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My panic disorder has caused me to have agoraphobia
Hello friends,
I just wanted to hear from others during this time. I have a great support group, but unless you’ve been through it, it’s hard to empathize. I have had a panic disorder all of my life and my panic attacks are quite scary and come in waves. I am 22 yrs old and can not leave my house. I am miserably failing attendance in all of my classes, and at this point, the guilt has turned to sadness. I have been on many antidepressants but I noticed that they all interact negatively with my IBS, so last month I quit my Effexor cold Turkey. I relapsed because, of course, my panic attacks worsened but it sucks because my stomach was finally healing. I am now on Cymbalta and have been for a week, but I haven’t noticed a change in my mood or symptoms. I am seeing a therapist on Monday and she wants to try exposure therapy. While I’m excited to do this, I am terrified. I can barely do anything without this overwhelming fatigue swallowing me up. I take propanol as needed but sometimes it doesn’t help with my physical symptoms. My mind is also on a loop and I can’t seem to get it off of just this overwhelming anxiety. I am wondering when this gets better, and if anyone else has been through something similar.
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A lot of people swear by the ice method. It does work.
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3 ReactionsThank you for the advice
Pat!
Hi, yes I went through similar symptoms in my early teens.
I'm now 58 and my psychiatrist considers my problems 40% chemistry and 60% the life I had.
In other words, I do have a psychiatric condition, with physical causes. If this had been properly diagnosed in my 20s it could have been very well controlled.
The fact it wasn't, plus my very complex and painful childhood make things worse. Addressing these psychological factors became easier after my psychiatric diagnosis. If I had had decent therapy in my early 20s my life would probably have been waaaaaay less challenging.
Today I have no agoraphobia at all. And far fewer problems with anxiety (because I understand its sources better).
So that's my experience, hope it helps.
Hello, I just came across this support group and wonder if it's still active? Hoping so!
I am 51, my first panic attack occurred at age 40 on a plane by myself, then driving on highways, and last 5 years I experienced significant number of panic attacks leading to agoraphobia. I have been and continue therapy, including exposure, EMDR trying HRT, psych meds, supplements, etc. My progress is very slow going. I keep reading the best way to overcome is through not fighting the panic and not avoiding. Classic fear of fear, fear of panic attacks.
Thank u for your post. First, I was afraid of crossing long expansion bridges. Then it became any bridge. Eventually, I became afraid of driving on throughways.
Then, a fear of driving in heavy traffic, then any traffic. It’s to the point I am very depressed but almost terrified of leaving my apartment. I tried medications, EMDR, Supplements, cognitive, behavioral therapy, even massages to help me calm down
@butterfly246 The member who started this Discussion isn't active but your post has now made this Discussion active again. Welcome to this support group.
Like you I had my first panic attack when I was on a plane. I was about 40 years old, same as you, at the time. Then I had another panic attack while I was a passenger in a car on a highway. My husband (now my ex) was the driver. My panic attacks generalized quickly after that and while I was often afraid to venture out I did so. I was a student at the time and had a research fellowship. As I look back I managed to find an excellent psychiatrist who prescribed medication that worked for me and I met with him weekly for psychotherapy. In retrospect I realize that the panic attacks were the result of a disintegrating marriage. It took me a long time to figure out the best way forward for myself. My progress was slow but with therapy, opportunities for exposure, meds, and lifestyle changes I managed to get back on a plane, on my own, within a few years of the original panic attack.
You are doing everything you can and I know you will continue to make progress. And yes, the best way to manage fear is allow yourself to move toward what you fear. Avoidance makes anxiety worse. I still get periods of anxiety although I haven't had a panic attack in many years. I've learned to take the fear and anxiety with me and that trying to avoid or pushing anxiety away takes effort away from progress.
Are you now able to get out more and do the things you want to do in your community?
To Graciepeanut
Yes. What is the absolute worst thing that could happen if you went to a mall? Seriously. It’s the fear that you will experience another attack and that you will be in public and afraid of what people would think. Who would want to be seen having an attack, possibly crying, moaning, out of control? Your fear of that having stokes the trauma. If your first loathsome attack. You’re afraid of losing control as I was. It’s so hard to put it out of your mind and be “rational”. And is there an issue still unresolved in your young life?
I am 78 and have everything. More money than I need,2 healthy adult children, 3 grandchildren, a loving husband, and a beautiful home,plus close friends. I have had an amazing amount of bad things that have happened in my life- an unstable childhood with moves every year, a sister who has had drug problems, a severe illness and many surgeries, a daughter who was language delayed and alsoghosted us for 2 years,both children divorced, my son has depression issues, we had little to no contact with grandchildren, on and on.
Lately I am afraid to go out as I will have a panic attack and vomitting. My life feels over and I do not know what to do. Any ideas?