Ever since christmas I have been more frightened than usual to go outside. I'm able to successfully avoid this and remain fairly functional by borrowing my parents car. Whilst this is helpful in the short term Im now going to be without the car for a few weeks and am needing to travel to and from work as well as other things.
I'm also starting university again in September and need to be able to cope with a london commute. I find london a very difficult place because of ptsd reasons but need to overcome this.
I just wondered if anyone had any tips for coping with journeys and remaining calm in the days leading up to a significant journey.
Hey. When I was younger I suffered with quite extreme agoraphobia and couldn't use public transport or walk down the street alone. I had CBT for this and it was the best thing I ever did! I still get slightly panicky when I'm on a busy train or tube alone but I don't avoid these things anymore.
Have you spoken to any MH professionals about your issues?
We're all architects of our own private hell
No-one can hurt us like we hurt ourselves...
I had bad agoraphobia when I was discharged from my section. I couldn't leave the house except to go to sainsbury's once a week with my mum.
I had help from my CPN and we started off by walking to the end of my road and I rated my anxiety out of 10. I had to stay there until my anxiety came down to about 4 and then we walked back. It was important not to go home if I was panicking because it only reinforced the feeling that home is safe and outside isnt.
We walked further each week, then she drove me to a coffee shop in town. It was harder but we sat in there until my anxiety came down and then we'd leave. We did that each week until I didn't feel anxious going to the cafe any more.
We stepped it up to driving somewhere further, then I would get the train 1 stop, then 2 stops, then 3 and so on. Just slowly doing more and more things, but always sitting with my anxiety until it receded before going home.
When I felt like I was panicking I'd use mindfulness techniques, especially deep breathing. I'd often listen to music to distract myself.
Its hard at first, but the more you repeat doing an anxiety inducing activity the easier it gets until you stop feeling anxious. Then you move onto the next thing.
I cope with train journeys by listening to music, looking out of the window and describing in my head what I can see. I often read a book, and sit near to the toilet (one of my anxieties is needing the toilet urgently).
Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes but when you look back, everything is different…
you once called your brain a hard drive, well say hello to the virus.
I also suffered from agoraphobia after a long hospital stay.
I saw a psychologist for this and we did some gradual exposure. I had to leave the house each day, even if it was to the end of my road.
It worked great for me, is therapy an option for you? If not could you look at CBT worksheets?
Take care, I understand how horrid anxiety can be x
Last edited by Bear : 20-03-2015 at 12:47 AM.
Reason: Apparently anxiety is hotrod
I am not really agoraphobic per se, but due to my autism I get panic attacks from the sensory overload that is outside. So I end up avoiding going out unless necessary.
I find it easier (not totally easy though) when I go out with a supportive and helpful person. Perhaps you could try that.
PM me if you want a PDF copy of the ICD-10or the Mental Health Act 1983/2007. I ALSO HAVE THE DSM-V BOOK and am a pharmacology student.
I have a visual impairment / neurological problems so I need people to type in clear text and no funny fonts. Also excuse any typos, my vision blocks things out.
I have autism and have problems communicating, PMs included.
Just becasue I type well doesn't mean I speak well. I am only part time verbal.
I had bad agoraphobia when I was discharged from my section. I couldn't leave the house except to go to sainsbury's once a week with my mum.
I had help from my CPN and we started off by walking to the end of my road and I rated my anxiety out of 10. I had to stay there until my anxiety came down to about 4 and then we walked back. It was important not to go home if I was panicking because it only reinforced the feeling that home is safe and outside isnt.
We walked further each week, then she drove me to a coffee shop in town. It was harder but we sat in there until my anxiety came down and then we'd leave. We did that each week until I didn't feel anxious going to the cafe any more.
We stepped it up to driving somewhere further, then I would get the train 1 stop, then 2 stops, then 3 and so on. Just slowly doing more and more things, but always sitting with my anxiety until it receded before going home.
When I felt like I was panicking I'd use mindfulness techniques, especially deep breathing. I'd often listen to music to distract myself.
Its hard at first, but the more you repeat doing an anxiety inducing activity the easier it gets until you stop feeling anxious. Then you move onto the next thing.
I cope with train journeys by listening to music, looking out of the window and describing in my head what I can see. I often read a book, and sit near to the toilet (one of my anxieties is needing the toilet urgently).
This sounds like a really helpful way to manage things!
I would also add that perhaps getting out just a little bit each day would be a good idea? It's completely different, but I'm more nervous about work after a holiday, because leaving a big gap between doing something scary seems to make the anticipation worse, whereas during a normal week I'm there five days in a row and it doesn't seem quite so scary because the memory that the world didn't end when I went to work yesterday is still very fresh in my mind!
Thank you everyone for your replies and suggestions. I am going to talk to my care coordinator next week about the things I can do to ensure that I'm practicing getting out.
I tend to find though that I will do the going out thing in a situation where I really really have to. But then not carry on or just go back to avoidance again.
I definitely agree with the gradual exposure thing, I am terrified of going into shops, and I haven't made much progress yet but gradual exposure feels like the right way to go about it, at the moment I work with my support worker to just look at photos of shops and then try to calm down while still looking at them.
