On a positive note, i’m not anxious 24/7 anymore and I havent taken Ativan since the 22nd of January.
But i’m still having agoraphobia. I’m scared of leaving the house and having a panic attack while out and feeling trapped. My uncle might need me to go to the garbage dump with him tomorrow or Monday and I don’t want to have a panic attack in his car. It would be extremely embarassing. Panic attacks are scary and I always feel like im about to die when I have one.
Any advice?
I’ve had agoraphobia at certain points in my life but I always got better. I know the feeling of panic while driving in traffic or going into a crowded grocery store. I was miserable when I was going through it but haven’t had it in years and I’m fine with being out in public now. I don’t know why it comes and goes but it usually lasts for several months than goes away for many years.
I’m glad you’re doing better Nick.
The more you get out, the less it bothers you over time.
Yeah I know exposure therapy helps a ton. It’s scary facing your fears though. I gotta do it sooner than later.
I was afraid to leave my home for years. I now work outside my home.
Yes, it can be overcome!
Well done on holding a job. I hope I can do that in the near future.
I’ve had agoraphobia with severe panic disorder since I was 12
It lasted well into my 40s
Today I still have agoraphobia but without panic disorder, but I still have anxiety
I don’t know of any treatment for panic attacks other than benzos.
Do you know of anything else?
I beat panic and fear of anxiety through therapy…you have to learn how to dismantle the fear of anxiety before it takes control…mainly by diversion of thoughts away from it as soon as it starts…not easy to do at first but now I am panic free…good luck.
You’re reply gives me some hope. Thanks for sharing man. I will eventually beat this. Glad to hear you are now panic free.
Thanks @TheCanuk . Hang in there. Don’t give up. You can get better
My pdoc doesn’t prescribe benzos.
In addition to my APs and antidepressant, I take hydroxyzine for anxiety. It’s an antihistamine
I’m also learning emotion regulation and distress tolerance skills to help me deal with anxiety and panic
You have anticipatory anxiety. You’re anticipating having a panic attack. I get that from time-to-time.
Meds can help, but exercise, diet (limit sugar and caffeine), sleep, breathing techniques, and changing your thinking are also helpful.
It’s impossible to think of a negative thought and a positive thought at the same time. Is it possible that you’ll have a great time with your uncle? So three words: Wait to worry.
When you’re out with your uncle, what would you do if your uncle had a panic attack (and you knew it was a panic attack)? I bet you would tell him that he’s going to be okay and comfort him. Your focus would change from you to him, and I don’t think you’ll be having a panic attack.
Wait to worry. Be optimistic. Stay positive. Focus externally, not internally. Everything will be okay.
I hope this helps.
After my catatonic phase, I got this phobia, but I a had a predicament I began to stir. Either go back to high school, the harder of the two options, or go with my safest space, just chillin at home.
I picked the former, and serendipitously found a medication to help with my anxiety. But even if I had not gotten that medication, I still would have gone to school.
I’m glad my family pushed me to do something hard, it shows what me that I can do hard things, even in the face of this adversity.
Thanks for sharing guys
I had this at one time, and it went away yeah.
For me I had another underlying issue that was causing anxiety about leaving the house. After I got to the bottom of the fear I was having. The agoraphobia went away.
I had it pretty bad I would say. It only lasted for about a year though. Like I said, after I solved what was causing my fear I recovered a lot
I’ve never experienced this personally, but I know someone who has. I can’t recall everything her therapist suggested, but I do recall one thing helping her. Her therapist suggested she make “goals” for each excursion out of the house. For example, I remember her telling me one day her goal was to say “Hi” to two random strangers. So, she would focus on those goals even if she didn’t do anything else. If she accomplished those tasks, she could look at that outing as a success. Another day it would be to talk to 5 random strangers. Over time, it changed her mindset and improved her anxiety because she could look at each one of her outings as making progress. Plus, it focused her mind more on her goals than of the anxiety of it. It didn’t take the anxiety away necessarily, but it did divert the severity of it since she was more focused on whatever her specific goal was. She really made progress over time.
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