Other Got a diagnosis today - agoraphobia

[GwenDR]

My therapist and psychiatrist looked over my record and history of anxiety, and concluded that I have agoraphobia with panic.

 

[The Albatross]

Okay. How do you feel about that Gwen? What do you think?

 

[GwenDR]

I'm not sure yet, but it's probably accurate enough, and definitely fits better than Generalized Anxiety Disorder. We were planning on running me through some tests and evaluations, but apparently they worked it out between sessions. I'd like to have been more involved in that part, but it's not like it wasn't based on all our previous sessions, as well as the essays I'd written and submitted about my own trauma history, anxiety, and panic.

 

[The Albatross]

Sounds like an accurate and thorough self assessment Gwen. Good on you :tup::tup::tup:!
So far as the agoraphobic aspect... some here (me included) goal challenged our way through a lot of it. I at one time developed agoraphobic tendencies and it took some time, presence of mind and exposures really slowly at first to improve on it. Plus there's a lot of stress management stuff here that you can find some benefits in for panic.

 

[GwenDR]

The other side of how I feel is worry and anxiety that I shouldn't be here if I have agoraphobia instead of PTSD, even though it came out of (little T) trauma. I love this community, though, and have found it incredibly helpful. It's a big part of why I'm actually going to group therapy next week for the first time. And I don't want to lose that.

 

[The Albatross]

Not really up on some stuff works here anymore but understand.

 

[joeylittle]

I shouldn't be here if I have agoraphobia instead of PTSD, even though it came out of (little T) trauma.

Be respectful of others, and of what you know/don't know - that's all. You are like that anyway, @GwenDR. So I'd not worry about it - though I do think it's also awesome you're looking into a 3-D support group as well :)

It's not like you have to submit your PTSD card to be here. There is overlap between disorders. But having a disorder that DOES overlap (as you do), and not pretending to have an identical experience as someone with diagnosed PTSD (which you don't); that's really all I care about, from the admin perspective.

Short version: you're of course welcome to stay :tup:

 

[GwenDR]

Thanks, @joeylittle, I appreciate that. I don't want to coopt other peoples experiences, even when there's similarities. Though learning about the similarities an differences has also been helpful in understanding myself.