Housebound Agoraphobic/Anticipatory Anxiety - Panic Disorders Message Board

Lotus_Blossom · 06-14-2007, 07:06 PM

If anyone here has suffered from being completely Housebound..how did you pass through the wall of Anticipatory Anxiety to living a fully functioning life again?What gave you the strength to try?

ChanceFL · 06-14-2007, 08:31 PM

Lotus, it has happened to me twice. When I was 12 years old I didn't go out of the house for six months and about seven years ago I had really bad panic attacks and I think I stayed in for about three weeks. When I was 12, I got over my anxiety and went back to school because I decided that I wanted to live again. My mom put me in a small private school, but it was very difficult at first.

Seven years ago, I forced myself to leave the house because I saw what was happening to me and I knew that I was heading towards full blown agoraphobia. I was so scared the first time I went out. I remember thinking that I would have a panic attack in the middle of the grocery store. The one thing that got me through it was the knowledge that I could just walk out of the store if I felt panicked and no one would ever know. Little by little, it got easier and I stopped thinking about it so much. It's true that exposure is the key to overcoming your fears. It seems harsh, but it's the only way.

Now I am battling some pretty severe OCD and it's still hard to get up and get out when all I want to do is hide under the covers. But I try to remember that being out in the world is the best medicine. I hope that you can overcome your anxiety because it is no life to always be afraid. I think that's what always motivated me to finally get out. I just wanted to feel alive again.

You can do it! Just take it slow and expect setbacks. But I promise you it will get easier and you can have your life back.

vickie45 · 06-15-2007, 05:28 PM

LOTAS BLOSSOM,
i too suffer from agraphobia and severe panic disorder i hardly ever leave and nevre alone ,my hubby has to take me to drs when i have too go i also suffer from hypo thyriold my tsh in jan 2006 was skyhigh of 8.45 its now down to 1.5 i was on levothyroxine 25mcgs in jan then i went to my gyn because the gp i was seeing for over a yr refused to test my thyriolds or hormones in sept of 2006 i started having falling down spells first one was in my gp's front office he did nothing just said it was panic ok this kept getting worse so i went in in dec crying my eyes out begging him one last time to please check my thyriolds and hormones he still refused said it was a waste of time and money so i said id rather die then live this way so he sent me to a psychiatrist and hes the one who found out i had thyriold illness i was put on levothyroxine 25mcgs took till march then went up to 50 mcgs my tsh then was 2.5 then it went back up to 7.11 why i dont know so the new internal medicine dr i started seeing put me on 75mcgs i took them only 2 mos then it started making my chests hurt so i took a 50 it still hurt so i went down to the 25mcgs again and i feel better but i still have the agraphobia really bad and the panic attacks anytime i leave this house i have a panic attack i went with hubby to pay a few bills but i got up today not feeling too good i have flu like symtons but didnt want to be home alone so i went i stayed in the car though and when i got home when i went to get out of the car i fell and its getting worse my dr wants to do a stress test on me which would prob help,so i know what your going through i hate this agraphobia and the panic and here in the past few weeks when i fall i feel as though im about to pass out i mean like uncounsious iam very scared i dont know whats causing all this im only 45 yrs old this all started in feb i had 1 ovary and tube removed jan 2006 and i been this way ever since im going to a psychiatrist next month and i hope they can help me i cant do this alone i have tried getting out in the public and everytime i do i have a panic attack have you ever had any falling down spells from yours????? i dont know what to do i guess stay home forever ...............vickie

ChanceFL · 06-15-2007, 08:54 PM

Oh, I forgot to mention that Xanax also helped a lot with my panic attacks. Are either of you taking any type of anti-anxiety medication? It can really get you over the hurdles in the beginning and give you the confidence to keep trying.

vickie45 · 06-15-2007, 10:29 PM

yes im on 1 mg xanax 3 times a day but guess what when i got home and fell outside my house this man had drove by and saw me he came back helped my husband get me into the house well about 2-3 hrs later he came back and invited us to church and im going i truly believe god is the only one who can help me over come all this i cried because i knew god sent that man to me and im going this sunday and every sunday after too and iam going to let the lord help me with all this god knows whats wrong with me something deep inside is whats causing the fear i was going to go to a mental health place they may help but i believe god can help better i have prayed so many times for god to please help me and he has he sent that man to me and invited us to church .cause i dont wish to live this way the rest of my life i do not know what is causing all this but i will get better through gods help .......
god bless and my aunt even told me once to turn to the lord for help and thats what im doing .
vickie