Agoraphobia/GAD/Health Anxiety

[Kris53]

Just seeing how many suffer from this. I was diagnosed with GAD, Panic Disorder, and OCD. IDK if Im agoraphobic. I was back in 1999, wouldnt leave my house for 6 weeks, that's when I went on meds/therapy. I HAVE to bring my kids to school so I have to leave my house. If I was able to stay in I would! In the last couple of months I havent gone out as much as I used to. My house is my safe place. But does anyone else get anxious even at home, or wherever their safe place is?! I hate that. I know I have health anxiety bc Im constantly thinking I have a brain tumor, an aneurysm (my Dad died of one), cancer, stroke, on and on. But I do NOT like going to the Dr. I do every year for my checkups and if Im REALLY sick, but I am TERRIFIED of drs/ tests/ all that.

Are you guys on meds? If so what? In therapy? Im seeing what has helped others.

Thanks!!!

[Kris53]

DUH! I JUST saw the sections on the bottom for agor/anxiety. Sorry for putting this here!!!

[dino]

No probs kris moved it for you

[Kris53]

Thanks Dino

[thelostone8206]

((((((((((kris))))))))))
you are not alone. i only leave my house to go to dr once a month. that is getting harder and harder to do. i am on xanax as well, only take it when absolutely have to cause i hate the way it makes me feel but sometimes i just have too. i am also very anxious at home. i am going to have to start taking some kind of meds i think because i am getting worse rather than better. exercise is good for you. if it helps, do it. also might look into yoga or tai chi, something that helps you learn to focus your mind as well as working your body. also, i know it is hard with little ones in the house, but you can download guided meditations that may help you to relax.

there are many here who are going through the same things you are. you are not alone. we come here and encourage each other, and more importantly, understand each other. the chat room here is a very good place. there is always someone there to talk to and they are very nice and understanding.

good job on going to the tea party. don't feel guilty for having to take xanax to do it. be proud of yourself because you DID do it. even the smallest things are accomplishments.

lost

[sunny]

Hi Kris and welcome. You are not alone. I'm 37 (sshhh, don't tell anyone), married with two kids. I refer to myself as a high-functioning recovering agoraphobic with panic attacks. Which means, unless you know I'm scared witless at doing certain things I can cover it up enough so you won't notice. LOL

I had my first ha***ut in 18months yesterday. I told the hairdresser I was claustrophobic so he missed the usual wash and dry and was as quick as he could be. Just a small white lie. Parent teacher interviews scare me to death. School assemblies make me shake. Grocery shopping is a definate no-no. BUT, with therapy I'm going to work. I'm doing errands. I'm ducking in to shops for brief periods.

Lost is right. This is the best place to be. Without the support and understanding I get here I wouldn't be where I am.

The only thing that works for me is frequency. I have to do the thing that freaks me out every single day till I lose my fear. But there are some things you can't do every day. I can't have a ha***ut everyday. I can't go to the dentist everyday. I think I need a plan B for those things.

My mp3 player is my constant companion. It has relaxation and support downloads of all descriptions. I have a folder in my car with printouts of panic techniques and stuff. Knowledge is power. Read some of the older posts on this forum. There's some great stuff here to help you. Good luck. Please don't feel alone. Hope to catch you in chat sometime.

Sunny

[Kris53]

OMG you guys....thank you sooooooooo much! Sometimes I just feel so alone! If I tell people or even some Drs about my anxiety they look at me like Im nuts! I have my yearly c/u with my GP on Thurs and Im already anxious about it. Thank God I have an awesome general practioner who lets me sit on the chair (not examine table lol) until IM ready and if Im not that's fine with him! I HATE getting my BP checked bc sometimes it is sky high (white coat syndrome), but he doesnt make me do it if I dont want to. Last year he had me laughing and so relaxed I was shocked when I said take my BP! And it was normal!! But I have health anxiety and it's bad right now and Im so afraid he is going to find something wrong with me I have 3 young kids and my biggest fear is something happening to me and them not having me! I lost my Dad when I was 15. Even one of the therapists I saw recently....when I was explaining how I felt sometimes when going out in public...shakey, sweaty, lightheaded, like Im in a dream. She made this face like *that isnt normal, what is wrong with you* which made me more anxious. WELL I dont go to her anymore lol.

WTG on the ha***ut Sunny!!!!!!!!!!! That is awesome!!!

Lost, how does xanax make you feel? Sometimes it makes me very tired. But when I took it for the tea party it just made me feel calm, *normal*! Were you ever on other meds? I took Zoloft for 18 mons and it did help my anxiety A LOT but I gained close to 35lbs on it which made me very depressed so my Psy took me off it. I was on Prozac a few weeks ago and the SEs sucked so I stopped after 4-5 days. I see my Psy on the 19th.

[thelostone8206]

xanax makes me a little sleepy sometimes, but the more anxious i am when i take it the less sleepy i get. i also take restoril for insomnia. it is actually similar to xanax. i was on lexapro for the anxiety for about 5 months, very few side effects while on it, but while it helped quite a bit for the panic attacks, the overall anxiety got worse, and the withdrawls were terrible when i stopped. but everyone is different and reacts differently to the same meds.

personally i am going to have my husband drag me(yes literally) to the local mental health clinic soon. my anxiety is starting to really have a bad effect on my kids, especially my youngest who is 15, so i am going to see if some other med will maybe help some. and hopefully they will help me get therapy that i can afford. my gp has been wonderful but he only has so much experience with this type thing. as far as your therapy, you need to find someone who specializes in anxiety disorders. your symptoms sound pretty textbook to me so the therapist who looks at you like you are nuts obviously never read that one lol. there are tons of people on here who can describe the exact same things you described that she made a face at which by the way was incredibly rude and unprofessioinal of her imho.

good luck with your psy appt, and keep us posted on how you are doing.

lost

[Kris53]

Thanks so much! I had a hard time coming off Paxil. But Zoloft wasnt bad and either was Prozac. Prozac I wasnt on long though. Since Feb my anxiety has gotten really bad! PAs everyday almost, anxious even when at home, avoiding places more. Im ok and then hit these rough patches. And it sucks!! The new therapist I am seeing knows a lot about anxiety and does some CBT. I am waiting for her to call me back to set up an appt. I canceled my last one...uggh! Good luck to you too, and keep me posted also