Am I agoraphobic??

[zenenlightened]

I have severe anxiety and it seems to be getting worse. I avoid places with a lot of people and lately I get bad anxiety by just the thought of leaving my house. When in public, I usually have a panic attack which makes my conversion disorder act up and then I have a "seizure". I feel less anxiety when I just stay home. Even riding in the car and not even getting out causes me anxiety.

[tic chick]

i would say that is a definite possibility.

i have had panic attacks and agoraphobia. i believe the panic attacks come first, which then makes you avoid going anywhere for fear of "losing control" and having a panic attack and feeling embarrassed or scared.

i would suggest going to your family doctor before you can no longer leave the house. are your seizures epileptic seizures? or are you describing a different type of seizure?

a lot of the meds used for seizures a time ago can work on your anxiety also. i found the drug Klonopin, which stopped my panic attacks and made me less anxious. sometimes i still get little periods where i feel uneasy going out, but nothing like before Klonopin.

please talk to your doctor. there is a wonderful world out there, even though it does not seem that way right now.

take care of yourself,
jeannie

[zenenlightened]

I have psychogenic nonepileptic seizures...just a fancy way to say it's all in my head. There is no medication for them...just a lot of therapy. They happen when I feel panicky and my brain shuts down as a defense mechanism and then I pass out and have a "seizure". They just started about 2 years ago, out of the blue.

[tic chick]

it's great that you are getting therapy!

i also had been in therapy when i had panic attacks. i think talking about one's problems and learning who you are is very important to overcoming disorders like agoraphobia. when i read about disorders like these, it is interesting to see that they typically start to express themselves just when a person is reaching adulthood...around age 18 or so. i think that is a very stressful time in a person's life. they have been a child for so long and all at once they are expected to act and behave as full adults.

sometimes a person will have had problems in their childhood with their parents or maybe physical illness and they can't wait to be on their own, yet they are scared to leave their family. it takes time to sort out your feelings about becoming an adult and moving on.

you call yourself "zenenlightened". do you practice meditation or other calming behaviors...maybe tai chi? perhaps you could try to mentally put yourself in a nice place when you experience those feelings of panic. i used to carry a small paper bag with me also, because you usually hyperventilate during panic attacks. the technique involves making a circle around the top of the paper bag with your thumb and index finger and covering your mouth with the hole and breathing slowly in and out of the bag. it regulates the carbon dioxide in your system and you become calmer. mentally meditating yourself into a state of calm might be a little less conspicuous.:)

whatever your problems, know that you can overcome them and lead a happy life. it just might take a little work.

*bunch jeannie

[Amandad1321]

I've dealed with the same thing...minus the sezuire part for about 8 or so years now. I am off meds now because I'm pregnant and I'm probably not going back on them. It's hard. I don't like it. It's uncomfortable. But I get through it every time and I don't die. Each time I don't die makes it that much easier the next time. But there are many many days that I can't get out of the car for fear of losing control. Some days it's so bad I am panicky just being in my house. I'm learning to deal. I have to. I'm starting a family now. Just wanted to let you know that you're not alone in this.






I have severe anxiety and it seems to be getting worse. I avoid places with a lot of people and lately I get bad anxiety by just the thought of leaving my house. When in public, I usually have a panic attack which makes my conversion disorder act up and then I have a "seizure". I feel less anxiety when I just stay home. Even riding in the car and not even getting out causes me anxiety.

[woozybroad]

I've dealed with the same thing...minus the sezuire part for about 8 or so years now. I am off meds now because I'm pregnant and I'm probably not going back on them. It's hard.


Hi Amandad1321,
I was curious what meds you were taking and did they work? Why don't you want to go back on them? I have been dealing with this for about 2 years now and I know its tough. Did your pregnancy make things a little easier? Sometimes the hormone rush can help..:)

[KDB]

I've had panic attacks and ensuing agoraphobia for 35 years now <she says, looking amazed at what that adds up to!!!!>.

Panic attacks are episodic, generalized anxiety is more of a way of thinking and agoraphobia's avoidance behavior results when you become "afraid of being afraid." At the peak I could not go shopping, church, to dinner, a theatre, to my children's events at school, the hairdresser, etc. I've become addicted to Ativan and while I know its therapeutic effect is no longer valid after all this time, it's a double addiction: psychological and physical. Back in the '70s doctors found me a curiosity and others like me would guest on tv talk shows with headlines like, "She hasn't left her house in ten years!" Later, when well-known people like Streisand and Oprah admitted to the same fear and symptoms, it became rather voguish - to the extent that it began showing up in Hollywood character designs.

There is nothing funny in this, and yet it some ways, it is all funny. I keep thinking of the famous Roosevelt quote, "We have nothing to fear, but fear itself." So easy to say, so hard to live.

I've avoided the drug merry-go-round with the exception of a brief dalliance with Xanax which gave me shivers and sleepiness and an exciting interlude with Prozac which made me uncharacteristically suicidal in about five days. Then, of course, there is the Ativan which the manufacturer swore was not addicted until we all BECAME addicted, although it didn't seem to harm my unborn child, unless you counted the fact that he was born at 29 weeks!

Where does all this lead? Agoraphobia is scary and the truth is, unless you've been there, you cannot understand it. I looked for doctors and immediately rejected anyone whose office was buried deeply in an office building or above the third floor; surely no legimate agoraphobic ventured there for treatment. When the doctor began whipping out the prescription pad, I slid off the table and headed for the door. "I want to deal with this, not hide from it," I said bravely.

The truth is, if you are exhibiting avoidance behavior, get a little med to get yourself stable and keep your job and health benefits. The truth is, it will not kill you and it doesn't last more than 20 minutes or so. Make the excuse of "needing some air" or "feeling a bit faint" and lie down a few moments. Make a kit of comforting things such as an MP3 player with your favorite songs, a small pillow where you can rest your head and close your eyes, a little crackers with cheese and some water. I love quilts so I began carrying a quilted bag to lay my cheek against. But probably the biggest help was the purchase of an iPod - 5th generation with the ability to play games, listen to music, watch movies or Podcasts and even to record notes. I take it with me EVERYWHERE. When I get anxious, out come the headphones and I fall into my entertainment center where everything is safe and my mind goes elsewhere. I don't need to talk to people, I just point to the headphones. I wear it while shopping and instead of getting anxious by the fifth aisle from the door - I move to the music. It's my own world. I even made a hat with a waterproof carrier and I take it to the pool and walk laps to music. This little device is my savior.

I know all you doctor-types out there are muttering "just another avoidance behavior" - but I don't care. This doesn't cost me side effects, addiction and I don't stand out with embarrassment. I get through my kids' school events, waiting for the dinner to arrive at the restaurant and even waiting for the dentist chair. I carry some hard candies to keep my throat spasms from increasing and my whole world becomes all about relaxation and self-indulgence. The best part? It bothers no one and costs me nothing.

Okay - a little confession, a little advice and a whole lot of hope that this helps others like me.

[philmriv]

Hi,

I can so relate to your panic and agoraphobia issues!

The hardest thing is once you are housebound it's a lot harder to get help.

Anyway, I wanted to mention a great resource--

There are telephone conference call support groups for people with agoraphobia and other kinds of social anxiety (the ones I go to are provided by Social Anxiety Anonymous (http://www.healsocialanxiety.com)

These groups are free (it's provided by a nonprofit).

To get support over the telephone has really helped me.