Agraphobia

Status
Not open for further replies.
Beautifulmess said:
Carma Violet, my fear is throwing up in public, I don't like traffic jams either, it seems to be either a cause of embrassement (throwing up) or being trapped (car, traffic jam, coach with no easy way of getting off and back on).
Click to expand...

Mine is entrapment too... It's being able to get out physically, or seeing a means to escape, but having people blocking and obstructing any direct escape I have. I will link you to a website that explains the two different forms of this kind of public phobia. Agoraphobia, and Enochlophobia.

http://phobialist.com/

Here is some of the entries which I felt might help you narrow down your search. It might be worth reasearching each of these individually to see if any are specific to you. You may be able to find others like you or excercises to help you :)

Agoraphobia- Fear of open spaces or of being in crowded, public places like markets. Fear of leaving a safe place.
Aphenphosmphobia- Fear of being touched. (Haphephobia) (This is one of my problems, but thought I would list it incase it is associate to you too... I can't even pronounce it!)
Demophobia- Fear of crowds. (Agoraphobia)
Emetophobia- Fear of vomiting
Glossophobia- Fear of speaking in public or of trying to speak
Click to expand...

This might also really help you hun,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ochlophobia

Let me know if you find anything useful!

-Carma
 
Well I know I fear vomiting whenever (I actually feel quite sick now with stomach cramps) so I avoid it whenever, even at home but i'm more 'likely to' at home then if I were in public. It's weird... I studied Psychology, revising now for my retake exams and well we've covered all phobias, the two type of agraphobia, fear of outside space is very very rare, where the agraphobia where your afraid of the outcome when going outside (throwing up, panic attack, being trapped) is 2% in the world, which is quite a high number really since only 0.1% of the population have something like Schizophrenia (I guess that would make sense but I know 3 people with it lol so I just assume it's one of those things everyone knows someone.

I remember before it hit this point, I've always been an anxious person though.
 
Oh wait, are we talking Agoraphobia here or Agraphobia. Just noticed that they are both quite different, but I though Agraphobia is just another spelling of the same thing... Seems not...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agraphobia

The causes are quite different and I am worried I may be comparing my condition to something far deeper and more complicated than I first thought... Huge appologies if I got the wrong end of the stick

*ish worried :S*

-Carma
 
Last edited:
It must be interesting to be learning about all these different phobias, I am reckoning you are finding it quite frustrating having all the stuff there and there knowledge but being at a complete loss yourself :(

*hugs*

-Carma
 
Carma Violet said:
It must be interesting to be learning about all these different phobias, I am reckoning you are finding it quite frustrating having all the stuff there and there knowledge but being at a complete loss yourself :(

*hugs*

-Carma
Click to expand...
The link you found isn't real I don't think. Agraphobia is fear of outside, it's two main parts, fear of going outside (large spaces so on) This is very rare... and the more common is fear of what will happen whenyou go outside, panic attacks, throwing up, so on... I've no problem going outside, I just don't like how my throat closes up outside. lol

Well another improvement I'll share with you...
Last night 27-10-10 my boyfriend had a gig (his band is Caught Off Guard) supporting a famous american band who did a sound track to American Pie once (Fenix TX) anyways, I had to get to Wolverhampton (the place I had my first panic attack) alone, on the train, had to walk to the train station which is a 1/2 a hour slow walk, 20 minutes fast *** I couldn't afford bus AND train. Before I left the house I heaved/gagged 5 times, I battled with my throat all the way there. I bought more water (I drank a total of one 1ltre bottle, plus 3-4 cups and another 2 bottles (slim ones)... made me pee loads which is so weeeeird lol Not the point tho haha, as the train was pulling into Wolverhampton, I started to panic, throat started closing and the water wasn't helping, I managed to stem it till I got to my friend then I calmed down, we walked around town, throat was really hard to keep control of... once we got to the venue I was okay, he was amazing on state... I'm so proud of him and myself, myself for getting there just based on how much I love him.

I felt sick from all the water I drank and the LOUD heavy beats rocking my body, after thegig he held me all night, I then had enough (4 band, 3 support, 1 main) so I sat with my friend on the sofa, I shook violeently around twice that night which didn't do my anxiety and throat any good but managed to keep myself calm. The car journey back was fine, but I lost my keys in Wolverhampton so I need to get some more :(

All in all, it was hard, exhausted and I did it.
 
Beautifulmess said:
The link you found isn't real I don't think. Agraphobia is fear of outside, it's two main parts, fear of going outside (large spaces so on) This is very rare... and the more common is fear of what will happen whenyou go outside, panic attacks, throwing up, so on... I've no problem going outside, I just don't like how my throat closes up outside. lol
Click to expand...

I know another part of it is a fear of crowds, I have no problem with the outside. Just crowds and people trapping me. But I am certain it's spelt Agoraphobia, as hardly anything comes up in google for Agraphobia, and it always corrects me.

Beautifulmess said:
All in all, it was hard, exhausted and I did it.
Click to expand...

This is fantastic news! The fact that your are still exposing yourself to it, and succeeding is so valuable!

Massive well dones to you! :D

-Carma
 
Just wanted to share my experiences. Feeling really anxious at the moment, woke up in a panic, but I know it's because it's nearly a year ago that we lost my dad, and this is following the same pattern as after my mum died eight years ago.
I have also suffered from Emetophobia, which I decided to tackle at the age of 30, ten years ago. I had CBT with a psychologist, which helped, it didn't take it away, but it taught me coping strategies. However, after my mum died (brain tumour, very sudden and awful) the symptoms came back, and I had to see the psychologist again. I think your brain recognizes a learnt response, for me it was my daughters, obsessing they had tummy bugs, when 99.9% of the time they didn't. I now feel my emetophobia is under control.
My daughter had panic attacks which began at the age of 11, last year she ended up in hospital for two weeks, the panic attacks escalated into "Closing Down" episodes called Pseudoseizires. She would become unconscious and shake violently, so it looked like an epileptic fit, although it was totally anxiety induced. She had all the tests for epilepsy, and the conclusion was these episodes were 100% anxiety. They happened all day every day, and she would have six panic attacks in her sleep too. She was off school for four months, but slowly and gradually she improved. She saw a psychology nurse, in fact we saw her together, and she is now a happy, confident and "normal" teenager, who does worry more than normal, but has been a tower of strength to me recently, as she can understand a) where she gets her issues and b) how I feel.
I ended up on Prozac for six months a year after my mum died. It really helped, but I don't really want to go down that route again, but I feat it may happen!
Just remember, as Laura says, any improvement, however tiny, must be viewed with success. Positive thinking is amazing. And lean on your family and friends. Mine have been incredible.
Anything I can do to help. It helps to know you're not the only person feeling terrified of tasks most people take for granted! Let's be strong B-)
 
Just wanted to share my experiences. Feeling really anxious at the moment, woke up in a panic, but I know it's because it's nearly a year ago that we lost my dad, and this is following the same pattern as after my mum died eight years ago.
I have also suffered from Emetophobia, which I decided to tackle at the age of 30, ten years ago. I had CBT with a psychologist, which helped, it didn't take it away, but it taught me coping strategies. However, after my mum died (brain tumour, very sudden and awful) the symptoms came back, and I had to see the psychologist again. I think your brain recognizes a learnt response, for me it was my daughters, obsessing they had tummy bugs, when 99.9% of the time they didn't. I now feel my emetophobia is under control.
My daughter had panic attacks which began at the age of 11, last year she ended up in hospital for two weeks, the panic attacks escalated into "Closing Down" episodes called Pseudoseizires. She would become unconscious and shake violently, so it looked like an epileptic fit, although it was totally anxiety induced. She had all the tests for epilepsy, and the conclusion was these episodes were 100% anxiety. They happened all day every day, and she would have six panic attacks in her sleep too. She was off school for four months, but slowly and gradually she improved. She saw a psychology nurse, in fact we saw her together, and she is now a happy, confident and "normal" teenager, who does worry more than normal, but has been a tower of strength to me recently, as she can understand a) where she gets her issues and b) how I feel.
I ended up on Prozac for six months a year after my mum died. It really helped, but I don't really want to go down that route again, but I feat it may happen!
Just remember, as Laura says, any improvement, however tiny, must be viewed with success. Positive thinking is amazing. And lean on your family and friends. Mine have been incredible.
Anything I can do to help. It helps to know you're not the only person feeling terrified of tasks most people take for granted! Let's be strong B-)
 
Thanks to everyone else who has added their experiences, some of us are fairly similar!

I just wanted to add a couple of things onto this, given my input on this thread.

1) I had a very difficult day on Thursday, to the point I *had* to get out the house, I felt intensely trapped by the walls and by not being able to 'escape' my home life for a bit. So my dad took me out for a trip in the car, 25 minutes, I let him control where we went - which as it happens was the furthest I have been in at least eighteen months - and as we got nearer home I said I wanted to go the other way past my doctors surgery. So we did. When I got home I had cleared my head a bit. Yes, I was nervous on the trip especially with my dad being in control of where we went, but we were talking the whole way and I was continually telling myself I could relax in the car, I was sitting down and could relax, take it easy.

So one triumph and proof for myself and others that you can reach a point where you get so fed up of being controlled by your fears that you can push yourself out of the rut. Even if only that one time, it counts.

2) I have started on medication. I have resisted this for years, but with my physical health problems progressing and affecting almost everything I do, I had to do something. The Dr has prescribed me Amitriptyline, primarily to help with my joint pain and fatigue, and it should also be helpful for my anxiety and phobias. I took my first full 10mg dose last night - I got myself in a right state on Friday night, very very upset because my fear of taking them was so great. However I compromised on Fri night and just swallowed the tablet straight down last night.

I am finding it hard to concentrate and unless the right words come to me, I cannot chase the words up and pin them down as I normally would, so don't worry if I don't post much in Health & Illness, because I will not even look in there (never mind post) unless I am 100% sure I can put together a constructive reply!

Will keep you all updated on if/how the Amitriptyline helps with the agoraphobia.
 
Laura-CCC4 said:
Thanks to everyone else who has added their experiences, some of us are fairly similar!

I just wanted to add a couple of things onto this, given my input on this thread.

1) I had a very difficult day on Thursday, to the point I *had* to get out the house, I felt intensely trapped by the walls and by not being able to 'escape' my home life for a bit. So my dad took me out for a trip in the car, 25 minutes, I let him control where we went - which as it happens was the furthest I have been in at least eighteen months - and as we got nearer home I said I wanted to go the other way past my doctors surgery. So we did. When I got home I had cleared my head a bit. Yes, I was nervous on the trip especially with my dad being in control of where we went, but we were talking the whole way and I was continually telling myself I could relax in the car, I was sitting down and could relax, take it easy.

So one triumph and proof for myself and others that you can reach a point where you get so fed up of being controlled by your fears that you can push yourself out of the rut. Even if only that one time, it counts.

2) I have started on medication. I have resisted this for years, but with my physical health problems progressing and affecting almost everything I do, I had to do something. The Dr has prescribed me Amitriptyline, primarily to help with my joint pain and fatigue, and it should also be helpful for my anxiety and phobias. I took my first full 10mg dose last night - I got myself in a right state on Friday night, very very upset because my fear of taking them was so great. However I compromised on Fri night and just swallowed the tablet straight down last night.

I am finding it hard to concentrate and unless the right words come to me, I cannot chase the words up and pin them down as I normally would, so don't worry if I don't post much in Health & Illness, because I will not even look in there (never mind post) unless I am 100% sure I can put together a constructive reply!

Will keep you all updated on if/how the Amitriptyline helps with the agoraphobia.
Click to expand...
congrats hun on your trip out. It sounds and (as I know myself) is very hard to do when your mind screams at you.

I have taken two of my anti anxiety tablets so far, (1 to test them like the doctor said, 2 for the big halloween night out last night at a pub I used to go with my ex) both times now, about 4-5 hours after taking it I begin to cry, slowly, then histerically and all my fears/memories come forth and well last night it was about my boyfriend going cold on me when I said something (innocent) he's promised to TRY and change this... anyhow I cried most of the night, it started when I looked a picture of Leo (my dead guinea pig) and then went to my boyfriend being cold and I hated him for it, then it went to how my life feels like it's outta control to my past, to who I was, to what people have said about me... :S I woke up exhausted, sicker than usual ( i have a headcold) and just couldn't really function, so I missed work. I then went for a meal with my boyfriend after food shopping then walked my first dog for cinnamon trust WITH my boyfriend so I was okay afterwards.

I'm not having any 'big events' now for a while so no more tablets. Hope everything carries on now my mind knows I'm okay outside >.<
 
Can I just say well done to all of you for trying.

I haven't got agraphobia, but I did have severe depression earlier this year - in fact you could say I'm 'over it' now, or thats what my doctor assumes, but I'm not really. I got better but due to circumstances and things that happened I'm kind of back to square one!

I had to leave my job because of it, I was having panic attacks in work.
I was already on a low dose of anti depressants, as I've had mild depression and anxiety for years, but the doctor upped it quite a bit lol.

I can't find a job because of the way things are with jobs atm, plus a lot of them involve being around people which I can't stand.
I got myself a cleaning job which I could do alone, but its ending soon and I need something else.

I have and do find it very hard to go out of the house, it was a lot worse earlier this year but if I can avoid it at all, I do.
I did have a counseller with the nhs when I was very ill, and she told me about setting small goals for myself, which I am doing now in an attempt to get better by myself this time.

Added to all this I have been left by almost every friend I have. Some people just can't cope with illness I guess!

good luck to everyone :)
 
starla said:
Can I just say well done to all of you for trying.

I haven't got agraphobia, but I did have severe depression earlier this year - in fact you could say I'm 'over it' now, or thats what my doctor assumes, but I'm not really. I got better but due to circumstances and things that happened I'm kind of back to square one!

I had to leave my job because of it, I was having panic attacks in work.
I was already on a low dose of anti depressants, as I've had mild depression and anxiety for years, but the doctor upped it quite a bit lol.

I can't find a job because of the way things are with jobs atm, plus a lot of them involve being around people which I can't stand.
I got myself a cleaning job which I could do alone, but its ending soon and I need something else.

I have and do find it very hard to go out of the house, it was a lot worse earlier this year but if I can avoid it at all, I do.
I did have a counseller with the nhs when I was very ill, and she told me about setting small goals for myself, which I am doing now in an attempt to get better by myself this time.

Added to all this I have been left by almost every friend I have. Some people just can't cope with illness I guess!

good luck to everyone :)
Click to expand...
As they say, if they can't cope and understand they can't really of been true friends, I'm the same... I either have understanding friends who are going through something similar or I've friends who have buggered off lol. :( small goals, very good, I might try this :)
 
starla said:
Can I just say well done to all of you for trying.

I haven't got agraphobia, but I did have severe depression earlier this year - in fact you could say I'm 'over it' now, or thats what my doctor assumes, but I'm not really. I got better but due to circumstances and things that happened I'm kind of back to square one!

I had to leave my job because of it, I was having panic attacks in work.
I was already on a low dose of anti depressants, as I've had mild depression and anxiety for years, but the doctor upped it quite a bit lol.

I can't find a job because of the way things are with jobs atm, plus a lot of them involve being around people which I can't stand.
I got myself a cleaning job which I could do alone, but its ending soon and I need something else.

I have and do find it very hard to go out of the house, it was a lot worse earlier this year but if I can avoid it at all, I do.
I did have a counseller with the nhs when I was very ill, and she told me about setting small goals for myself, which I am doing now in an attempt to get better by myself this time.

Added to all this I have been left by almost every friend I have. Some people just can't cope with illness I guess!

good luck to everyone :)
Click to expand...
As they say, if they can't cope and understand they can't really of been true friends, I'm the same... I either have understanding friends who are going through something similar or I've friends who have buggered off lol. :( small goals, very good, I might try this :)
 
I've to sign on again today (it's weekly for those under 24) I've heaved once this morning and ym stomach feels tender :( I'm drinking water, about to eat some toast and leave for the bus at 11:30am. I've post office to do along with boots for my boyfriends BIG present (reduced from £50 to £24.99) :) library, wilkinsons as my pigs need a veg bowl each. *breaths*
 
Don't think of it all at once, just one little step at a time. Every little thing you manage counts, whether you manage one thing off your list or the whole lot. It still matters. xx
 
I AM very proud of myself, got into town, went boots, post office (even said no to the big issue person who I usually run from) library, sign on at the job centre, 2 pets stores, wilkinsons, the bank and then to walk alfie my cinnamon dog. Without any sort of attack (bit of a lump in my throat) but otherwise I was fine... Ahh I feel so destressed by this.
 
Beautifulmess said:
I AM very proud of myself, got into town, went boots, post office (even said no to the big issue person who I usually run from) library, sign on at the job centre, 2 pets stores, wilkinsons, the bank and then to walk alfie my cinnamon dog. Without any sort of attack (bit of a lump in my throat) but otherwise I was fine... Ahh I feel so destressed by this.
Click to expand...

Well done :)
 
I'm so happy i'm managing to keep on top of it, honestly it might come across like I don't have much of a problem but I have a talent of hiding things, which is why I push myself so hard. I don't let myself one moment to fall apart (unless it's night time and I'm in bed iether alone or with the boyfriend)... he's the only one I can really let go and cry my heart out around. I think my upbringing meant I had to keep secrets and suck up to things, I once had hayfever so bad it made me cough and throw up at the same time which is dangeous and my fosters used to say things like 'my mother had TB and she learned not to cough'... they are good people but have basically made it for me that if I'm unwell I wait until the last moment to get help and then I tend to never follow it through believing I'll do it myself. Eugh, sorry if this sounds like a blurt out lol. I'm slowly learning to take help and stop being so 'pressued' on myself. I know I make myself do stuff like go out, really Wednesdays I've no choice or else I lose my benefit.

I've to walk Alfie tomorrow at 3:30pm, then a firework show in the evening with friends, are guiena pigs affected by fireworks? Mine jump at loud noises in my flat but not from outside. <3
 
Today has got to be one of the hardest days I've had, I couldn't go to work :S

I slept round my moms *** she needed help and I must not of got a decent night sleep on the airbed because I woke in the middle of the night feeling sick (like really sick) I managed to get back to sleep after sipping water and then woke up again in the morning feeling drained sick, I heaved quite often (agarophobia thing) and couldn't even think about leaving her house, even going to my boyfriends car seemed hard. I got home and just went back to bed, I did do my charity dog walk though for Alfie (the dog) and felt okay doing that but this morning/afternoon was terrible :(
 
Today has got to be one of the hardest days I've had, I couldn't go to work :S

I slept round my moms *** she needed help and I must not of got a decent night sleep on the airbed because I woke in the middle of the night feeling sick (like really sick) I managed to get back to sleep after sipping water and then woke up again in the morning feeling drained sick, I heaved quite often (agarophobia thing) and couldn't even think about leaving her house, even going to my boyfriends car seemed hard. I got home and just went back to bed, I did do my charity dog walk though for Alfie (the dog) and felt okay doing that but this morning/afternoon was terrible :(
 
On days like that, Beautifulmess, I cut the day up into three.

Morning
Afternoon
Evening

So I may well have a really bad morning, but in the afternoon and evening I manage to recover a little bit and achieve something (however small). No matter HOW bad the morning was, I cannot say it was a bad day, because I did ok in the afternoon and evening.

For you, really rubbish morning and afternoon, but your evening was better, right? You managed to do your charity dog walk, so a difficult day you had, but I wouldn't class the entire day as being a bad day. You did something worthwhile. Like I said, every little thing counts.

This is the only way I could pull myself back from becoming locked in my room last year, seeing that it's not a case of "good day bad day", but a case of taking it one step at a time. I can tell you, no matter how bad I was (which some days was in a right old state) I never had a single day where everything about it was bad.

I'm just mentioning this as changing your perspective on things may make a positive difference, as it did for me. But like I have said all along, you will figure out what is right for you when you are ready to.

How have I been lately, well I haven't been out really, exception being walking partway to school with the twins this morning. I did let this routine lapse in the last couple of weeks due to physical health issues (being fatigued physically also means I haven't the strength to fight the emotional/mental burden of going out), but I did drag myself out in the wind and rain and walked halfway today.
 
Thats a good way to look at things, I'm feeling down today too, I've just got no motivation, I woke up good, had a plan out and went on computer and boom my day was gone. I've felt a bit anxious today, didn't go the post office or got the electric I need.

Instead this is what I did get done, facebook amps, contacting the electrion who is meant to be replacing my storage heater before the cold set in, cold set in, no heater! I washed up (which is a massive effort for me, its the one thing I negclect in the house), I cooked and stayed on my Weight Watchers diet, starting with cinnamon porridge altho eaten at lunch time, then a indian omlette for lunch eaten at 5pm, and next spanish chicken for dinner. I'm going to go offline finally now to look for my job seekers booklet so I can job search tomorrow :(

Africa gained weight on his own today, very proud of him. Still not 100% though but Paul says out of 10 (10 being the worse) he's always put him at 2. So god knows what actually is wrong with him, maybe he's old and skinny is his preference now :)

I also printed out and filled in application for my citzencard ID as I need ID but my passport is out of date and expencive to replace. So I did some bits, but hell, I need some motivation, does anyone have any tips on building the motivation?
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top