can i recover from agoraphobia?

Question

agoraphobia--cant go out of the house

Answer 1

Hello. The short answer is yes. I know where you are as I was there a number of years ago. I will tell you my story hoping you can gain some strength from it and take the first steps forward.

I was 15 and 'normal' coming up to some school exams. I used to be taken to our nearest town by my father in his car and then used to catch a bus to school. One day I felt sick on the bus. I started to panic as I knew I was going to throw-up and that as the bus did not stop for a few miles (until it got to school) I would be doing it there in front of everyone. I have always hated being sick and doing it publically freaked me completely. I had a serious panic attack and yes I throw up. I got off the bus (the driver was nasty and did nothing to comfort me or check I was going to be OK) and walked 7 miles to get home. I kept feeling ill but it was to me then just a stomach bug or the like. I stayed off school for a couple of days and then seemed to be OK. The problems started when we tried to get in the car to head off to school. I went into a panic attack again. I had to stay at home. This repeated the next day and by then just going outside to the car was enough to do me. The situation spiraled down and I became unable to go out of the door, whether there was a car journey planned or not, without being driven into a panic attack with all the sweating, pounding heart, nausia, frantic thoughts of how to escape etc.

My parents recognised I needed help but I could not leave the house to go to a doctors. We managed to get a counsellor to come see me at home. She was great. We spent ages over several sessions going through why I would want to get out of the situation, listing down and going over all the good stuff I wanted to do outside the home. Apparently this gives positive reenforcement to wanting to succeed and overcomes the mindset I was developing of planning how I could manipulate the world so as to be able to stay indoors forever. In each session, after discussing why I wanted to get over the problem we would go on to talk about what frightened me about going out. We discussed my irrational fear of being sick and being seen to be sick by others. It used to stress me just to consider it but what she did was to make me say what was the worst that would happen in each situation and what the outcome would be. Over time I recognised (I suppose I knew but had to be helped to believe?) that the actual consequences of the worst thing I could imagine happening were irrelevant. So people would see me throw-up. Would that kill me? Would that hurt me? Would it take away any possessions I had? Would it lose me anyone I cared about? NO. Gradually I got to feel that I wanted to got out and that the worst that could happen to be was well worth it. Then we moved onto a 'small steps' programme. I worked out what I would do to get to my goal of riding the bus. The first step was simply to stand inside the open front door and look out for a few minutes. It was hard but I did it and felt good. Then I had to stand outside the open door. Then I stood in the garden. Then I did it with the door closed behind me. Then I did short walks down the street (very hard and at first I needed the door open as an escape route if needed). The walks got longer and I stressed less. Next I got to sit in the car alone, at first with the door open. Then my mom sat in with me. Then the engine was on. Then we drove up and down ourstreet. After about a week I was comfortable with all this (it was that quick). The second week I overcome going into shops (small ones first but then big ones you have to go far into. I did have odd wobbles but remembering the positives of why I was doing it and the insignificance of the result of throwing up, together with some breathing exercises (slow and deep through the nose) got me through it. The recovery continued. By now we were well into the Summer school vacation and our family holiday approached (first trip to the USA). I managed to make that trip and enjoyed it a mear 5 or 6 weeks after being completely housebound and terrified of going 1 foot outside the door.

I can still remember what it was like to fear situations. Once in a while I get little panic attacks around situations (I got stuck on an underground train for 15 minutes a few weeks ago and had to manage myself with breathing and positive thinking) but I live a good live with no real restrictions.

And so can you! Get in contact with a phobia self help group or a counsellor. Go through the positive motivation, working through the fears and little steps to success route I took and you will have your life back in so little time.

Good luck

Answer 2

I was diagnosed with anxiety/panic attacks with agoraphobia. counseling is great & helps, but the key is getting on the right med (this is different for everyone due to the way your body metabolizes different Meds). Sometimes the first med your doctor tries doesn't work so you try another. Don't give up! I'm now symptom free! (currently taking effexor xr 75 mg daily & BuSpar 10 mg 3x daily) If you are unable to afford counseling, go to your regular Medical doctor, explain situation, he may be willing to prescribe something. If you do become medicated it is of utmost importance to take your med at exact same time every day so the med is in your system at a constant therapeutic level. If you miss a dose take it asap unless is close to time for the next dose. Never take 2 doses at once to catch up! Search for a mental health facility in your area or surrounding areas. Usually you can receive counseling, see a psychiatrist & if income eligible, receive med for free through the company that markets them. Good luck! Hour you feel better soon :)

Answer 3

Most cases of agoraphobia are thought to be due to panic disorder. When panic disorder is treated, the agoraphobia often improves with time. For rapid complete reduction of agoraphobia, behavior therapy is sometimes indicated. However, agoraphobia without a history of panic disorder is often chronic and may be complicated by depressive disorders.
I suggest you consult an experienced psychiatrist, who can combine both biological treatment, cognitive and behavioral therapy in your treatment.

Answer 4

I also have suffered from this. It was years ago (23 to be exact) after the birth of my first child. I did not leave the house for over a year. I let me license expire, didn't get a job, and couldn't even walk 1/2 block to the store without having a huge anxiety attack.
What I did was make a list of things I needed to do to get me life back. I started small with going to the store. I did gradually get my life back by taking small steps and realizing that the anxiety I felt when I walked out the door was not going to kill me (even though if felt like it was). 23 years ago there was not much help out there available to me, I think that some therapy might help and don't count out the use of a mild tranquilizer. I feel your pain, I still remember the feelings and to this day still feel them sometimes.

Answer 5

You can indeed. I did. It took time, and was hard. I was lucky enough to have a CPN who put me on a gradual steps programme. Id repeat each step loads of times until i was comfortable with it.
The first step was answering the door to her each week, Step 2 walking to the front gate with her, step 3 walking into the street, step 4 going for a drive with her, 5 going to a quiet garden centre, sometimes we'd stay fro a coffee. And just adding more and more gradually.
After 5 years, i get out and about. I don't really enjoy it, but i changed the way i looked at things.

Hopefully you have supportive friends and family, it makes the world of difference.

Lots of love and best wishes.

Answer 6

hi, i too suffer with agoraphobia with depression. I find that my meds make me less anxious generally but not enough to go out yet i have been like this for four years now, i have my psychiatrist who comes to see me every three months. I am hoping that it can be done, Last year i managed to get out with the help of my hubby and kids but people were talking about me so that was it that was the last time i went out. I wont go to the dentist ort the doctors, and i have missed so many of my youngest Assembly's it kills me not being able to see her. But i have to think positively and say i will manage to get out somehow. I have said that if i moved to the countryside where it is less busy i would be alright, I'm going on with myself now, sorry. I wanted to say that with the help of family and friends and therapy and maybe meds might be the right combination for you. If you need to chat to someone email me. take care and good luck.

Answer 7

Yes i have heard many people recover after being stuck in doors for years. Take small steps to begin with like going into the garden and back and gradually increase the distance you can go as you begin to feel comfortable. Get as much support from your Friends and family as possible!! Good luck x

Answer 8

It`s very difficult, still struggle myself with this. My tip, try to force yourself outside in baby steps. One day, open the door, and get comfortable with that, doesn`t matter how long it takes. When you can do that without panicking, step outside the door..........you have to take it in tiny stages like that. It`s a massive achievement when you manage to do it. Like winning a marathon with a record time! Hope for the future..............a couple of weeks ago, my brother and I went to the seaside on the bus. We got lost and I freaked out, but we eventually managed to get back home again. SO YES, IT IS POSSIBLE TO RECOVER!

Answer 9

agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder.. it can be treated using cognitive behavioral training (CBT), and medication...

if you have agoraphobia, it might also be related to social phobia, depression, and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorder...

wearing sun glasses and head phones, can help... the music can help to relax you, and the sun glasses, keep bright lights, from triggering the behavior...

it could also be related to being extremely nearsighted, or having hearing problems!!!

e-mail me back, if you have more questions at: krazee_homeless_bum@yahoo,com

i'm a mental health professional!!!

Answer 10

you could try going bit by bit till your out of the house and walking around town , like if your confined to just your living room and bathroom then try opening the door to your house and just look out , then slowly start your way out over a stretch of days. if that doesnt work in the slightest then try talking to a counselor over the phone or something and you should be able to soon enough. theres usually an underlying problem and if there is you just need to find it to be better , if that makes any sense...anyways i hope this helps you in anyway :).

Answer 11

Yes, you can. With the right help from counsellors and doctors, you can recover.
It is a big step to go outside, but help is available there. Contact the county health department to find out how you can best be helped.