I can't leave my house.

My anxiety is that bad to I really haven't left my house for several months either I'm at a loss on what to do myself

Hi, Lauren:  I'm so sorry that your body is in such torture.  I was just like you and the others on here many years ago.  You have, I'm certain, a chemical imbalance causing agoraphobia, a fear of leaving your home, and especially your bedroom.  That is what you call your "safety zone"...Now, what you have to do is..tell yourself that going out the door is NOT going to hurt you in any way.  Start by going out on your porch or yard and breathe the fresh air...Be proud of yourself for doing that much. The next day, take a few more baby steps out and take deep breaths, realizing that all the other people out there are not being hurt by being out of their homes.  Just keep going like that until you finally make it to the grocery store, or shopping...even if your knees knock together and your heart beats faster, it won't kill you...please keep that in mind...Before you know it, you will be out and about, for which you should be very proud.  As I have told all the others on here, depression and anxiety have minds of their own...You MUST NOT give into it or you will be a prisoner in your own home forever.  Please try what I said..that is how I overcame years of staying in my bed...I am 67 yrs. old now, and yes, I still get scared at times, but don't let that illness ruin your wonderful, young life...Please keep in touch....I really do care about all of you who suffer!!

I'm sorry Lauren but so glad you actually put how you feel if writing. I recently was given temporarily custom of my 6 year old grandchild. I panicked because I knew not only would I have to take her to school where there's hundreds of ppl, I'd have to take her to parks and places where there's thousands of ppl. I do it and I'm sweating, freaking out sometime sometimes to point of crying. If I keep her till she's 18, the thought of proms etc blow my mind. Are you getting out now? What advice helped? We are not alone.

I have been there. And I have come out of it. It takes a while and it is very uncomfortable but you slowly have to leave your house and go somewhere close by and stay even when the anxiety comes. Do not let yourself run away from it. And little by little it will get better. Take deep breaths and trying breathing in for 4 seconds and out for 4 seconds. Breathing slow and focusing on breathing during a bad attack has helped me a ton. Also watch the tapping for panic attacks video by julie schiffman on youtube and do it. And although it's very hard try not to focus on your anxiety, it does help. Also exercise and water has helped relieve it a ton! Oh and one more tip, Rescue Remedy pastilles and mouth spray works really good to take the edge off, they sell it on amazon or at CVS. I have tried a lot of things and these tips have really helped me. You can make it better take it slowly and just try one step at a time! You are not alone!

That's how I feel right now I know this thread is old but glad I found it I've been so lightheaded and anxious I've been bedridden afraid leaving the house to go to the doctor

Hey Lauren,

I have had the same as you since I was 15. I know where my comes from as my mum was very messed up and she did some crazy things and made do some. My dad the same, he abused me. I was in and out of care homes. I was abused by family friend. When I was 10 I was abused aswell by friends granddad. And agin a few other times...it's awful. I'm so scared of leaving the house unless I'm with someone. I also get parra about the people in my St, they must think im crazy or something. I moved up from Devon 20 months ago on my own. I do not talk any member of my family. And will never again. I'm 39. I can't work although would love to. I have done and studied and somehow got through it all! But even then people noticed my ways! I shake at times when talking to people. I only leave the house to go docs and shrinks. My eating has come to a stop atm..my mental health has been bad the last few weeks. Something will trigger it off. The esa and DLA give me very little to live off and think it's wrong as I need help getting around by cab and taxis are so expencive up here. I don't know no one up here and in a small village with clicky peeps. I'm on a new anti depression tab but going to call docs and get on higher dose. Plus get some valium to help me if she will give. I don't want to have to get them off the black market as I don't know if they are the real thing. It cost me £40 in taxi both ways to see shrink and I just can't afford it. IVE tried to get a move close to a town and not this village so fingers crossed. The bus is every hour to the nearest town! It really is not good living here and really getting me down. I'm always on my own. Day in and out. I can't read as don't have the concerntation nor can I watch much TV as its so boring. I never wash not brush my teeth. I'm so low been thinking of ending it all for the last 6 months. I have no partner. I moved away from where I'm from as my ex stabbed me in the twice. I had my baby taken away and she was moved up to her gran (father side) she has only allowed me to see my baby 4 times in 3y 8m and that has only been this year!! She has been awful to me. I had a breakdown and tried to end my life. I can't talk to no one but my doc and shrink about how I feel. I am smoking so many fags it's awful! I'm looking shadow of my former self. If I can move to the same town as my daughter I will be able to see her every other weekend and then after a year she can come home. It's so cruel on my daughter and myself as my daughter loves me dearly. And she begs to see me. Her gran has now blocked my number as the last time I called my daughter was crying so much to see me. I bought a kitten to keep me company but all she does is wreak my home! I just don't know what to do anymore. I have some hope that they move me close to my daughter as im still 45 miles away and getting to see her is either £50 in cab each way or bus which is every hour then to wait at a city to go to another city on bus and that is every hour and I have contact at 10am in the morning. She won't change the times. And keeps on lying. It's my daughters birthday in sunday and I shall be going with her gifts to her grans but I fear her gran will start shouting again but if she does that on my daughters birthday I swear I'll take it further as this is just getting me down so so much. All I need is some help and support and im not getting nothing. I pray for a better day every day! Thinking this is only a blip but nothing seems to be happening. I know that by seeing my daughet more will give me some confidence and make lots happier but can not be done where im living as too far away. The woman next door just screams and shouts at her children all day long. It makes me so sad to hear. I sit in the dark. I drive myself crazy as I know I should not be living like this. But IVE been having anzity for so so Lon and my thoughts are just negative. I just need people to talk to me and maybe help me through my none life!! IVE been put down all my life by my family and im used to it. I have such low self esteem. Can't leave house. Always skint. So unhappy. I'm gonna call docs and get valium and sleepers as can't keep on like this. I hope you can stay in contact with me x thanks for listening x

I'm so very much in that place. IT HURTS!! I'd always been so strong. Now I cannot even go to a doctor's appointment. It's physically painful & I can't catch my breath 90% of the time. Humiliating doesn't begin to cover it. I'm lost & wanting to get help but have no clue how I can do that when I can't think of leaving my home

Lauren. I hope you see from all the replies that we are not alone. MANY ppl have the same problems and won't admit it to another, not even themselves. But, look at all of us, not only do we acknowledge it, we talk about it and free ourselves. Let us none forget YOU ARE NOT ALONE AND NEVER EVER EVER GIVE UP!!!

Hey Lauren

You are definitely not alone. Citalopram has helped me a lot. You can do this. Breathing excersies work as well.

Keep positive keep trying new things . YOU WILL beat this.

Good luck

Hi Lauren, have you contacted your local mental health crisis team? They may be able to help you, are you taking your meds as prescribed including diazepam. 

Your GP should refer you to see a psychiatrist to help you, review meds, organise talking therapy so you need to go to the GP even though you are scared.

I know your safe zone is your bedroom but staying there is not healthy for you, baby steps are needed even if it's 10 mins in the living room and building up from there.

Regarding having a mental breakdown I'm afraid to say that you've already had one, your brain chemistry is unbalanced but there is help to get it back to done thing normal but it starts with you being brave and seeing your GP again.

Go for it girl.