Agoraphobia

[[Ma...]]

I have had some very good days and the agoraphobia has lifted. I am having a long window or I am just making very good progress! Thx for the replies all!

 

Its your effort, for sure. Perhaps you made a good job dealing with agoraphobia?

[[si...]]

Will the agoraphobia ever go away? As soon I leave the house I feel my heart pounding and very very anxious. It got worse. It was mild and now severe. I feel ashamed to show my face on the street, I am paranoid people judge me, afraid people want to talk to me. I dont feel a connection to anything and have extreme social anxiety. Do benzos cause permanent agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder and other anxiety disorders even after the withdrawal is over?

 

 

To be honest, I've always struggled with agoraphobia, since middle school. I would miss school because of it. I never found the drug xanax and just seemed to live without it until the age of 21. Before I found xanax, alcohol was my drug of choice and to go out and socialize I would get crazy drunk and be the friendliest person at the party to cover up my agoraphobia. Now I hate the taste of alcohol and I'm battling with benzos.

 

When I first started taking benzos, my agoraphobia was completely GONE. It was like a MIRACLE drug, and I think thats a huge reason why I kept taking it. My hand tremors stopped, I could talk to people with confidence, I didn't feel a lttle weird pit in my stomach every time I had to leave the house.

 

But I must say, after stopping benzos, the paranoia from agoraphobia is much much worse. Because you were lenient on a pill to help u through it for so long, and now you don't have it. Its kind of like being on a foreign island all alone.

 

I went to group therapy and there was this guy who had agoraphobia and said the only thing that helped him was group therapy and being around others and talking about it and being open and knowing hes not the only one struggling with what he struggles with. I still think about him and wonder if it's okay, bc therapy seemed to help.

 

Have you ever tried therapy?

 

I know most people on this site want to get off of benzos, although it's very hard, esp when you have phobias, esp agoraphobia. It helped mine a lot.

 

I can relate to you more than you know. It sucks feeling lke if you leave your house everyone is staring at you/judging you and you just wish you could be invisible.

 

 

 

 

Jaci

[[ro...]]

Over two and a half years off and I STILL have major problems leaving my house. Ive left my house maybe half a dozen times in a year because my panic attacks are like seizures. Very f$cking disturbing.

[[be...]]

Over two and a half years off and I STILL have major problems leaving my house. Ive left my house maybe half a dozen times in a year because my panic attacks are like seizures. Very f$cking disturbing.

 

I take my meds with me everywhere as a safety net. I don't like it but it gets me out the house.

[[...]]

I'm suffering severe agoraphobia and I haven't started my taper yet though I did cold turkey off an AD and have reached tolerance on my benzo.

 

I have been trying to make myself get outside but it spikes my anxiety so badly that I end up in terror and crying. I do manage to get out and walk my dog a few times a week and I make my doctor appointments but other than that I don't leave the house. Just the thought of leaving spikes my anxiety. This just started about a month and a half ago and unfortunately has been getting worse over time despite making myself leave the house.

 

Feeling very frustrated.

[[be...]]

do you find that your agoraphobia is better in the evening? I do so I take a 15 walk around my block every evening. other than that i tried pushing myself to go out during the day but its really hard. i usually just drive to get my coffee and donuts after i get up in the afternoon, and go back to bed. fatigue and anxiety from the benzo WD just makes thing more difficult. i completely understand your frustration.

[[...]]

My agoraphobia doesn't lift until about the time I am crawling into bed. I think it's because my brain knows I can't go out now because I'm going to bed. It lifts enough that I feel like I can make plans to go and do things the next day. Yeah, no, doesn't happen.

 

I'm worried about being able to get to a pdoc appointment on Wednesday. Makes me anxious just thinking about it, so I don't think about it.

 

I also try not to think about the fact that I haven't even started my taper yet, I'm in tolerance withdrawal. The taper I'm looking at will probably take around three years. I can't imagine feeling like this for the next three years, or more. I know people have and are dealing with it for that long though so I know it's possible to do. Sorry, I'm just rambling now.

 

I know what you mean about the fatigue and anxiety. I'm exhausted all day, until it's time for bed. 

[[nh...]]

Is this a symptom of withdrawal?

[[...]]

Agoraphobia is a symptom of withdrawal and can also be a symptom of tolerance or long term use of a benzo.

[[...]]

Agoraphobia is a symptom of withdrawal and can also be a symptom of tolerance or long term use of a benzo.

I was just about to ask about this. Having stayed on 2mg for 5 years before I started taperering and was wondering if they could cause agoraphobia even when you are on a stable dose, but I guess it can. Now that I'm at 1mg I can barely leave my apartment, two weeks ago I pushed myself too hard and and it backfired, causing me to have panic at just the thought of going outside.

Feel like being caught between a rock and a hard place right now.

At the moment I cannot manage the daily walks I did before, hopefully it will get a little bit better soon.

 

[[be...]]

I had agoraphobia before withdrawal so it was kinda expected to come back. The way I get around is driving short distances, because walking is too challenging. Also I suffer from fatigue from the withdrawal, so that just complicates things even further.

[[Ju...]]

This book really helped me (and still does) Anxiety and Phobia workbook.

There are things you can do to keep from being housebound (which causes depression or makes it worse).

https://www.amazon.com/Anxiety-Phobia-Workbook-Edmund-Bourne/dp/1572248912

 

A big part of it is "avoiding avoidance" which requires some hard work on our parts, ie, facing our fears.

-Justaman

[[...]]

Hi Bain,

 

I was told by a moderator that Dr Ashton doesn't recommend pushing yourself to go out if you just can't. Causing a panic attack or stressing our CNS can cause the withdrawal symptoms to get worse and doesn't help at all with the healing. If you can get out without excess stress than do. So only push if it won't cause extreme stress.

 

She also said that if you didn't have agoraphobia before you took benzo's then you probably won't when you get through withdrawal. If you do still have it, which I guess happens rarely, then you can work on it once your CNS has healed.

 

I have agoraphobia really badly right now too and I haven't started tapering yet. So far I can still leave the house in the early morning to walk my dog and I can get to Dr's apts. That's about it. I had a hair appointment and I couldn't make myself go.

 

I have other tolerance symptoms too but agoraphobia is the worst because it is so isolating. Right now I'm moving my doses around to get rid of some interdose withdrawal symptoms and then I am going to start tapering. I'm hoping that if I go really slowly the agoraphobia will go away as I get lower in my dose. I've read that happens for some people.

 

Justaman,

 

I have that workbook too. I found it worked great for my anxiety before I started having tolerance with my benzos but now the coping skills don't so much for me. I've also been through CBT and am in a DBT group. I meditate daily and work on mindfulness and the thought of leaving the house still causes me to have spikes of anxiety, just the thought without any plans   

Do you find that the coping skills work for you even in withdrawal?

 

[[...]]

Hi Bain,

 

I was told by a moderator that Dr Ashton doesn't recommend pushing yourself to go out if you just can't. Causing a panic attack or stressing our CNS can cause the withdrawal symptoms to get worse and doesn't help at all with the healing. If you can get out without excess stress than do. So only push if it won't cause extreme stress.

 

She also said that if you didn't have agoraphobia before you took benzo's then you probably won't when you get through withdrawal. If you do still have it, which I guess happens rarely, then you can work on it once your CNS has healed.

 

I have agoraphobia really badly right now too and I haven't started tapering yet. So far I can still leave the house in the early morning to walk my dog and I can get to Dr's apts. That's about it. I had a hair appointment and I couldn't make myself go.

 

I have other tolerance symptoms too but agoraphobia is the worst because it is so isolating. Right now I'm moving my doses around to get rid of some interdose withdrawal symptoms and then I am going to start tapering. I'm hoping that if I go really slowly the agoraphobia will go away as I get lower in my dose. I've read that happens for some people.

 

I did both things wrong, tapered too quickly and pushed myself too far regarding the agoraphobia.

I didn't have agoraphobia before I started taking benzos, I actually didn't know about the connection until I read about it here. I hope the withdrawls will stabilized themself a bit. Then I will continue tapering at a slower rate. My fear is that my agoraphobia will get worse or permanent since I don't go outside at all at the moment, but I hope not.

[[Ju...]]

 

Justaman,

 

I have that workbook too. I found it worked great for my anxiety before I started having tolerance with my benzos but now the coping skills don't so much for me. I've also been through CBT and am in a DBT group. I meditate daily and work on mindfulness and the thought of leaving the house still causes me to have spikes of anxiety, just the thought without any plans   

Do you find that the coping skills work for you even in withdrawal?

 

  Yes, I do use the coping skills. One that I like, is to get angry when feeling panicky. Direct the anger at anything. Benzos. It's impossible to be angry and panicky at the same time. Also controlled breathing. I wish I could meditate. I've tried, just can't calm down enough.

-Justaman

[[be...]]

  Yes, I do use the coping skills. One that I like, is to get angry when feeling panicky. Direct the anger at anything. Benzos. It's impossible to be angry and panicky at the same time. Also controlled breathing. I wish I could meditate. I've tried, just can't calm down enough.

-Justaman

 

How do you get angry when you feel anxious? I would love to be able to do that.

[[...]]

  Yes, I do use the coping skills. One that I like, is to get angry when feeling panicky. Direct the anger at anything. Benzos. It's impossible to be angry and panicky at the same time. Also controlled breathing. I wish I could meditate. I've tried, just can't calm down enough.

-Justaman

 

How do you get angry when you feel anxious? I would love to be able to do that.

 

Me too , I have noticed that when I'm angry or really annoyed the anxiety disspears completely, don't know how to get angry on command though.

[[...]]

  Yes, I do use the coping skills. One that I like, is to get angry when feeling panicky. Direct the anger at anything. Benzos. It's impossible to be angry and panicky at the same time. Also controlled breathing. I wish I could meditate. I've tried, just can't calm down enough.

-Justaman

 

How do you get angry when you feel anxious? I would love to be able to do that.

 

Me too , I have noticed that when I'm angry or really annoyed the anxiety disspears completely, don't know how to get angry on command though.

 

I agree, how do you get angry on command?

 

I know that your brain can't focus on two things at the same time so any type of distraction, like being on the computer, should help with reducing anxiety. The agoraphobia though, I can't seem to find anything that helps me to cope with that!!  Controlled breathing only works so long as you can maintain it. I did the deep breathing in a panic attack and used other coping skills as well and still ended up in the ER 

 

I have used magnesium to get out of the house on occasion. I put some in water and drink it and it usually calms me down enough to go out, though I usually have to be with someone else, but I sometimes end up depressed afterwards.

 

Hi Bain,

 

This agoraphobia is really isolating. I just read an article by Dr Ashton. She was studying 12 people on benzos and found that 11 of the 12 had agoraphobia while still on the benzos. Six so severely they couldn't leave the house and the other five could go out but had to be with someone else. It didn't go away until the were off the benzos and then all but two didn't have it at all anymore. She didn't say if the other two ever got over it or not but I think they had a pre-existing condition related to it.

 

Hugs and healing to everyone. We will get through this and be able to get out and back into our lives.

[[of...]]

Meditation is finding thought, observing thought. Letting go of thought. Repeat.

 

While doing the above, focus your attention on your body, while doing so. Take deep diaphram breaths.

 

While doing the above, ones mind will drift, naturally. Be mindful of the minds tendency to think, direct ones attention from thought, towards breath

 

This is a skill that takes development.

 

If done correctly, one will feel calm. Attempting to feel calm, is not meditating.

 

To meditate, is to bring awareness away from thought, towards the sensations of the deep breath.

 

To accomplish the above, one has to first gain awareness of ones mind.

 

When the mind produces thought, it's up to you whether you want to attach to thought.

[[...]]

Hey offeverything

 

That's an awesome descripton of meditation. I'm using an app to really learn how to do this. I found it on SA. It's called Headspace and I've really been impressed with it. It has really made a difference for me so far. I hope that I will be able to use it fully when I start to taper my benzo.

 

I still have the agoraphobia though and since it is a benzo tolerance effect I will probably have it for awhile yet. I did have a lovely window last week in which I was actually agoraphobia free!! I went out and actually felt like me. It was wonderful and a reinforcement of the idea that this is all medication fueled problems we are experiencing. Once we are off the meds we will be able to function like we did previously.

 

Dr Ashton said that out 11 out of 12 patients she was observing at the time experienced agoraphobia. Once they were off meds all but two could go anywhere they wanted by themselves with no problem.

 

Hugs and healing everyone, we will make it through this

[[ne...]]

Meditation is finding thought, observing thought. Letting go of thought. Repeat.

 

While doing the above, focus your attention on your body, while doing so. Take deep diaphram breaths.

 

While doing the above, ones mind will drift, naturally. Be mindful of the minds tendency to think, direct ones attention from thought, towards breath

 

This is a skill that takes development.

 

If done correctly, one will feel calm. Attempting to feel calm, is not meditating.

 

To meditate, is to bring awareness away from thought, towards the sensations of the deep breath.

 

To accomplish the above, one has to first gain awareness of ones mind.

 

When the mind produces thought, it's up to you whether you want to attach to thought.

 

Thank you for this reminder today.

 

I really appreciate this.

[[Ju...]]

I summon anger by thinking about my doctor putting me on xanax for so many years,

before the internet existed. I had never heard the term 'panic attack' , nor benzodiazepine.

I occasionally feel 'normal', and the agoraphobia drops way down. I drove

alone to the hardware store, got some things, and drove back, just a couple days

ago. Seems so simple, but on bad days, nope, won't do it.

-J

 

[[Na...]]

It will all go away guys. My agoraphobia was caused mainly by paranoia, social anxiety, low confidence, anxiety, sensitivity for sounds, stress, lights, overstimulation etc. All caused by downregulated benzo receptors. Im almost healed and you guys will heal too. If you did not suffer from this before benzos you will not have this after withdrawal 

[[...]]

Thanks for the encouragement Napdmd. Right now I feel like I will be this way forever. I have no desire to leave the house for anything.

 

I have an appointment tomorrow and my anxiety and agoraphobia have been ramping up all week. I'm in tears just thinking about going to my appointment.

 

I also need to make dentist appointments and hair appointments but I don't know how I will be able to get out and make it to them. I'm just hoping I can get to my dr appointment tomorrow.

 

It's been a really rough week. :'(

 

Hope others are fairing better.

 

Thanks

[[ho...]]

No.anger is not better than feeling anxious I'm angry alot