since the age of 13, (i'm now 20,) i've been battling depression, adhd, ocd, and social anxiety, (i was never on any medication. it was nothing that prevented me from having a life. i was fully able to deal with it,) but since the beginning of february, i've been on a rapid downward spiral, and i'm at the point where i feel incredibly hopeless. my mind has always worked in overdrive. i over analyze everything, and i've always been really down on myself. my grandmother suddenly died in february and the entire ordeal was incredibly hard for me (everything happened so fast and we were so close.) since then, my life hasn't been the same. all of my "issues" have become ten times worse. i go to therapy once a week and he has diagnosed me with agoraphobia and some other anxiety issue. i no longer leave my house. i feel as if i am unable to. i very rarely can go to a store or something by myself, so that i may leave whenever i feel i have to. it started with having panic attacks.. you know, rapid heart beat, labored breathing, dizziness, intense stomach cramps, the whole nine yeards, and the feelings would not subside until i was either home, or on my way home. it's gotten to the point where if i even think abotu leaving my house, everything starts up. just sitting home, i have a constant anxious feeling and i'm always on edge. i get stomach cramps constantly, and it just seems as if i can't do anything abuot any of this. on top of this, i have crazy mood swings. i can be all happy and chipper and then out of no where i'll just start crying and feeling completely worthless. {REMOVED}my life is just becomming completely and totally unbearble, and i feel as if i have absolutely no control over what happens. i don't want to feel like anymore. i have lost my life, i've alienated my friends, my family is just a pain about the whole situation, (they want me to get a job, but that is just impossible at the current time.) i really need someone to help me, or even just tell me that it gets better, because currently, i'm feeling really lost and confused. sorry if this just sounds ilke rambling, i'm not always good at explaining things.
Last edited by ms_mod; 04-07-2006 at 11:38 AM.
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Re: agoraphobia and other such things. PLEASE HELP.
welcome beautie
I and others here are familiar with all you mention, it seems that your therapist, whilst able to diagnose you, isnt able to help you, this is sadly common
dont think that you cant be helped, you can, the blame for your lack of improvement is with your therapist and not with you
firstly, its impossible to beat anxiety and panic attacks by tensing up and fighting back, instead you must relax, and work your way thru the problems, accepting instead of fighting
you need to get several self help recovery books or tapes on agoraphobia and panic disorder and study them closely, and be prepared to follow their advice, this will involve changing your approach, some sufferers are very stubborn and proud and refuse to try anything different
the mood swings, I think are coming from the stress and anxiety, you need valium or similar, taken as needed, this will make difficult tasks much easier
phone around to see if there is any local agoraphobia or panic disorder group as they will be able to help and offer advice
stay with us
Re: agoraphobia and other such things. PLEASE HELP.
thank you so much for the encouragement and the advice. i'm willing to try pretty much anything to be able to leave my house again and go back to living the way i did. have any suggestions as far as books and things go?
Re: agoraphobia and other such things. PLEASE HELP.
Did the doctor prescribe any medication? Just giving a diagnosis of agoraphobia and anxiety is not enough; you need help.
Did you see a phychiatrist or a psychologist. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor and they can prescribe drugs for you. A psychologist, a Ph.d, cannot prescribe and will attempt to help you with talk therapy alone. {REMOVED}
I am no professional. I think you need to talk AND to take antidepressants
and Vitamin B complex. Work on the physical as well as the mental side of it .
If you do nothing, you could actually spend years inside your house. We knew a man whose wife moved into their big new house and put sheets up in the windows in 1987. Last year we drove by and those sheets were still up.
I'd hate for this to happen to you, dear. Think you can see a psychiatrist??
__________________
Susan Gene
Last edited by ms_mod; 04-08-2006 at 06:37 PM.
Reason: Please read all of the "Sticky" posts at the top of this board. Thanks, Ms_Mod
Re: agoraphobia and other such things. PLEASE HELP.
i really appreciate the help, because i'm dying right now haha. i'm going absolutely insane and i'm just dying to leave my house, but i just can't do it.
my doctor has not prescribed me any medication, and although he is able to, i really don't think he wants to. he's made it clear that he is against medication, but i don't know what else to do.
i need to do something before i go crazy. this type of this as well as paranoia and stuff runs in my family. i have an uncle that has gone outside of his house in over three years, and i really don't want to end up like that.
Re: agoraphobia and other such things. PLEASE HELP.
Maybe you should think about switching docs. I can't beleive if he knows how you are feeling, he won't give you something to atleast get you out a little. I do suffer from a mild case of agoraphobia. It really runs your life when you want to go out with a friend or loved one and can't.. It really stinks. I have been doing some exposure therapy by myself and it helps. You should read up on it and try it. Its what got me out of the house. Hope you feel better.
Re: agoraphobia and other such things. PLEASE HELP.
to beauty queen
any valium type med will let you get out and about, do things and go places, thus restoring some of your self confidence
I think you should demand some from your doc and get another doc if he refuses, life is short....
your problems all sound like anxiety to me, this is quite different from paranoia. its likely the uncle also has agoraphobia which does run in families, my grand mother had it, so did I and now my sisters boy has it
