Hay lady it's nice to see some activity in this forum. I can relate to some of your post. Probably not much for advice that's what i came here for.lol I may be able to help with a little support. On Tuesday i went down to a river near my house salmon fishing. That was the first in about 3 years. Just loaded up the car and went, didn't catch anything. Glad i went, not going to wait so long till the next visit. Maybe that's the key don't think about it just go and do something you enjoy. Good luck.

I guess the first question you should ask yourself is "what am I afraid will happen if I put myself out there?" Rejection? Panic attack? Anxiety? Embarrassment? Once you come up with an answer, you have some ground to build on. This is when you need to come up with some goals. Start very small. Take yourself out of your comfort zone a little each day. I know easier said than done right? Don't ignore these feelings of anxiety. Let them happen, and continue with your goals. You're going to feel uncomfortable when you start completing your goals. Go against everything your body feels. It will take some time before you start feeling comfortable out of your comfort zone. You will have setbacks that will make you want to run back to your comfort zone. The important thing to remember is everyone had setbacks, you control how you react to them. Start a journal (it doesn't have to be public). Write how you felt each day and set new goals for the next day. That's what I did, and it helped me. I still feel uncomfortable in public. I still have panic attacks. I still feel a great deal of anxiety, but I refuse to let it control my life. Hope this helps :)

I suffer from long term depression and nothing has helped. Finally was told to "go to God" with it all. Anyway,I don't know if it is depression or agoraphobia, but I have no will to go out anymore. It is just existence for me. Abandoned by family and can understand it, yet get angry at times, but seriously who wants to put up with a person who is down all the time and never leaves the house. No one. I was never as bad as the last few years when mother got seriously ill (very close to her and it is painful to see her going down ... she is 86 and then my daughter, age 35 estranged me because I am "too depressed" for her and she is angry that it ruined her childhood having a sick mother. My guess it that no one will answer this post as it is the worst ever. But im here because I am desperate to at least try to help other people if I can.
Tha's enough of me for now. Thanks for reading.

Hi There, I just read your post. If I can ask you a few questions, do you live with your parents and have you ever gotten any help for this when you were younger? It is difficult to find help when you have agoraphobia because you can't get out. I understand and have been there. Unless you are able to find help no amount of advice from anyone here will help you. There are therapists that Skype. You may also need to contact a doctor that can come to see you, to prescribe some antianxiety medication. That would probably be the first step. I was so bad that at point I would hyperventilate speaking on the phone. My agoraphobia was not chronic it came and went. I suffered some very serious and difficult bouts. About 4 years ago after a lot of stress one o the worst times I have ever experienced started. I could not go in to see my medical doctor, so I was not able to change my prescription. He also stated that unless he saw me he could continue to refill my prescription. he prescription was for an anti-depressant and Xanax that was not the right anti-anxiety medication for me. I searched high and low for help. I was at the end of my rope. I finally found a wonderful life-saving psychiatrist that agreed to do a phone appointment. I sent him my medical history and he treated me over the phone. He tweaked my medications and a year later I was able to go in and see him. I also started CBT therapy with a CBT coach. I have been where you are, I don't know your history with this. Who diagnosed you, your family dynamics or anything else. Without knowing all of that this is how I was able to get help. It wasn't easy because this time it got a hold on me and it wasn't simple to get help. I do know that there are doctors that are willing to make house calls. I know that when you are anxious to even speak on the phone, that is terrifying. The flip side is you are anxious everyday, if you can have a parent call for you and can see someone you can start a road to recovery. Good Luck.

Ok I just have to say script drugs are no the answer. I was hooked on those things for 13yrs and they almost killed me!

I've done a lot research as I am a moderate to mild agoraphobic w/ severe social anxiety. One of the most important things you could do to lessen your disease is open your curtain, just enough for the light to hit you retina. Look up or out in what ever direction that causes you less anxiety. Start with 5 minutes, a day for 2 weeks then 10 mins the next and work up to 15min a day just letting the sunlight hit your eyes.You might cry, kick and scream, but don't quit.
This light that is going into your eyes everyday is going to hit your pituitary gland and slowly lessen the disease. Also when you go out never where sun glasses either. I did this and it works'

I'm not saying I'm cured or anything but I'm defiantly a milder case in many ways.

Thanks guys for your replies. I live with my boyfriend and 2 children. Can't get my parents to help. I have had this for years but when I was diagnosed the docs focused on my marijuana usage, treating me as an addict instead of helping with the reason I smoke in the first place. Needless to say I was dropped.from my insurance and after stopping zoloft cold turkey I believe my social anxiety has worsened. I do have to force myself to do activities because I have kids. Just this last Friday I treated my kids to a harvest festival and although the anxiety was excruciating I survived.

That's a very difficult situation that you are going through. I too suffer the same kind of experience. I have one good friend who is very understanding and offers me moral support. Other than this I am quite alone and I find it difficult to chat to others. I was out of work for some time and thankfully I am back in work now. Even at work I feel out of place and I don't find groups easy. I don't go to parties and I don't go out socialising and like you, I feel trapped.

Thankfully, on here you are not alone and there are others that you can communicate with. I love Daily Strength and think it's a great place to chat with others sharing the same experiences. I wish you the very best of luck and thanks for sharing your experience. Andrew

i cope by taking meds and doing therapy. it isn't much, but it is a start for me.

sorry you're struggling so badly. (((BIG hugs)))

Everyone is different. What works for one will not work for another. You know yourself better than anyone...and you know what you want. First and foremost....you want it under control...not cured because there is no cure. The control will be all you...it'll start and end with you.
Everyone of us has little personal tricks to cope with an attack...most are an item we have on us at all times.
Mine is....Brach's Starlight Mints. I know its weird...most tricks are. Some carry water bottles with them....some hum.
Its just a safety item....a little safety zone we can turn to in public if we feel the need.
You don't have to explain yourself to ANYONE.
Now make a list of the things you want to do...starting with something you want most. This is a goal list. Once you have that list you can begin to think of ways to achieve the goals...nothing extravagant.....and in precise steps towards the goal.
Dont try to do all at once...it'll just frustrate you. begin with the top one or two.

Thanks everyone. Its kind of you guys to take time to reply. I like the idea of a safty type object. I do fiddle with my necklace a lot. Coukd be my way of coping. Thanks again for you encouragement.