Agoriphobia/Panic Attacks/Anxiety for 37 yrs! PLEASE RESPOND!!

[MagnoliaAngel]

I have had Agoriphobia for 37 yrs. of my 51 yrs of my life. If any of you out there have this disorder can you please reply & tell me what If any medication or any kind of thearpy has helped you even a tiny bit, Im so sick of being stuck In my world that consist of my home & yard. It's seem to have gotten a lot worse the last couple of yrs & Im at the end of my rope. I have read sooo many self-help books & most probally tried just about every med....seems like, but Nothing or no one can seem to give me any answer's In this small town I live In. The Dr's here are all old school & just want to think Im making all of this up!LOL!! I wish...It's like im living In my own private **** 24/7 & Im not able to be the grandma I would Love to be. I cry a lot & my self esteem Is gone!! I use to be care free & nothing bothered me, untill this hit me out of the blue...BAMM!!! I was raped at age 8 yrs old, & the boy had about 6 BIG butcher knives & said he was going to kill me if I didn't take off all my clothes, more knives I still have a Fear of knives to this DAY!! I was raised In an Alcoholic home with constant Fear of my mom killing me in my sleep. I saved me & my 2 younger sister's from her killing us all with a knife...I had to put both my sisters out the tiny B Room window as she was screaming Im going to kill all of ya'll. I finally got them to safety & got my self out last...then I grabed them by thier tiny hand's & ran down the st. crying to a neighbor's house, I still remember the point of the knife coming through the bath room door & how scared I was. My mom passed away In 2003, she was an alcoholic & lived In her own private ****, now her spirt Is finally at peace & at rest, she was one of 14 kid's. My aunt Margie passed away 4 months after my mom & she was more like a Mom to me & we could always Laugh together...I think about her every day & miss her sooo bad. I also lost my Daddy 2...Barney he was also more of a Daddy to me than my real Daddy was. He passed away last June. I also had a very close friend die totally unexpected...we were best friend's for about 15 yrs...but I had pulled away from her because she was also an alcoholic..& I had quit drinking. I hate Alcohol. Im going to start back to group thearpy In acouple of week's at our local Mental health...I need to be around people again & make my self go. I have kept my self isolated because I also have bad social anxiety & don't like being around anyone I don't know! I hate Agoriphobia & all of the crazy symptoms that come along with it..It's like Im In a constant battle to just stay alive!! 24/7 **** is what I call it. If ANY of you out there have this & have found anything that has helped you..PLEASE let me know, I am sick of being sick & having to make excuses for Not perticipating In LIFE....but my fear's are all Very REAL & VERY SCAREY!! I wouldn't wish this **** on anyone but the Devil!! Thank's for taking the time to read my post...Please reply...I need a friend to chat with who understands the **** I live Every DAY! Thank's & God Bless!

[Nymphete]

I know you feel as if you aren't living your life, I too feel this way. I am only 20 but I know what social anxiety is like. I know how devastating it is. People don't realise what it is like to not be able to do simple things like going to the shops.

I just wanted to say that you are not alone and you such an amazing person with what you have been through. You seem like you are a strong person and you will be able to beat this anxiety. Please go and talk to someone, however scary it may seem. I have been seeing a psychologist for over 4 years now and the first time I went I was red in the face from blushing, my body was blotchy from the anxiety, I was shaking, sweating and panicking and I could barely speak. But if you can find the right person to help you, it gets better this I can promise you. Please you have been through too much to go through anymore alone. You deserve to get help and to live the life you want.

Every word you wrote in your post held so much meaning to me, it was as if you were reading my thoughts. The battle to stay alive is always so hard especially when you are alone. Thank you so much for your post because it has made me realise how much I want to help people who are going through what we are going through. I never had anyone who could relate to me, I was always told I was just 'too shy' and that it was a phase I would grow out of. But you are right, it is ****, one I nearly killed myself over. I really admire your courage and strength so far and I know you will be able to live again.

Kylie.

[craig]

hi Magnolia Angel,

Firstly sorry to hear that you have had such a touch time.

But Boy is there help out there. If you go to your GP he can fill in a medicare form and organise 12 visits to a psychologist for free or near free! they can really help. I'm a counsellor myself, as well as someone who suffers from anxiety, and I and they can help!

Therapies like CBT, NLP can help they will know all about them.

Reading books on the subject can help too.

It can be fixed!

Cheers,

CRaig

[Unregistered]

I too suffer(ed) from panic attacks. I believe that suppressed feelings/memories in your subconcionce bring them out. I was able to free myself of these attacks by finding a research study through my local psychiatric hospital. The therapy was called cognitive behavioral therapy it had a program along with i that I learned to "desensitize" myself to the dreadful attacks. I also had been raped as a child and was referred to another therapist who helped me deal with that - im not sure what type of therapy that was but it was just as difficult making me relive the event then tape record it and listen to it over and over - somehow that helped me process what had happened and I was able to better cope with the situation. I still occasionally get attacks but when I do I learned how to work through them and let them wash over me and get on with what im doing. Ive been on zoloft, paxil, prozac, and now effexor er. i find for me the side effects of the effexor are less troublesome.

[Unregistered]

I know exactly what you are going through! I am only 30 and started having panic attacks when i was 18 after i had my daughter.I think I always had anxiety but didn't know what it was till I had had my first panic attack when I was 18 and I thought I was dying. So over the years it has got worse and now for the past 3 to 4 years I may have been out of my house 5 or6 times.I have 2 girls 6 and 11yrs and they want me to go places with them but I allways have to tell them no. It is so heart breaking. If I am home alone I have to make sure one of my neighbors are home or I will have a panic attack because I dont want to be totally alone.I fear ,fear.anyways just wanted to share a little of my life.The only med that will stop a panic attack in about 15 min is klonipin,an anti anxiety med
write me back

[unregisstered]

I too suffered for years with Panic and depressiion.

I finally found a Dr. who prescribed Klonopin. I have not had a problem with Panic since. I know people are against taking these types of medications because they are addictive. But, I have been on a small dose for the last twenty years. I have never wanted or needed more.

I also saw a psycologist who helped me very much.

I take Cymbalta for depression and Klonopin and these drugs have saved my life.

I lost two close friends to suicide. It was unbearable. Think what you will do to the people you leave behind. There is help out there. It is a difficult first step, but it is out there.

I will pray for you. But, go talk to your Dr.... Please.

[Acorn]

hi Magnolia Angel,

Firstly sorry to hear that you have had such a touch time.

But Boy is there help out there. If you go to your GP he can fill in a medicare form and organise 12 visits to a psychologist for free or near free! they can really help. I'm a counsellor myself, as well as someone who suffers from anxiety, and I and they can help!

Therapies like CBT, NLP can help they will know all about them.

Reading books on the subject can help too.

It can be fixed!

Cheers,

CRaig

This is great advice. I suffered from Panic disorder, general anxiety disorder and depression for years and was treated with various meds and therapies before finding a real solution with CBT. If you are self motivated you can do it through books and save a lot of money too. If not you can join a group which is what I did. We used a couple of books in my group but the one we started with called Been there, done that? Do This! by Sam Obitz, who suffered from various anxiety disorders himself, was both encouraging and easy to absorb. The thought countering exercise called a TEA form in that book helped me eliminate my panic attacks and general turn my whole life around. If you want lasting relief CBT is the way to go.

[Mick33]

We used the book by Sam Obitz in my CBT group and it is really encouraging. The Tea forms work great if you work on them regularly and it seems to be lasting relief thus far (3-years in and counting).

[kimkewlie]

im only 17 and ive had aniexty attacks wen i leave my mom i can go everywhere with my mom but wen shes not there n i go by myself i get aniexty attacks n i no how u guys feel cuz wen i leave my house i get them its weriid i hate it it feels like im going to faint or die or stop breathing and my heart races. i got aniexty attacks wen i moved away from my home town and i have no friends out here and i get aniexty in small places to but my house and where ever my mom is and the doctor wont give my pils for it i cant control it its takin my life over i use to be independent and go out with my friends and do everything and i always wanted to have fun without my mom and ever since i moved i dont like going on buses i dont wanna leave my hosue bcuz i get aniexty attacks err i hate it

[tina B]

hi magnolia angle my heart goes out to you i know what your going through i had panic attacks for years and are still getting them Ive always been a shy person.Im a married mum with 6 kids and dont go out much becouse of it But now Im trying to get help for it Ive just started seeing a therapist But am frieghtend togo. I feel i wont Be able to get over my shyness and panic Attacks my husband gives me support when needed.I was bullied at school really bad so its hard for me to make freinds or even talk to anyone because i panic so badly. Tina.