Agoraphobia

[VividGreen]

Anyone else struggling with agoraphobia? Support needed.

Hi Vivid,

I don’t have agoraphobia, but do have Cleithrophobia, so understand how debilitating it is

Do you have any support in real life?

No and forgive me but what is cleithrophobia? Xx

I got a diagnosis of agoraphobia and social anxiety over a decade ago through occupational health at a previous job (had a breakdown and got signed off sick). I can just about manage to hold down my job (run a business with my husband) but I regularly panic on the commute into work if I can't get out of the train station quick enough and a crowd builds up. Luckily nothing serious which needs medical attention, but it's exhausting knowing a simple short train journey which most people would just get on with, never feels second nature to me. I did manage to get my driving license, but have never managed to get comfortable with driving because I fear being trapped in a traffic jam or the roads I'm familiar with getting closed. I don't really have much of a social life because I spend my days not at work decompressing and struggle to adjust if I lose a day trying to do something 'fun'. Regularly fall into the trap of self medicating with alcohol which of course isn't good.

Back when I first sought help, I was given SSRIs for depression and a short CBT course and made to feel like I was wasting professional's time. I didn't find the SSRIs made much of a difference. The CBT made sense in terms of getting into routines and becoming more active, but it doesn't make the panic of being out and about much less intense.

Happy to chat in solidarity, but unfortunately can't offer much guidance in terms of getting help through NHS

Hi, I have agoraphobia. Aside from a 3 month spell 25 years ago, I’d been fine but it came back in spades at the beginning of this year.

I can only comfortably travel about 20 mins from my home, and even that can sometimes be a struggle. I’m trying to go longer distances and am having therapy and on sertraline. I long to be the carefree person I was a year ago. The impact on my family and job is pretty awful. My DSis has booked a weekend away next week and I’m dreading it 😓

what are your current issues? I’ll help if I can, but as you can see I am not a shining example of being able to overcome it

I had it severely in the past along with panic disorder. Considered suicide it was that bad, no meds helped me and I couldn’t see a way forward. I found the DARE videos on YouTube and they changed my life.

Exposure therapy is the only way around it, sadly. It is absolutely terrifying at first and I was on the verge of a complete mental breakdown whenever I went to Asda or the post office but a year later it’s a distant memory. I’ve been abroad by myself and I no longer have panic attacks everyday.

I have no financial interest in DARE btw, I work in aviation 😂 but the videos changed my mindset from ‘I need to fight the anxiety and take more meds’ to ‘bring on the anxiety so I can fight it’. I highly recommend them. Experiencing the fear is the only way you can move forward.

Oh btw one medication that I do still take is propranolol. Not sure if your anxiety manifests as panic attacks but it has helped me a lot. Non-addictive, not an SSRI and not a controlled drug. Very easy to increase or decrease the dose depending on how you’re doing that day.

I’ve had a few horrific experiences with agoraphobia over the past 18 years. My knees would buckle if I walked a few steps from my front door. I was prescribed Citalopram and it worked.

I've had anxiety and agoraphobia for 7 years now, has got to the point I can't leave my home. I only go out if I have a medical appointment, last Yr I refused ambulance care and hospital admission for life threatening anemia, my gp tried getting my capacity to make decisions about my health taken away, went to court etc. Luckily managed to dodge it but no choice in seeing gp, hospital appointments if I don't want further action taken. My mum passed, don't see my dad and other family came up with their own reasons why I Don go out so no support there. I'm very isolated and lonely, if not for my son I would have taken my life.

I've tried propranolol but didn't help, that was the highest dose.

Thankyou strawberrysea. I would normally strongly agree with exposure therapy, while I've suffered severely for 7 years, it's been there from a young age, as far as I can remember about 3yrs old, an affected all aspects since.

Thank you for your post,pls see most recent if can help, advise or support.

Sorry guess too much to understand x

I’ve developed agoraphobia this year after starting with anxiety and depression. I can go outside for a walk but trying to go to shops or restaurants sets off panic attacks. Are you able to go for walks at all I find a walk really helpful.

Me too. I think a lot of people define themselves as having agoraphobia when they have cleithrophobia as it's better known/understood.
Good luck OP. I have no wise words. I have tried to follow DARE as suggested upthread but can't really get fully onboard. I have ADHD which I think is at the root of my phobia.

Sorry vivid, I missed this reply. Cleithrophobia is a fear of not being able to escape. So I am fine in confined spaces/ busy places etc as long as there is a way out. It’s taken me ages to work out my trigger - fresh air. So I can also do a confined space, as long as there is a window that opens. The thought of not having access to air really freaks me out

How are you today @VividGreen and everybody else?

I've been following a few people on TikTok who have agoraphobia. It helps in some way to know that they are experiencing what I am, but at the same time I don't like to hear about people having it for decades, as I so desperately want to believe that I will get better soon.

Really not up for this weekend away, but my kids are really looking forward to it and I don't want to let them down. DD2 witnessed a really bad PA back in January. It took me totally by surprise and we were an hour from home. It was horrendous and I don't want to put her through that again. I think that is one of the roots of my anxiety now.

I have talked through a few strategies with my therapist. For instance, I might travel half way on Friday and stay in a hotel and do the rest of the journey on Saturday. Also, the fact I can count the holiday in hours helps - it's less than 72 hours in total, which makes if feel a lot better!

Are you on an SSRI? I had agoraphobia for about 15 years and still have some anxiety around certain things, but I mostly lead a normal life now. I was housebound for years. I still find it hard to look back and remember it and talk about it, so I’ll probably not go into too much detail, but I just want to say you can lead a good life again, no matter how bad things are now. I used to use diazepam - they gave it out in those days! It helped me a lot, but there are better medications now. I am off the diazepam now, and on Cipralex, which is a brilliant medication for panic disorder, and Pregabalin. That was the combination of meds that has helped me, and I’m happy to stay on it for life.
Please keep going, I know how hard it is, but your efforts at recovery will be worth it. I do recommend you consider medication. It will hopefully get you to a place where you can start to do the cbt and take the baby steps to get out there.
Oh, I’ve said I won’t go into too much detail, but I do recommend the Claire Weekes books as well. Self Help For Your Nerves, and her Agoraphobia book.

My gp isn't keen on adding to my medication, I take alot for various other health issues and informed cd make other things worse. Feel is no way to move forward given a life long battle.

Just to say I have not defined myself as having agoraphobia, nor do I have cleithrophobia, I wd be much more comfortable in a shut room if I could be on my own. A mental health specialist diagnosed me with severe anxiety and agoraphobia, it has taken more than 2 years to accept and understand why I have felt so different to other people around me, from a very young age, and impacted all aspects of my life.

i know a little of what you mean about medication. I’m on the highest dose of sertraline and there is nowhere to go after that. My only option would be to change to another medication which means withdrawing from sertraline and then starting a new one. No guarantees it would be any better and going without until I have built up to a new dose.

In the past I’ve found acknowledging the anxiety and telling it to “do its worst” has helped. I haven’t got to that point yet. I’m just trying to push myself a little further every day. Today is the day of the holiday though, so I fully expect to be a quivering wreak throwing up and losing control of my bodily functions in a lay-by in a few hours time 😂

what are your plans for today? Do you feel comfortable in your garden?

I understand maybe can help/support each otherxx

I've not had support as along with poor health have not been acknowledged. Hurtful to say the least.