Agoraphobia help?

I have a history of OCD. Then I got severe anorexia, then when I started eating again, I got panic disorder, then I got agoraphobia. Last December there were times when I couldn't even bear the five minute drive to work because there was one stoplight. I basically have a fear of my stomach getting sick in front of others. If it so much as gurgled, I got a panic attack. I ALWAYS had to be near the bathroom at work. (Which it is good that I work in layaway, because it is right near the bathroom). I had a hard time waiting on customers because when I had a line I perceived it as "entrapment." I work at Kmart and it was Christmas time. It was so extensive, I was pretty much housebound. Some days I even had to call off from work. If I don't have my Xanax on me at all times, I freak out. I have gotten A LOT better over the months. I am on Tofranil, and it seems to be helping me. But I still kind of feel like I am living in a prison. Some of the things I used to enjoy, I avoid. For instance, I used to like the town carnival and going on all of the rides repeatedly. Now I can't even imagine it. I feel like I'd see it as being "trapped" and freak out. Plus all of the crowds and such. I also still won't take long drives. Even though I haven't actually had a panic attack in several months (since I started medication) I still seem to bar myself from certain things. Every once in a while, I'll still start to flip at a stoplight. If I don't take my meds, sometimes I'll even actually get to work and find myself unable to walk in, and I get back in the car and go home. I am in therapy, I just started going back. I also have borderline personality. Does anyone have any suggestions for all this?

Hi Leslieslsa,

Oh Kmart can be a very stressful place to work at Christmas time! I used to work at a Kmart store. I remember one year I was on the Service Desk on Boxing Day, and there was literally a wall of people outside the doors waiting for the store to open so they could return all their unwanted junk!

Don't feel badly about the situations that stress you - sometimes life is damn stressful! It's okay to have setbacks; some days it will be more difficult. Instead focus on what you can do.

One day when you don't have to be anywhere else, see if you can go for a drive. Maybe drive somewhere nice like a country road if you feel like it. Set little challenges for yourself, such as trying to drive somewhere new or further away, and feel proud if you can meet them.

Going back to therapy sounds like it could help you. Maybe your therapist will have some good advice.

Hi Leslie,

The best thing to do is to stay in therapy. I recently just overcame a panic disorder, and seeing a talented therapist helped me overcome it.

Make sure that your therapist specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). That should be able to do the trick, and get you back in proper upkeep. The reason you are still having these problems is probably because there is a deeper underlying issue that you are going through, and working with others can help you get out of it!

Also, Here's a great article that will help you make some progress forward

*link removed by mod*


To your Success,

Marc C.

Thank you guys. I am going to be going back to therapy, and she does do CBT. Currently I am on Klonopin to fight off an addiction I had to Xanax. It seems to work so far. Although it's only been a day. I assume that this, like my other times of extremely high anxiety will pass with time. When I was a kid I had SEVERE OCD for about a year or two. I would go through a whole roll of paper towels in one day washing my hands, which were bloody. Plus I'd eliminate being able to eat certain foods because of the packaging they came in. Never got therapy then, but I did eventually get a lot better over time. So hopefully this proves to be the same. Although I am 90 percent better with this than I was in January. I think a lot of it has to do with Asperger's as well.