Does anyone experience extreme agoraphobia? If yes when does this subside?

[Guest [...]]

Hi there buddies, is anyone experiencing extreme agoraphobia? And if yes, when does it subside?
this is the strangest feeling and I’ve had it for the last 7 months of my taper and it’s getting worse the lower I get in dose. 
im terrified because now it’s making me disabled. 
 

‘’any info would be greatly appreciated. 
‘thanks 

[[de...]]

Sorry you are experiencing agoraphobia.   It seems like a lot of members experience this on some level.     It will subside, but it is hard to predict when that will happen.

 

 

[[Es...]]

@[Ja...]

I'm rather afraid of people and their judgement. I had social phobia well before the BZD. Diagnosed by a professor of psychiatry, how nice😆 My very intelligent boyfriend told me I see my Mother's eyes everywhere. Yes, there is something in her looking at me that terrifies me.

Same with Father, although it's impossible to establish genuine eye contact with him. He's usually so obsessed by some political/historical idea that he barely notices your presence and looks you in the eye.

He lately told me that "he's ashamed of me". Well, I've always been ashamed of him. Nature is rather my ally. It's people I fear. But I'm also extremely curious about them. Once the initial fear passes, there's only curiosity left.

I'm conscious there's some bond between me and others, but their prejudices etc. stand in the way. People like to judge. This is so sick, only shows how terrible a person feels about themselves unconsciously. So they'd do anything to prove themselves superior😆

Parents are experts in judging. I stopped judging thanks to AA and my Husband. But I judge myself. Very harshly. I know it's wrong. Just cannot resist. The Inner Critic is so powerful.

Paula❤️

[[be...]]

@[Ja...] I am so sorry for your struggles, I wish I had the words that could change it around for you, and the magic wand to make it all go away. Please know that you are in my Prayers always, and I know that if anyone can get through this...you can. The only thing I can think of, that even though you have been careful with your cuts, your brain has not been able to keep up with the changes, but we do the best we can, and I know you are doing just that. Stay Strong, and know that many are beside you and holding you near. 💖Peace and Healing.

[Guest [...]]

2 hours ago, [[E...] said:

@[Ja...]

I'm rather afraid of people and their judgement. I had social phobia well before the BZD. Diagnosed by a professor of psychiatry, how nice😆 My very intelligent boyfriend told me I see my Mother's eyes everywhere. Yes, there is something in her looking at me that terrifies me.

Same with Father, although it's impossible to establish genuine eye contact with him. He's usually so obsessed by some political/historical idea that he barely notices your presence and looks you in the eye.

He lately told me that "he's ashamed of me". Well, I've always been ashamed of him. Nature is rather my ally. It's people I fear. But I'm also extremely curious about them. Once the initial fear passes, there's only curiosity left.

I'm conscious there's some bond between me and others, but their prejudices etc. stand in the way. People like to judge. This is so sick, only shows how terrible a person feels about themselves unconsciously. So they'd do anything to prove themselves superior😆

Parents are experts in judging. I stopped judging thanks to AA and my Husband. But I judge myself. Very harshly. I know it's wrong. Just cannot resist. The Inner Critic is so powerful.

Paula❤️

Hi Paula, thanks for your reply. I understand what you wrote but in this case it’s the benzo w/d that’s causing the agoraphobia and it’s extreme.

but I understood perfectly what you meant.  Thank you again🩷

[Guest [...]]

3 hours ago, [[d...] said:

Sorry you are experiencing agoraphobia.   It seems like a lot of members experience this on some level.     It will subside, but it is hard to predict when that will happen.

Decatur thank you for your reply. is there an agoraphobia group or recent thread here about that ?

[Guest [...]]

7 minutes ago, [[b...] said:

@[Ja...] I am so sorry for your struggles, I wish I had the words that could change it around for you, and the magic wand to make it all go away. Please know that you are in my Prayers always, and I know that if anyone can get through this...you can. The only thing I can think of, that even though you have been careful with your cuts, your brain has not been able to keep up with the changes, but we do the best we can, and I know you are doing just that. Stay Strong, and know that many are beside you and holding you near. 💖Peace and Healing.

Hi BG, do you think I’m cutting too fast? Thank you too for replying and for the much needed prayers.

I can’t make sense of numbers or words most times. Like I can’t make sense of a simple sentence and I really need help with other support questions that I don’t know how to articulate so I stay quiet and stuck. 

[[be...]]

2 minutes ago, [[J...] said:

Hi BG, do you think I’m cutting too fast? Thank you too for replying and for the much needed prayers.

I can’t make sense of numbers or words most times. Like I can’t make sense of a simple sentence and I really need help with other support questions that I don’t know how to articulate so I stay quiet and stuck. 

I tried to look at your numbers this morning, but numbers and me...are alien at times, I wonder if you just held for a while, that things would even out. Most of the hard things I went through, was caused from going faster than my brain could keep up with, and I was in a mire of you what.... I am sorry you have to go through this, but most problems can be helped when we stop for a while.

[Guest [...]]

4 minutes ago, [[b...] said:

I tried to look at your numbers this morning, but numbers and me...are alien at times, I wonder if you just held for a while, that things would even out. Most of the hard things I went through, was caused from going faster than my brain could keep up with, and I was in a mire of you what.... I am sorry you have to go through this, but most problems can be helped when we stop for a while.

Got it. Thank you. I’m holding on this dose for a little longer. 

[[He...]]

I've been experiencing agoraphobia and photophobia a lot, I think they are related (in my case). Something that works for me is taking deep breaths and being aware that my legs are holding me and nothing is going to be wrong, and cultivating this thought. I'm an active person, for at least 10 hours a day I'm in open places with a lot of people (work and gym). I know that there's the chemical part of WD symptoms, but there's the psychological side as well! If you focus on making the psychological side less worse, it will get less worse, then, time will heal the rest! Stay well!

[Guest [...]]

1 hour ago, [[H...] said:

I've been experiencing agoraphobia and photophobia a lot, I think they are related (in my case). Something that works for me is taking deep breaths and being aware that my legs are holding me and nothing is going to be wrong, and cultivating this thought. I'm an active person, for at least 10 hours a day I'm in open places with a lot of people (work and gym). I know that there's the chemical part of WD symptoms, but there's the psychological side as well! If you focus on making the psychological side less worse, it will get less worse, then, time will heal the rest! Stay well!

Thank you for replying. That makes sense and will give it a try. Are you currently tapering?

[[He...]]

34 minutes ago, [[J...] said:

Thank you for replying. That makes sense and will give it a try. Are you currently tapering?

Actually I recent came back to this forum and I'm waiting to see a psychiatrist to start doing a right taper. I've been tapering but "on my way", I'd say I reduced my Klonopin intake in at least 25%.

[[be...]]

4 hours ago, [[J...] said:

Got it. Thank you. I’m holding on this dose for a little longer. 

[[hl...]]

Never. I’m 14 months post taper and can’t do anything still

[[dj...]]

Tons of people here experience agoraphobia.  Totally normal.  I will get out but I don’t love it.  I don’t like being in public for too long, also because I get worn out really easily.  I’ve developed a fear of heights that I never had before either.  Hate driving on the interstate.  I hate riding in cars, absolutely refuse.  The only real fear I ever had before was public speaking, which is weird because I’m a musician and have played out on stage hundreds of times without a care.  
 

Keep in mind that it’s probably not just your mind that’s not relaxed; it may be your body too.  The body may actually be influencing the mind more than the other way around, or at least that is the case with me.  I have this awful energy that is creeping through my muscles and bones 24/7 that keeps me from being able to relax at all.  Then, there are all the other symptoms you may have that are keeping you from relaxing.  This is only going to enhance the agoraphobia. 

[[ga...]]

Jackie, I had very bad agoraphobia during my taper. I made it a point to get outside of the house every day. Most days that meant walking to the mailbox at the end of my driveway and back. I counted that as a victory every time I did it.

I never had agoraphobia before the benzo. I don't have it any more. It did take awhile for my brain to unlearn the fears it learned during the taper. I worked at that. Baby steps facing the fears worked for me, that and MBSR meditation, which I still do. 

(You know I am done with my benzo taper. Almost done with my gabapentin taper, too!)

[[ma...]]

On 03/09/2023 at 03:51, [[h...] said:

Never. I’m 14 months post taper and can’t do anything still

You shouldn't say never, just because you are yet to recover at 14 months, does not mean you will never get better @[hl...]

I was still in the thick of it at 14 months off, and at 18 months feeling great and was able to leave my home for the first time in years!  I went a little further each day, it wasn't long until I was back to normal.   I did a lot of recovering in 4 months after suffering for a few years. 

Magrita

[[dj...]]

10 hours ago, [[m...] said:

You shouldn't say never, just because you are yet to recover at 14 months, does not mean you will never get better @[hl...]

I was still in the thick of it at 14 months off, and at 18 months feeling great and was able to leave my home for the first time in years!  I went a little further each day, it wasn't long until I was back to normal.   I did a lot of recovering in 4 months after suffering for a few years. 

Magrita

That is awesome.  Appreciate the positivity!