Anyone have AGORAPHOBIA?????

I'm mildly agrophobic, I'm doing my best to manage it but I'm not as free as I'd like to be.

I'm usually alright going to familiar places with someone I trust, but I'm very limited with where I can go alone.

I usually get out of the house once a week or so, to go to the Doctors.

A lot of people don't understand just how bad this is, and I've got a mild case. I feel very sorry for the people who aren't able to get out at all.

I've finally got an appointment with a Pyscotherapist in two weeks, and I have to go to the next town and see all new doctors, and I'm petrified. I chickened out last time so they put me to the bottom of the waiting list. 12 months on, and I am going to stick with this appointment.

I get panic attacks outside, but I don't want to rely on medication. This means I do tend to put off going outside. I send my partner out most of the time, even to put rubbish in the bin.

I am Agoraphobic although I can go out with family members. I've been like this for 10 years after being attacked at work. I have learned to cope although get lonely and can't go to visit friends or join new groups or try anything where my family can't come with me. On the whole I am happy but would love to go swimming or be able to go shopping without having to drag hubby along with me.

I did see a psychologist once but had to go on my own to the other side of town then cross the car park and sit in a waiting room!!! Not perfect so didn't go again, his conclusions were that I am Agoraphobic but not depressed!! I knew that already!

Are you in UK? Reading the other answers there seems to be a lot more help in US than UK. Doctors here don't seem to take it seriously.

Email me if you want to talk.

Good luck

I am wondering... are you seeing a counselor for it and have you tried medication? Agoraphobia can be crippling and I'm sorry you are having such a rough time.

When I was much younger I went through a spell where I was afraid to drive and I just felt so much better not leaving the house. I was drinking a lot at the time and when I quit, the fear of leaving home went away. Anxiety is such a bummer to have. I wish you the best!

Hi sweetie i have suffered from this for 15 + years it is horrble but if you tell yourself a few days in advance you need to go somewhere i find it helps, also my technique was to learn to drive then at least your car becomes a kind of extension to your home and its like a safe place , i park almost outside where i am going to then pop in and out again some days worse than others but take each day as it comes get help from your g.p i am on Prozac and have had counselling in the past , but only you can cure this in the end last year i flew to Miami for the first time ever i though i was gonna die doing it but i didnt and i loved it so much it was fab i am going again in june and found pr work for a health spa whilst i was there so i get the added benefits of relaxing and working combined great . if you need any help just email me i wi give you a contact number this helps if you can call someone when at the worst point of it i know been there .best wishes with it and dont push yourself you will do it when your ready..

Get some help from a licensed mental health clinician. There are ways that you can get treatment for your disorder, both with and without medications, depending on how severe your disorder is. I have worked with people with agoraphobia successfully without medications, but some people do need them to help them begin to decrease the symptoms so that the non-medication interventions can work. Whichever way that you receive treatment, you can recover from this disorder. In some of the most severe cases, people completely isolate themselves from others because of their anxiety. Others are able to go out and to function outside but find it very uncomfortable. I think that the most important thing is that you should know that you CAN recover from this disorder and live a more normal life, free from the anxiety that is presently impairing you.

Good luck with it, and please know that you will get better!

I don't suffer from it, but have felt close to it at times.

Social anxiety can cause these feelings, which can also lead to severe depression,

http://www.socialanxietyinstitute.org/ds...

if not you could be suffering from Generalized Anxiety

Disorder..http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/general_anx...

There is hope; I've been there, and still am there, it is a long, hard struggle. I recommend

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/cognitive_b... worked best for me, with mild anti-anxiety meds. I suffered from social anxiety for over 15 years. I've tried individual therapy, and group therapy and studied psychology for 10 years, as a profession, but also with the hope to cure myself.

Depending on your comfort level, you could go to a psychologist that practices CBT and specializes in anxiety disorders, seek a group therapy, or create one. Usually those that do attend the group therapy are a bit more high functioning because as you know, it can be difficult to speak in a group.

Another idea is to see if there are any local research studies being conducted that you could participate in.

The program that finally worked the best for me is this one: http://www.socialanxiety.us/findinghelp.... and I was lucky enough to have a structured behavioral group to go along with it. Sometimes the people that actually attend this program come back home and form groups.

I recommend a mild anti-anxiety med in addition to CBT therapy.

Any questions, let me know ... I can't tell you how much this has improved my life!

I have it and have lived with it for years. When I went into recovery just over 7 months ago it really came to the surface. No drugs or alcohol in the way.

My counsellor gave me a few great ideas.

I always know where the exits are in any place that I am in.

I give myself permission to leave any situation...if its something like work, I make a two day commitment and give myself permission to leave after two days. Every couple of days I renew the commitment...great trick of the mind.

I also ask my friends to help out. If its a place that I am panicked about..lets say going to Vancouver after not being able to go for a while. One of my friend's will pick me up and go for a coffee at the outskirts and gradually get right to the centre of Vancouver.

I also take my disc-man to listen to music and I focus on my breath...inhale and the exhale. It helps to distract. Hope this helps a bit....I have empathy

I am a depressive and have found that the only real cure for this kind of psychosis is self help. You can have all the friends doctors and medicines in the world and achieve nothing. Eventually you have to kick yourself in the a.s and start getting out there bit by bit. Do it for yourself because you know you want to! Basically that's the only effective way. Sure you need all the friends counselling support that you can get, but in the end it is YOU that has to make the changes.

Good luck. Remember everyone that answers is wishing you well and supporting you in spirit.

Hi. I understand this is a really debilitating condition.

I worked in community mental health for six years, and one agoraphobic was referred into and accepted by the team. She was seen by an Occupational Therapist over the course of one year, and the treatment involved was the same for any serious phobia - gradual, graded exposure. She began by standing at her back door with the therapist, slowly moving out bit by bit onto the step, then into the garden, etc etc. over the weeks of her treatment. After the year was up, she actually made it onto a bus and into the middle of town to the office on her own! It was a lot of hard work throughout the year, but what a great result for both her and her therapist! Maybe you could benefit a little from checking this course of therapy out?

what it is agoraphobia

i don't know what i s that but i have claustophobia

and i try to fight with that everytime when i am in a dark place and alone