Agoraphobia. Haven't left the house in over a year...4 times in 3 years.

[TrappedIndoors]

I'll try and keep this factual rather than dwelling on all the details. I had a really bad case of covid in 2021, diagnosed with long covid. I had already suffered with anxiety and depression before this, but I was so unwell and my oxygen was so low I was passing out. Every day was a struggle, and it resulted in me losing my job because I was obviously unable to go!

My health hasn't improved much, I'm exhausted constantly, ache all over and spend my days waiting until I can sleep again. My GP wants to refer me for further tests etc but the issue is I cannot go to any appointments as I cannot leave the house. Any time I try to leave the house I have a panic attack which can result in me passing out.

I have tried councilling (via teams) they recommended compassionate based therapy but I found it really difficult and they referred me back to my GP.

I want to have a life again. But I don't know where to begin. AIBU to think that this doesn't have to be my life? My world is so very small and I'm extremely isolated and I don't want to be this way anymore. Has anyone managed to overcome agrophobia and could possibly give me some advice?

I'm sorry to hear about your situation, it sounds incredibly difficult. You might be best asking for this post to be moved to one of the health boards because the responses on the AIBU board can be unpredictable. Good luck op.

Has the GP prescribed any medication?
How many sessions of therapy did you have?
Can you afford to pay for private therapy?

What did you work at before and who do you live with currently?

This isn't a specific agoraphobia tip, but it's one I was given concerning panic attacks with other triggers. If you have a favourite piece of music that makes you feel better, try to engage with the panic trigger, while playing the song. Start by trying to make it through one verse of the song, then stop. Over a period of weeks, work up to making it to the end of the song before stopping.

OP I really feel for you.

I recommend you get this book delivered and read it in full. I think it could help you.

The Science of Stuck... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1472293908?ref=ppxpoppmobappshare

You say you were offered "compassionate based therapy". Were you referring to CBT? If so, it actually stands for cognitive behavioural therapy. Might help with agoraphobia and perhaps worth exploring

Sounds v tough. Good luck

How often have you passed out? Its usual to feel giddy during a panic attack, but its very unusual to actually lose consciousness. Have you had blood pressure and bloods checked with your GP?

I know exactly what you are going through. I did a couple of years of therapy for agoraphobia/anxiety but what has really worked for me is exposure, basically facing your fears to help your brain realise there is nothing to be afraid of. You can do this in small steps, so maybe you could start by just opening the door one day and then stepping out onto the doorstep another day, slowly building up until you feel like you are able to go outside and try and visit different places. It can feel really overwhelming at first but take it slow. This is a really good self-help resource: https://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/overcoming-agoraphobia-lovell-1999.pdf

I definitely recommend this alongside counselling and/or medication though. It worked well for me so could be worth a try. Baby steps.

@Lucy377 i am on Setraline 200mg, I managed 4 sessions, it brought up alot of trauma. Should have really included that in my OP.

I worked for the ambulance service as an emergency responder.

Thanks all for your advice I'll definitely look into them.

I had a combination of agoraphobia and social phobia in my late teens/early 20s. I had some excellent graded exposure therapy and have never looked back.

It sounds scary, but done correctly with a trained professional, your anxiety level shouldn't actually ever rise to panic

@NeedToChangeName no it wasn't CBT, I have had that in the past. It was literally called compassionate based therapy based really on being kinder to yourself and understanding self loathing.

@SloaneStreetVandal its only happened 3 times and was caused by my oxygen levels dropping. I am on medication for my blood pressure so that could be a factor.

@BluePoster thank you. I know deep down that is the only way but I'm so scared

@TrappedIndoors I have agoraphobia for the last 20 years or so.

Initially I was house bound but I'm now working full time, can go about 20 miles from my house and my day to day is the same as everyone else's now.

I won't lie, it took years to get where I am but I'm trying to push myself to go on holiday at the moment.

Anyway, I got a book called the DARE response, which is basically a tool to assist with exposure therapy. Exposure therapy with an SSRI in the background is the best treatment.

Good luck

OP you have experienced so much trauma! So much. In your job and your Covid experiences.

Your phobia is perfectly understandable. I think you need to take a teeny tiny baby step each day towards your goal. To retain your brain that outside the house is ok.

Ie stand by the front door.
Touch the door.
Touch the door handle.
Open the door and shut it again.

How would you feel about trying these this week? One day at time, one thing at a time?

If it stems from trauma then EMDR might help you. It can sometimes be done online.

Exposure therapy is your best bet. It is tough but works.

Had this with each pregnancy. My wonderful GP prescribed Anafranil the first time it was wonderful three weeks later I left the house and got on a bus with the baby.

Following the second pregnancy I was given SSRI. that also worked after a few weeks.

My doctor said think of it as a flat battery in your brain. The meds recharged the battery.

I also read a book about it called "Feel the fear and do it anyway". Reading that no-one ever died from a panic attack and that it never lasts beyond four hours helped a lot.

You are talking about trauma that therapy brought up - EMDR is excellent for trauma. I doubt it can be done virtually. But if you can pay privately, may be they can come to you? Good thing about EMDR is that it’s very time limited - your normally need only a couple of sessions for a single trauma episode. More for complex trauma, but still it’s not talking therapy that takes years.

"Clomipramine for Panic Disorder Reviews - Drugs.com" https://www.drugs.com/comments/clomipramine/for-panic-disorder.html

Your oxygen levels don't change though during a panic attack, shallow breathing makes it feel as though it does. Fainting happens when your blood pressure drops, so its worth having your blood pressure meds reviewed.

As PP's have said, the only way to overcome anxiety is by going through it. Its hard work, but can be done with planning and effort (baby steps, and increasing your time outside by a few extra minutes each time). You need to do it daily though, waiting until you feel 'brave' enough won't work.

Similar to what KeeepDancing said:

Write down a "ladder" of the tasks that you find too scary. Break it down into really tiny steps. Do the first step. If you feel scared, that's fine, the fear won't harm you and it will go away again in a few minutes. Repeat that step each day until it seems more managable. Celebrate. Then move on to the next step and repeat.

Exposure therapy worked for my relative. She did it over the phone weekly.

Be careful you do not develop some form of vertigo as well. When vertigo cannot be explained by other factors - then anxiety is strongly related to vertigo. I developed some agoraphobia from not going out during covid - now that is my norm but also I have vertigo too as well as breathlessness. I manage to go to hospital appointments using hospital transport.

I’m not one for self help books at all and I know this will sound really reductive of the severity of your illness. But I read/ listened to the audiobook Dare by Barry McDonagh and it really got through to me. There is an app that accompanies the book which you can use for meditation, pep talks and ‘sos support’ when you’re on the verge of a panic attack. It seriously changed my mindset.

following as I have agoraphobia too

I'm so sorry that you've experienced such trauma. I suffered from agoraphobia and anxiety for more than 2 years, and didn't leave the house at all for 18 months - you are right, your world becomes so tiny and isolating. I used my savings to access online therapy from The Retreat in York. It took a year of work with one of their professionals to get me outside again, but I'm starting to get better now, bit by bit. Recovery and improvement is do-able, please don't lose hope.

Sensible suggestions above re psychological therapies and self help books above also if you’re on the top dose of Sertraline and in the state you describe I would also wonder whether it’s worth a medication review with your doctor. Role of SSRIs or other antidepressants in this situation is to reduce the anxiety enough for you to do the graded exposure. Important not to take benzodiazepines (Valium and the like) as they will inhibit learning processes and increase anxiety over time.