solent64 0 Posted October 8, 2014 Hey everyone, I'm new here. I just wanted to say. I've been suffering from agoraphobia since i was 14, I'm 23 now and still battling with it on a daily basis. The real reason why i came and stopped by on this forum was to share a track I made with you about agoraphobia. I wanted to share it with people who could relate to it aswell as me. Thanks and stay strong. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gilly 1086 Posted October 8, 2014 Hi solent, welcome to AC And thanks for sharing! I have agoraphobia too Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jonathan123 2368 Posted October 8, 2014 Welcome solent. Thanks for the video. Agoraphobia is one of the modern illnesses that seem to be the result of the way we live. Stress is always at the root of any nervous illness. Have you looked up agoraphobia on the site. You will find a lot of information there especially about Dr. Claire Weekes who was an authority on the subject. It is very much possible to manage and recover from it. Gilly will tell you that CBT can be helpful as can some forms of counselling. But you have to take it easy. We call it 'baby steps'. Just a little at a time. Recovery cannot be rushed. Good to have you with us. Come back whenever you wish and let us know how you are getting along. Jon. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sunnybunny 289 Posted October 8, 2014 Jonathan, how does one take baby steps when they have a full time job and all the other life responsibilities? If I take some time off work or reduce my commitments won't I be falling into the avoidance trap? This is something I am really struggling with right now so if you (or anyone here) can offer some guidance I would be so grateful. I listen to a CD by Claire Weekes on my way to work some days. She says I don't have to work too hard today. Just do what I can to stay busy and rest when I need to. I'm not sure my boss would agree ;-) solent64, welcome and I'm sorry to hijack your post. I will check out your vide later when I am not at work. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jonathan123 2368 Posted October 8, 2014 Hey sunny. It all depends on the depth of suffering. Agoraphobia can be crippling for some people while others can get about and even work as you do. Baby steps, whether in anxiety or agoraphobia or any other form of anxiety, means that you don't rush it. There is no quick fix for anxiety as you already know. Everyone's lifestyle, workplace etc. is different and it is impossible to give advice about specifics. But whatever you do and whatever your work may be the same principles of acceptance apply. If you have a full time job and are able to get about without too much anxiety then you can build on that because you are already on the way to recovery. I am not suggesting avoidance. That is not doing what Dr. Weekes says which is to face and accept that we have a problem. Yes, a lot of folk do practise avoidance, but you can't escape from anxiety by trying to avoid it. Remember the man being chased by the Tiger. They ran for miles but when the man turned and faced the Tiger it diminished in size and turned into a mouse. OK, so that may not help a lot but it gives us food for thought. Jon. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lonesailor14 653 Posted October 9, 2014 I get a little agoraphobic sometimes. I tried to work out why. It's a feeling of "if I go out there, something is going to happen". Then I tried to work out what that something was. It was nothing. It's weird but the feeling is still there sometimes. I think about heading to the shop and for some reason there's a thought there saying "you can't do that, what if something happens?" But I still can't place what that something is. It maybe a panic attack. "What if im shopping and have a panic attack? Or pass out or have a heart attack?" I'm not afraid of panic attacks. I'm extremely fit and healthy so in no danger of heart attack. I'm not drunk off my face so why would I pass out? The thought is still there out of habit. A habit I built when I was afraid of those things. Now I head off in the car and the feeling arises of "something is going to get me" but I just ignore it and carry on anyway. I also get it at work in the mornings. I feel I should go home, that I'm seriously ill and something could happen at any moment. Then I thought "well if something does happen, I'm better off at work surrounded by people who would help me, rather than home alone". I tell the anxiety that I'm going to carry on with my day, I will continue working until I keel over with a heart attack and until then we can stop worrying about it until it actually happens. It will never happen. After half an hour the anxiety goes away and I enjoy my workday. I find working helps more. I am worse on my days off when I'm home alone and bored. I end up internalising my thoughts and scanning for negative things. At work I'm too busy to do that. Even if im not busy I have colleagues to chat with which takes my mind off of myself. I find if I avoid something the scarier it becomes and harder it is to go back. I end up making a bigger deal about it than it is. But I carry on, it's only half an hour of struggle rather than a whole day at home worrying about it making it worse. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stones345 32 Posted October 9, 2014 Sailor... oh my... i do the same thing too at work... I think I better go home and then I think no you had better stay 'cause at least you are with people instead of being by yourself at home "IF" anything happens... there's that gigantic word again... 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lonesailor14 653 Posted October 9, 2014 I don't truly believe I'll have a heart attack or anything. There's just something always there telling me something is going to happen. I used to believe that voice. Then I caught on to what was happening. Now I talk back to it and say "ah well, if somethings gonna go down it will. Until then i'll just get on with my day". It's easy to do at work because it's routine. I turn up, the thoughts start, I talk back to them, I carry on working. It wasn't always like this, it took a while and many sick days to figure it out. When I'm out of routine I don't always realise that voice of doubt is there niggling at my abilities. Eventually I catch on though. Do you find working helps? I am far more destructive to myself when I'm alone. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stones345 32 Posted October 9, 2014 I do find working helps because I have to be focused to work with customers.... when it's slow that's when a thought or two tries to get in... but hopefully the phone rings or another customer shows up ... it's later on in the day when I am not there that the thoughts creep in and I have to do my best to ask them to leave ... and if they don't then it's onto TV, reading, listening to music or my Klonopin if at that point... 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brad2313 0 Posted November 1, 2014 i like the song Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jonathan123 2368 Posted November 1, 2014 Hi Stones. No doubt about it, if you can keep working then that can only be good. Sitting around and engaging in introspective thinking is not good. You seem to have a well thought out routine and if it helps then stick with it. Jon. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites