop me from doing what I wanted. I did graduate a year late from high school because I couldn't attend for about twelve months.
I did well for many years afterward but things came crashing back down again about five years ago. I became highly agoraphobic over the course of the next few years and now am struggling to get myself back out. The worst of it was about a year and a half ago where I became mostly housebound again. I'm now able to travel within a certain distance of my house but I rarely can make the drive to my office still. Fortunately, my company has been very understanding and is allowing me to work from home as I gather myself back together. I'm in my mid-thirties now.
I've learned over the years that the best approach for me is desensitization. That is, exposing myself to my fears in small increments such that I become comfortable over time with the situations that frighten me. That is how I got through this the first time and it is how I recently went from housebound again to the limited range I have now. It's slow and tedious work, but I haven't found anything else that works for me. I do take medications, but they only work partially and it's been difficult finding anything that even works that well.
I wish you the best of luck with your recovery. Keep fighting and know that you can get through this. It really is possible and you must know this if it's your second time too. Try to remind yourself that you've done it before, you can do it again. That's what I tell myself.
Jamie
"Common things occur commonly. Uncommon things don't. Therefore, when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras." -- C.J. Peters
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Hope77
I can see how bad weather would make it hard to get out and practice. Out here in Seattle, it's rare for it to stay below freezing for long periods and we don't get snow much, at least that stays on the ground. We did have a snow storm a few weeks ago and it did snarl things up for a couple days. I remember how it made me feel even more trapped even though I don't want to leave my house anyway!
Good for you for keeping your motivation up and facing your fears. It's the surest way to real recovery that I know. Are you able (in terms of anxiety) to leave your house at all right now? And, may I ask what your primary fears are? Mine have changed somewhat over the years.
I'd love to swap stories and ideas since it's sounds like we're very much in the same situation. Feel free to private message me anytime. Are you familiar with how to do that?
Take care,
Jamie
Good for you for keeping your motivation up and facing your fears. It's the surest way to real recovery that I know. Are you able (in terms of anxiety) to leave your house at all right now? And, may I ask what your primary fears are? Mine have changed somewhat over the years.
I'd love to swap stories and ideas since it's sounds like we're very much in the same situation. Feel free to private message me anytime. Are you familiar with how to do that?
Take care,
Jamie
"Common things occur commonly. Uncommon things don't. Therefore, when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras." -- C.J. Peters
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tina martin
- Posts: 792
- Joined: Sun Nov 14, 2010 9:24 pm
While I am not completely housebound, I am not terribly thrilled to go out either. Also have a long time friend who has been subject to many aspects of phobias. The principles of the program here based on CBT can be very helpful. But what I have also done with my friend and myself is to go back in time and try and determine origins of the fears. It was not difficult to find these root causes. Such connections to the present do not suddenly erase the phobias; but, in my experience, they mitigate them over time.
As to weather, I absolutely refuse to have it dominate my movements. I bundle up, consider it a challenge, and take my daily walk. My umbrella goes with me rain or shine. Apparently I have imbued it with certain imaginary powers that seem to work. Just thought I'd share this.
As to weather, I absolutely refuse to have it dominate my movements. I bundle up, consider it a challenge, and take my daily walk. My umbrella goes with me rain or shine. Apparently I have imbued it with certain imaginary powers that seem to work. Just thought I'd share this.
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SilverLining
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 9:42 am
Hi Charles and everyone, 
What would you consider it when a person, namely me, struggles with feeling trapped at home? Like you mentioned Searunner, when the weather gets bad and I feel stuck, I struggle with anxiety or if one of our cars breaks down, I insist on taking my husband to work so I have a car during the day, even if I have no where that I plan to go. Just the thought of being unable to leave causes me to get anxious. Is that a form of agoraphobia or just a different thing altogether??
My CBT therapist has diagnosed me with agoraphobia and GAD, and I think social phobia thrown in there for good measure. What a puzzle!
What would you consider it when a person, namely me, struggles with feeling trapped at home? Like you mentioned Searunner, when the weather gets bad and I feel stuck, I struggle with anxiety or if one of our cars breaks down, I insist on taking my husband to work so I have a car during the day, even if I have no where that I plan to go. Just the thought of being unable to leave causes me to get anxious. Is that a form of agoraphobia or just a different thing altogether??
My CBT therapist has diagnosed me with agoraphobia and GAD, and I think social phobia thrown in there for good measure. What a puzzle!
Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
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Hope77
SilverLining,
I have had the same feelings about being trapped at home. When my wife and I were down to one car I would have to drive her to work so I had the car at home. It is all about having control. If you have no car at home and wanted to leave you would be stuck. My biggest thing now is being stuck in traffic or red lights since I feel trapped and not in control. People with anxiety need to feel in control as the program states. If we feel we have no control then we feel anxious. I have been trying to give my control issues to God since I feel he is ultimately in control.
I have had the same feelings about being trapped at home. When my wife and I were down to one car I would have to drive her to work so I had the car at home. It is all about having control. If you have no car at home and wanted to leave you would be stuck. My biggest thing now is being stuck in traffic or red lights since I feel trapped and not in control. People with anxiety need to feel in control as the program states. If we feel we have no control then we feel anxious. I have been trying to give my control issues to God since I feel he is ultimately in control.