My panic and anxiety has come back after 30 years. I have severe agoraphobia for 4 months.

Hi Babss sorry to hear you have been suffering for so long. I can totally relate to how you feel . I have suffered from severe anxiety and panic attacks since i was little. When i was 21 i was put on an anti depressant and had a bad reaction to it that caused further anxiety and also caused agoraphobia where i was completley housebound.

I am unable to take medications of any sort and so had to manage to get through it myself. What helped at the time was to keep a daily journal so i could record symptoms and what was going through my mind at the time. I also sought different therapists and the only one that helped me was an occupational therapist and introduced me to cross stitchto take my mind off things which worked. 

With the agoraphobia I had to do this gradually taking baby steps each day and building up from there. It was hard but I got there and took me 6 years in total to get over it. 

I was anxiety free for 10 years and was going out even going on holidays was great. Then I had a set back and it all came crashing back down on me 4 years ago and im back to square one. 

Im fully housebound again and the anxiety and depression has come back with avengence. Im unable to take medication again and so doing it the tough way. I try to keep myself occupied by doing small things in the house like jigsaws even if its only for 5 minutes at a time and go and do something else. Then i go back to the jigsaw and do a bit more. Try and break the day down into managable steps instead of focusing on the whole day. Put music on in the background so that the house is not so quiet if you are alone and force yourself to leave the house. Even if its only to walk to the end of your road and back as long as you get out. The more you do it the less the anxiety will get.

On youtube there are loads of similar people suffering but they do a question and answers live session which i have found useful too. Do you have a hobby you could get into? The main thing is to try and keep yourself occupied which is easier said than done I know but it does help. The more we keep ourselves occupied and keep going out to beat the agoraphobia the easier it gets but can take time. 

If the medication is not working as it should for you have you considering you may have treatment resistant anxiety? medication isnt for everyone and should be discussed with a doctor but is maybe one reason why medication isnt working for you.

Hope you find relief soon all the best x

I had agoraphobia for about 20 years and heard that prozac may help so my doctor gave me 20mg one a day I have been on them quite a few years now and they gave me my life back. Unfortunately I suffered a nasty virus in January which started off my anxiety again so my Dr has increased the dose to 40mg a day. They seem to be starting to help, I am still going out although not very relaxed. Why not ask your doctor about them?

How are you doing? Have you tried shock therapy?

I had depression and anxiety as a kid! Oddly enough it was related to a inner ear thing, that started from bad swimmers ear going untreated which led to a virus, which led to antibiotics which in turn led to a connection between giving me extreme anxiety attacks and depression. I felt hopeless and life went on. I then had kids got married and as life continued it became ever so obvious I couldn't handle the stress as easy or extreme life changes or the depression would kick in or anxiety. Now know this I am not crazy nor scared I am not off or weak. I actually face everything head on and I am very much love life the Lord my wife and kids. But for the life of me literally can never shake this ** physical manifestation of depression** then one day we bought a house. I became so consumed with fixing it up and making it perfect, that for over 4 months I was so busy I hadn't had a depressive thought or anxiety attack. That was it.. I realized if the mind is damaged somehow or a physical part it must kinda be kept busy as to not have enough time to play tricks on you and it will pass. Since then I got real sick for a well or so and yup it all. And back but I can deal with knowing what it is and capable of now, then being afraid of it anymore and not knowing what or why it takes over my life! Hope it helps babss..I know it sounds weird but get a hobble or lots stay busy, find joy in all u do! A place so full of joy! has no room for negative things!

So sorry to hear and sorry for your loss. I would be wary of the ECT, would you try an antidepressant and see how you are feeling in a few weeks? Maybe you could also take something for the anxiety too at the same time until the antidepressants start working. Maybe try counselling too and just try to do something every day and get out even for a few minutes and gradually build it up. I know how awful it is, it will get better x

" I want to escape from it or run away from it but there is nowhere to go."

^^^^^^

That is the problem. You cannot run or escape it when you want. You have to except the way you feel in the present moment because you WILL be okay and it will go away. 

I would suggest seeking a CBT specialist. 

hi Ann55375 wonderinf your still around i lot the page and just found it again wouldbe lovely to hear how you aredoing