Help How to get over Agoraphobia?

[LonelyPrince]

It's so difficult to go outside.
Just thinking about it makes me anxious.

If I want to have even have a slight chance at independence I'm supposed to learn how to drive.
However, walking to the driving school and into the class makes me wanna ctb on the spot.
The smells are so strong and the voices are so fucking loud.

 

[boyafraid]

I suffer from the same thing and I hate it. Some days it feels impossible. Other days it feels somewhat manageable. Sometimes, if I'm outside for too long, I get an anxiety attack and want to go back to my room asap. Which takes a long time because I take public transport lol. Learning to drive is always a nice skill to have so it's definitely worth the effort. Driving school took a week for me. The minimum was at least 10 hours on the road, and you got your license. Imo it's better than going to dmv, and doing the driving test there because that's more stressful for the most part.

I hear meds like Propranolol and Zoloft can help with social anxiety. I know it's not the same as agoraphobia but they do share some overlapping symptoms. Sorry if it's not the best answer. I suffer from the same thing so I'm not in the best position to give advice ):

 

[gunmetalblue]

I'm also agoraphobic. It's hard. Especially if you are on your own and needs essentials. You feel lazy, guilty, embarrassed and dependent on others.
Personally i've been advised to start by doing mundane things not far from home, like walk around the block. Take an elevator. Walk in small crowds or take the local bus for a short while. It's not been working but exposure therapy can help. I wish you peace and that you get through the struggle.

 

[Dot]

Hve u trid workng wth a CBT therpst - thy wll oftn hlp u 2/ v gradully acclim8 2 b-ing outsde - lke strt wth wht u r comfrtble wth & chck ur pulse & remnd urslf tht u survivd -- thn try fr longr ech tme & gradully xpose urslf t/ dffrnt plces etc

Also tbf ur agrphbia cld also b manifstng bcse of othr ovrwhlmng issus in lfe s/ = also gd t/ b honst wth urslf abt ur genrl lfe & strssors etc & C wht actn u cn tke t/ mange thse

 

[SleeplessAndSad]

Small steps is the way. The more often you expose yourself to little things, the easier it get's. But i know it's hard and it takes a long time and constant willingnes to get better.

 

[LonelyPrince]

I'm also agoraphobic. It's hard. Especially if you are on your own and needs essentials. You feel lazy, guilty, embarrassed and dependent on others.
Personally i've been advised to start by doing mundane things not far from home, like walk around the block. Take an elevator. Walk in small crowds or take the local bus for a short while. It's not been working but exposure therapy can help. I wish you peace and that you get through the struggle

Yeah I should also do that. Problem is that I live in the countryside so I can't just walk out of the house and visit public spaces easily.
It takes double the effort cuz I have to always prepare myself for public transport and stuff like that to reach my town.

Thank you, I wish you peace aswell

 

[trying ungracefully]

It's hard I struggle with it too. I'm doing exposure therapy and it's still a big process but it's helping. I used to not be able to walk outside and go into stores but now i can. There's still anxiety but it's working and i feel it less. I'm working on getting on the bus now too, that's a lot harder though and it's taking time.

This is done way better with a therapist but basically you create a hierarchy of anxiety from your agoraphobia. You start with the smallest and work your way up and try and sit with the anxiety as long as you can or even longer so you can keep proving to yourself and your body that these situations are safe and okay. You want to reach a 10 with some things but you don't want to cause so much anxiety you do the opposite and show yourself and your body it's not safe.

Doing things like external mindfulness helps too with dealing with the anxiety at least for me. So while walking or doing whatever think about the things you see and what's going on around you.

The things that works with agoraphobia are medication, mindfulness, self compassion, and exposures to what gives you anxiety.

 

[LonelyPrince]

I suffer from the same thing and I hate it. Some days it feels impossible. Other days it feels somewhat manageable. Sometimes, if I'm outside for too long, I get an anxiety attack and want to go back to my room asap. Which takes a long time because I take public transport lol. Learning to drive is always a nice skill to have so it's definitely worth the effort. Driving school took a week for me. The minimum was at least 10 hours on the road, and you got your license. Imo it's better than going to dmv, and doing the driving test there because that's more stressful for the most part.

I hear meds like Propranolol and Zoloft can help with social anxiety. I know it's not the same as agoraphobia but they do share some overlapping symptoms. Sorry if it's not the best answer. I suffer from the same thing so I'm not in the best position to give advice )

Ayo? a single week?
You mean both theory and practice?
Here it takes normally one year...that's why I'm so discouraged because I feel like I don't even have all that time available.

Hve u trid workng wth a CBT therpst - thy wll oftn hlp u 2/ v gradully acclim8 2 b-ing outsde - lke strt wth wht u r comfrtble wth & chck ur pulse & remnd urslf tht u survivd -- thn try fr longr ech tme & gradully xpose urslf t/ dffrnt plces etc

Also tbf ur agrphbia cld also b manifstng bcse of othr ovrwhlmng issus in lfe s/ = also gd t/ b honst wth urslf abt ur genrl lfe & strssors etc & C wht actn u cn tke t/ mange thse

I don't know much about CBT therapy. I'm italian so I gotta look it up.
Yeah I know why my agoraphobia manifests already, I just can't bring myself to be understanding with myself because I feel like a failure.

 

[LonelyPrince]

Tommorrow I have to go outside. Wish me luck

 

[Dinorun]

Tommorrow I have to go outside. Wish me luck

you got this!, always helps to remember that in the end of the day whatever you obliged to do will end and you are free to go back home

 

[boyafraid]

Ayo? a single week?
You mean both theory and practice?
Here it takes normally one year...that's why I'm so discouraged because I feel like I don't even have all that time available.

I don't know much about CBT therapy. I'm italian so I gotta look it up.
Yeah I know why my agoraphobia manifests already, I just can't bring myself to be understanding with myself because I feel like a failure.

Wow a whole year is insane lol. I'd feel discourage too if I had to go to driving school for a year.
It was 10 hours for just practice/road experience, and it was also a requirement to have a driver's permit before going to driving school. I forgot to mention that part.
Little side note, but having some experience driving helps out in driving school. I had some experience, so after driving through neighborhoods for like 10 minutes we jumped on the roads. It was pretty scary but after some time I got used to it.

Wish you lots of luck going outside tomorrow! You are stronger than you think (:

 

[LonelyPrince]

Thank you so much all of you

 

[LonelyPrince]

Managed to go out. Almost froze outside.
Did some things I had to do and I'm thinking of going out today again.
Yesterday I did have a mental breakdown tho due to the stress.