Agoraphobia & Social Anxiety Support Group

Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder, often precipitated by the fear of having a panic attack in a setting from which there is no easy means of escape. As a result, sufferers of agoraphobia may avoid public and/or unfamiliar places. In severe cases, the sufferer may become confined to their home, experiencing difficulty traveling from this "safe place."

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Anxiety over phone and out in public

HollieJ81
HollieJ81
I have had anxiety for about 10 years. I had it under control for a long time but 2 years ago my husband started to loose his hearing. He is such a wonderful person and always did a lot of things for me that took away this anxiety. He would pick things up for me at the store, talk to people and answer the phone. I have become really anxious over the last 2 months and stopped answering the phone altogether and when people leave me messages I have a hard time even getting the courage to call them back. I really like people but this is driving me crazy and because I dislike the phone so much I know it has strained a lot of relationships. I am starting to get better with the phone but going out to a store causes me to feel anxious and i get seaty and sometimes feel like passing out. When your in public hoe do you cope with this and what can interupt this behaviour without medication? I want to be able to support my husband at this time not feel anxious because now I have to do most of the talking and listening when we are with people it has been a difficult transition.
deleted_user
deleted_user
What a nightmare, I am so sorry, and wish I could help. Maybe the more you do things, the easier it will get? I have found that the more I avoid, the harder it gets. That's where I am at. I hope it gets easier to cope. So very sorry!
deleted_user
deleted_user
That's a really hard situation to be in, I know how you feel. I think maybetomorrow's idea of getting out more to desensitize yourself is good, but medication can also be very helpful. You seem averse to it, do you mind if I ask why? I know it's done a lot of good for me, but it certainly isn't for everyone.
HollieJ81
HollieJ81
Thanks to both of you. I do think your right the more I go out and do things the better it will get and I do go out I just don't want to because I don't like to feel anxious. The only way to cure fear is to take action. It isn't that i'm against medication but I just went off one the doctor gave me and the side effects were worse than feeling anxious. I feel 10 times better now that I stopped taking it. Just not sure what to do to cope in the moment when it comes on when i am out in public or when the phone rings and I get anxious.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Hi,
I couldnt help but feel for you after reading this. I tried many medications but none helped and always left me feeling worse than the actual panic. I too went through a strange time where I would jump and my heart would race everytime the phone rang. I dreaded answering it and would screen calls. This went on for some time and I realized I was feeling quite lost and lonely and after addressing some of my feelings I slowly got over the phone thing and getting outside frequently and just sitting in the sun or walking to the mailbox did wonders for me. I found if I panicked in public I would excuse myself to a bathroom or just briskly walk around. I even pulled the car over one day during a panic attack and did jumping jacks! I know it sounds crazy but I found that changing my thoughts by physically doing something helped to shake it off. I hope it gets better soon.