Housebound with anxiety

Maybe you could consider changing your doctor, as it doesnt sound as if the one you are with is very understanding of how awful anxiety is. I do hope you can find the strength to go on the holiday, but you do need to make your husband aware how hard it will be for you, and that you will need his support. One day at a time, dont try to do too much, and you never know you may enjoy it.

sorry this isnt more helpful, but I hope at least you find some comfort knowing you are not alone x

Can you walk into your yard? Do you have a yard? And just sit there and take it in? Fresh air, sunshine the birds..etc..you probably need to change your medicines. I would be more scared to be caged into my home surrendering all the joys of life then taking a pill that could at least give me a bit if freedom from these terrible sabatoging,brainwashing ,intrusive thoughts day after day. Your husband is well aware of how you feel what can he do to fix it? He seems to be quite kind about it. Theres no magic fix. Its terrible and it sucks you have to allow help. You can not refuse any meds other then the one that no longer works. You need help. You know im not a big medicine fan but there are times you have no other option. You cant stay like this! Anxiety rules will change uo, already they have caged you in..you need to allow the help now. You going to the  gp is useless if you don't listen to him. Thats not on him by the way. Thats what gp job  is. Access and treat. You need to get a psychiatrist and some therapt, whether you do it on line, on the phone you need this. Let then assess you and treat you. Then maybe by october you will be able to leave your home.your fears and your belief in your fear have failed you, stop believing them. Look where your fears have got you! They are evil liars okay. You need meds and you need to accept the help. 

I would try threrapy, or counseling of some kind, as soon as possible. A bit of help on the home front is pure from the flower, Cnamomile tea. It is a natural sedative and does many other good things for the body.

If you are allergic to rag weed or that plant family, don't take. Many of swear by this stuff, Mariano. Hugs to you, dear.

You are getting excellent advice here, Mariano. Only you can decide what you want to do with it. We can and will be your cheerleaders, but we can't take your place in the game. YaaaaY, mariano. You can do this. We are here for you...make sure YOU are here for you, darlin'. Hugs

hi I'm same old have very bad annsity and depression can't sleep can't go out my doir do all shopping online or lock myself away as I can't cope with kids bring get friends in I get up do my cleaning go bak bed my head away feel I'm goin end up with nervous break dwn I've go see Dla doctor on 3rs August and I really don't no how I'm goin cope with goin out to ur my hubby be with me I can't speak ppl I don't no wud anyone have advice cud give me to help

mariano, reading your post was like reading something i could have written myself, we are so similar and i am suffering in much the same way that you are at the moment, it is like living in hell and i am constantly distressed and exhausted.

Now the Xanax, you are quite right, it wont be working now because you have been on it for so long, you will probably know that you cannot stop taking it suddenly but i thought i should mention that anyway.

Unfortunately for some people meds like Xanax can cause higher levels of anxiety and worsening phobias after they have been on them for a number of years, I am pretty sure that my 17 years of being on Valium is a major factor in my current issues but I am just too scared to cut it down at the moment, it can be done though but if that is what you decide it needs to be done very slowly.

Time after time I have been prescribed meds that I am simply too scared to take and it is simply pointless, I tell them this but they don't listen so where does that leave us? Well it means taking steps to face our fears and exploring different types of therapy which can be very useful.

I have had CBT, it was quite helpful but the NHS would only fund 6 sessions and often you need it for longer so that it can be more effective and that you can maintain the progress you make, there are other therapies too, it's about finding one that works for you.

Honestly the only thing that helps is facing the fears that you have and believe me I know how terrifying that is, 10 minutes ago I was locked in the bathroom sobbing because I know I have to go through the fear of waking up at the crack of dawn tomorrow in a panic state then I will need to force myself out of the door, allow my husband to drive me away from the house and hang onto him whilst I try to navigate a shop, park, etc panicking the entire time, it is hell but I do it because the last time I got this bad it was the only thing that helped me so I have to do it again.

It takes time though, it doesn't improve straight away, it can take many,many attempts before you see even the slightest improvement but eventually you will, it might be just one minute of feeling a bit better and then you notice it gradually becomes a bit longer without a panic and that carries on until your confidence builds.

You have to retrain your brain, I know how hard that is but it can be done, you go slowly but you go willingly, accept the feelings you have, all of them and tell yourself that as horrid as they are they cannot harm you, they can scare you but no more than that.

Panic and fear thrive on our dislike of them, the more we hate them the worse those feelings get, now that doesn't mean you are expected to enjoy them of course, you couldn't possibly do that but you can accept them until you get to the stage where you acknowledge all of the awful feelings but carry on anyway and that in itself proves to your own mind that there is nothing to fear, once you stop being quite so scared of them you will find they lessen but as I said that takes time.

Don't think you can't do it though, just accept that it is small steps and it takes time.

Start out small, I feel scared even opening the front door these days so sometimes I just go to the door and do it, then I take a step out, the panic comes but I stay there as long as I possibly can.

I am going to send you a message about some books that I think you might find useful, we are not allowed to post things like that here on the forum so I will message you about those.

You are not alone, I don't know if I will get out tomorrow, I do know that even if I get out there I will suffer horribly but that with time and persistance it truly is the only way to see any improvement.

As for natural remedies you have to be careful with those because they can interact with existing medications so always check with the pharmacy before you take anything.

There is hope, I promise you that but it has to be tackled the right way and the right way is sadly the hard way but you can do it, take care xx