have a pen and paper at hand you will be given a web site one time
the following is an excellent video on anxiety panic attacks & agoraphobia.
hello river - well, i only said hi and how were you. was thinking of your clay zoo animals you said you were going to make… all the best with your progress.
Yellow rock, My clay animals are in progress still, a nice pass time as coloring is.
Get in touch and let me know about your caravan!!! would love to hear!
I am doing very well right now with my agoraphobia ~ I still see my psych and therapist ~ I try not to see myself in a fight with it but to find a center within myself that I surround with positive thoughts.
the ‘Old tapes’ are gradually being recorded over. I spend time being in trusting, peaceful, active, but not reactive, peoples presence on or off line which makes that so much easier. No negative input no negative output… it’s working~
WHATever works~
THAT WAS A good one river still disagree with my shrink I am or was never agoraphobic I could and can leave my house I get to where I don’t want to very much when I am down but even then I will if I have to
yes thats where I was a year ago
As a former sufferer of Agoraphobia, I can tell you that I smoked during that horrific time and I consumed a lot of aspertame through artificial sweeteners through diet Coke and Pepsi and in my coffee. I did however, have to watch my diet because my wonderful Dr. had me on a most hateful anti-depressant, an old one called Nardil, which is an MAO Inhibitor, which is the only drug that helped me, along with I believe it was Tranxene, then was switched to Xanax at that time. What I found out was that I had lost control of everything after I was assaulted, or at least that is how I felt. Humiliated, embarassed, fearful, full of anxiety, scared of everything…! What it is is a fear of fear and you notice every single symptom, only amplified.
What also helped me is playing video games, silly as it sounds. When i was controlling the joystick, it was the ONLY thing in my life I could control. I was knocking down monsters, and the more i knocked down, the better i felt and the more confident I became. Eventually, after a long period of killing monsters on video, I started driving, after dark when fewer people were on the road. This started to give me more courage to drive earlier and then I would drive further. It was not an easy battle. I wouldn’t go anywhere without a ‘safe’ person for a long while, someone who could take me home if i REALLY couldn’t stay in a store or wherever i was attempting to go. Eventually, my “safe” person would just be in the store or wherever, but not by my side. If I got nervous, i would just stoop down in an aisle and pretend to be looking at something until i gained my composure and then try again to stay as long as i could, with my safe person in my sights.
Enabling people who come to you or to your home to help you are not helping you. You need to help yourself, as hard as it is, you HAVE to take the steps to your recovery. I am not only speaking to you, River, but to everyone suffering from this condition. Life is to be enjoyed and I know the PURE HELL of Agoraphobia. This is not enjoying life, it is a mere existence, and not anything pleasant. No one can really understand unless they have been through it themselves. It is not merely a panic disorder. It is the ULTIMATE PANIC LIFESTYLE. I wish all of you good luck and the courage to face the fears that will not kill you no matter how hard it is and no matter how badly you feel, for once you face one hurdle, the next gets a little easier and the next a little easier and the next, etc. Hugs to you, Lindy
lindy, i am sorry to read of your difficult past - i too had a period of when i was afraid to leave the house, this was due to panic attacks and other phobias. you did so well getting better : )
river, since i never heard from you, i don’t know whether you got my email 2 weeks ago? anyway, i wanted to wish you luck in your healing. you’re an amazing person. ((( hugs )))
NO, YELLOWROCK, I didn’t, please retry or message me here…
let’s visit~
Agoraphobia and panic disorders for me are handled by my psychiatrist and therapist. I follow their guidelines and suggestions.
If I could kneel down and pretend to be looking for anything ~ well I’d be able to stand and pretend, sorry but my psych says to avoid areas and people who stimulate attacks. With secure safe people, who are compassionate to the situation, I find I get much further and trust develops naturally. I have moved very far using the professionals advice. Having had experiences where I tried Going it on my own etc, it only served to create further panics and of course all who know this disorder know it shuts you back down.
My therapist came to my home, not to enable me but, to be a safe person to start making steps out. At this time I don’t have any enablers in my life. I am proud of my progress and with care, I know it will end.
The consistent compassionate care of my friends, and those friends here at CP, are WONDERFUL! They have helped me move forward and with great encouragement helped me grow.
HUGS TO YOU THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR ME!
I am fortunate to say that i have suffered it, worked my way through it with the best professional help and those who love me, am done with it and have never looked back! Hugs!
Usually your “safe person” is a friend, significant other and such. There are many triggers of panic in the world and they will always be there…no matter what and avoidance is what one does PRIMARILY when one has this mental disorder. I have never “shut down.” I kept fighting and fighting and eventually fought my way out, with a lot of tears and frustration and setbacks, but kept on going, refusing to give up or give in, and eventually won the war with AGORAPHOBIA. Good luck to all who are suffering for it is hell on earth…
so was the second I do have panic attacks especially when stressed but people find it embarrassing I do but not bad enough to stop going out of my house you guys talked about safe people I use that to help my anxiety I meet a friend when I go shopping I have my cell and when I am anxious I call and talk to those people panic attack for me happens when I am stresssed or overwhelmed mostly
As best I can tell, this disorder is very distinctly unique to each person, do doing whatever works, is right on… The most we can do is share ideas that we’ve heard of, or tried and found some success in. I do think this disorder is very misunderstood and overlaps with social anxiety, depression, and phobias making it hard to treat.
What can appear to be general free floating anxiety may be rooted in some other area. Meds may not work and therapy may not work… and feelings of frustration can be taxing leaving us feeling CRAZY when really it’s a “cocktail” of things that can really address each of our special concerns. IMHO