What Are You Able To Do With Agoraphobia?

[Kas_Can_Fly]

I've realised how surprised (no judgements) I am at how capable some people with Agoraphobia are. I consider myself on the cusp of being agoraphobic but maybe it's worse than I thought, but at a base, I haven't been outside alone for 3 years - and even then only when I have an appointment, except when I was dissociated and ended up 200 miles away on autopilot to my safe person and the only friend I have and am unable to work. So I suppose I am curious as to how agoraphobia affects others here?

 

[rainydaze]

I too am agoraphobic. As the vast majority of my PTSD symptoms improved, I slowly became more and more agoraphobic. I saw a psychologist about this when it continued to get worse. The psychologist told me that she believes individuals prone to anxiety will sometimes replace one form of anxiety (PTSD) with another (agoraphobia).

Agoraphobia affects my ability to leave my home or go outside onto the porch except under fairly extreme conditions. At it's worst, I averaged three weeeks in between leaving my house. It also affected my comfort level with having guests in my home.

The conditions that would cause me to finally leave my home would be on par with: getting engaged, getting medication for someone who was sick, and attending my father's birthday party.

When I first started noticing agoraphobic tendencies, I was still employed. Eventually I quit my job and have not had one since.

I started treatment for agoraphobia three weeks ago, and things have already been improving quickly. So I want you to know that no matter how bad you feel your agoraphobia is, that it is something you can triumph over when the time is right for you.

 

[Barberian]

I've been very agoraphobic in the past. Now, it's pretty mild most of the time. Some times it can still be moderate to severe. I can go into businesses that aren't by their nature loud (bars and such) most of the time. I can go to parks and quiet places most of the time.

Any place that is loud, or crowded I have difficulty with.

The treatment plan I used to help reduce it's affect on me. I had good days, I had bad days. Just because I did good on one day, didn't mean I had to stay at that level, I worked up or down the step # below according to how I felt that day/moment.

1. I stood just outside the front door, watching the neighborhood.
2. I would walk out varying distances from the front door and just stand there as long as I reasonably could. If I could, I would watch the neighborhood. Some days, I'd just stand there with my eyes closed and listen to the sounds, trying to identify each and every sound. I often would hold my arm out and keep my hand on the garage wall for a reassuring tactile sensation to help ground myself.
3. I have an old retired U-Haul 14' truck in the driveway I sleep in. I would stand behind it watching the neighborhood. If I felt brave I'd walk out into the yard next to it.
4. I would walk out to the sidewalk and stand there, watching the neighborhood.
5. I stood out in the middle of the intersection in front of my house, usually late at night (less traffic and fewer people would wonder what the heck I was doing just standing in the intersection). I had a clear line of sight in the three road directions, so I could walk back to the safety of my yard if a car came. My house is at the top of a "T" intersection.
6. I would walk `down the street that goes straight out from my house. I could see my house to the end of the block. Some days I would only go a house or two. I slowly was able to walk further and further, finally to the end of the block.
7. I would walk as #7 above but went around the block, out of sight of my house.
8. I started walking around my block, and various other blocks in my immediate neighborhood.
9. I started venturing out of my immediate neighborhood.
10. I started walking around town.
11. My fibromyalgia is much worse, more often now, so my long walks are pretty much a thing of the past. I still try to at least do a block, or to the closest park 1/2 mile a way on good days. I try to get out for the exercise and so I don't fall back into being agoraphobic. If I keep going out, it helps keep my symptoms less severe.

With all of the above, I usually drive the Mrs. where she needs to go. Being in the truck was my "shelter" and I didn't feel threatened most of the time. I usually would wait in the truck while she took care of business. I slowly worked myself from just sitting in the truck, to walking around the parking lot, to walking into the business with the Mrs. I often had to leave shortly after entering the building, but it was progress. I still usually leave when it comes time to go to the checkout cashier. I can't stand the feeling of being trapped in line with people all around me.

Old ©Google Streets image taken around Dec.2 years ago. I've since put up a 6' fence around the front yard even with the garage. The property layout, and vehicles offered a sense of shelter that I would use to manage my exposure to help control my anxiety/agoraphobia.

 

[Britt.f7]

I have times when I don't even go into my yard to work on my gardening. I do have difficulties, at times, getting to events, appointments, etc.. My therapist wants me to try to get out, even if it is on my porch, or driving around absolutely nowhere, to combat the feelings I have of not wanting to leave the house. I try to do this.

Right now, I'm suppose to get going to the gym, however, the idea of staying put is much greater.

 

[Kas_Can_Fly]

Thanks for the responses, as said in the original post I never go outside alone but this has meant that I rarely go out at all - now is the most often at once a fortnight for therapy (my social worker comes to the house) but never anything else. I mean I literally get into the car with my mum who takes me to my therapy and then at the end of the session brings me back home. I go shopping rarely and with my mum who never leaves my side - usually every few months or so and only at quiet times of day. I go to the countryside about 3 times a year, again with my mum and usually sisters, although sometimes less and that's it. I find putting the rubbish in the bins fairly problematic, in fact even thinking about it, I rarely go up the end of the hallway where the front door is.

I started treatment for agoraphobia three weeks ago, and things have already been improving quickly. So I want you to know that no matter how bad you feel your agoraphobia is, that it is something you can triumph over when the time is right for you.

I think the problem for me is I don't want to go outside, because my abusers live within a mile of my house and there's too much of a chance to bump into them, if/when I move away this is something I am sure I will still have a problem with, but less so and then I will be willing to tackle it. At the moment, it's not so much a problem than an inconvenient need to remain safe.
I like your plan Barbarian and particularly this:

Just because I did good on one day, didn't mean I had to stay at that level

That is possibly the best thing anyone has ever said, because I know that sometimes I don't push myself for fear that then if I've done it once, me or others will expect it of me more frequently.

Being in the truck was my "shelter" and I didn't feel threatened most of the time.

I don't feel scared in our car unless we're parked for a while at certain places, then I lock all the doors and duck down so no one would know I was in the car unless they came looking for me.

I have times when I don't even go into my yard to work on my gardening.

So glad to know I'm not the only one who does this - my garden is enclosed and high walled, so why I feel unsafe out there or that it's too much effort to get out there is crazy, but it does happen a lot, I just feel uncomfortable and at greater risk than normal and scared that the neighbours can see/hear or are judging me.

By reading others' experiences I feel less alone and can understand and interpret my own experiences better. So thank you.

 

[Badger]

Look up the connection between BENZODIAZEPINES AND AGORAPHOBIA. There has been some research to indicate that agoraphobia is a side effect in some people. I was wondering why my lover was agoraphobic and I read about that.

 

[Kas_Can_Fly]

I do not take benzos. I took them 4 times during a weeks stay in hospital. But thanks for the interesting info!!