Relapsed after many years.. need someone to vent to

[Belladora 0]

Hi,

My name is Belladora.  I was diagnosed many years ago.  I have been dealing with Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia for over 40 years.  I was housebound for 3 years and eventually got out.  I maintained as best I could.  Just in the past 3 months I have had a complete relapse.  I can go short distances, 1 mile radius.

I have pushed that radius and ended up drained for a week.  It's not good enough to have the diagnosis now I need to figure out what happened.  Well, long story but I will not bore you with details.

[rainbow 333]

hope you feel better soon, i dont have much experience with agrophobia, but just take baby steps, and recall you how you were able to get better the first time. 

 

good luck. 

[Bterflymom 155]

I'm almost the opposite, coming back into my house makes me anxious because that's where I woke up the day after a mental break so it brings me bad memories I guess.  My anxiety has grown worse it seems so Dr raised my xanax again. I was normal one day and the next day after a court appearance for my granddaughter I wasn't myself anymore, gone. I forgot what they call that but I'm still scared it happened and I'm struggling over two months since then too.  I want myself back and not have all this anxiety and depression.  concentrating is hard to do also.  I see a therapist and have a psychiatrist but it's still hard unless I'm out of the house.  I"m hoping I can make the trip that's been planned for months with the hopes that when I get home I'll be me again.  Sorry for your problems too, can't imagine staying in my house for so long, take care.

[jonathan123 2368]

Hi Bella and welcome to AC. You are not having a relapse but a setback. This can happen after many years of being anxiety free. It is pointless trying to figure out what happened. Something has 'sensitised' you again and caused the anxiety to return. It matters not how long you have suffered: recovery is always possible. Look up on the site under RESOURCES the work of Dr. Claire Weekes, an authority on agoraphobia. Her book "Essential help for your Nerves" is a must and a best seller. Amazon and any good bookshops sell it. There is also a lot of useful info on site about agoraphobia. You know by now there is no magic word that gets you out of this, but acceptance of how you feel and perseverance can work wonders. I know, the way you feel now does not make perseverance easy but if you accept as opposed to fighting the problem it does ease it and gives you a chance to look at your situation more calmly.      Jon.

[Dany 10]

I am sorry to hear about your anxiety coming back but you should know that agoraphobia is actually a very treatable problem. However, many people find it very difficult to overcome. This is generally because they think the way out is to first find a way to get rid of their fears, and then re-enter the situations they have come to avoid.

 

First you need practice handling the fear, and that means practicing in the actual phobic situation. It's there you can become confident in your ability to cope, and it's there that you will lose your fear.

 

Agoraphobia treatment based on cognitive behavioral methods can help you overcome agoraphobia with two key steps. First, you learn how to respond to panic attacks in ways that calm them down, rather than aggravate the situation.

 

Secondly, as you get better with those skills, you practice them in more and more challenging circumstances, until you have regained all the territory that you previously gave up to panic. This kind of treatment is usually called exposure treatment, and it's considered the most effective treatment available for panic and agoraphobia.

 

Remember, the power to healing is in your hands!

 

Take care and stay positive!

[Belladora 0]

You people are wonderful.  My heart goes out to Bterflymom.  No matter whether your problem is the same as mine or different.  Anxiety is anxiety and panic is panic.  You know when it began and maybe it's situational.  Hopefully things are ok for your granddaughter.  You will be in my thoughts.

There is no miracle cure.  I have found that out after 40+ years.  I self medicated for 5 years with alcohol and 25 years ago replaced the alcohol with medication.  At one point I was on 6 mg of Klonopin and then they switched me to Xanax.  I have been slowly withdrawing from the medication.  It has taken 4 years to get to only 2 mg daily.  I am disappointed I am so medication dependent.  The older I get the more I realize the toll this disorder has taken on my family.  The depression is deep and dark and the good days are to be cherished.  Helping other people has been my greatest source of coping.  I had to retire when I was 45 due to panic attacks.  It has been a difficult ride for everyone involved.  I have 3 sons and they are macho men.  I brought them up not to be weak as I thought I was.  So there is no understanding there.  They firmly believe it's all in my mind.  My daughter suffers from an anxiety disorder but works hard to function at a high level.  I think I am just plain tired from the battle.  Do not kid yourself.  It is a battle and a daily one.  Only those who suffer with us truly get it.  I have seen specialist in Agoraphobia.. a joke.  I am the specialist, I live it.  Sorry if I seem unduly harsh.  It's my negativity getting the best of me.  My safety phrase is " this too shall pass"  when I am in a full blown attack.  It's true, it does pass.  The fear of the return of that way again keeps us down.  My children would be happier if I had a physical disability and not what they consider a weakness.  As a single parent of four I had to earn a good pay and function at a high level.. I just burned out.  I am praying my daughter is able to maintain better than I have. 

 

Thank you very much for the welcome, comments and advice.  Every word is important and the understanding is critical to my well being.