I have this. My world is getting smaller and i feel like such a burden on my husband. I hate Home Depot because i have to walk so far from the entrance. I get dizzy and palpitations. I have to be near my husband just to leave.This is horrible.
This has just started for me in the last few years. Some days I feel afraid even inside my house. I'm tracking my cycle because I think that also affects when I'm feeling fear. But this is so unusual for me because I have always been out in the world meeting people and having fun... Now I starting to feel really alone because I can't interact or go places. I sometimes am eating the most invented meals because I can't make myself go to the store... It really sucks. I want to be how I was.
I’ve dealt with anxiety/agoraphobia for 7 years. I would recommend Dr Claire Weekes book “hope and help for your nerves” more so, I would recommend the audiobook. Not many therapists have experience working with agoraphobia. Also, I think one of the biggest challenges is dealing with the anticipatory anxiety prior to exposures. It would nice to talk about this and possibly provide some tips. Thank you
This is completely correct regarding anticipatory anxiety. Fears of even having people over to my house provokes thoughts of "am I going to vomit, am I going to be embarrassed if I have a panic attack, what if I need them to leave and they eventually stop wanting to be around me because I'm a pain to deal with". I even tried exposure therapy, or "flooding" as they call it. This actually becomes a struggle because when flooding and putting myself in these situations, it invokes a negative reaction, which makes me avoid the situation even further. So how to overcome the negative association with exposure is what I've been struggling with. I tried driving to the hardware store once; the drive: I'm trapped in my car, would an ambulance know how to find me... in the store, my heart starts pounding and I feel like I had to rush to find an item... after the mental time limit is up I just choose the completely wrong item just to get out of there... walking to the self-checkout... praying there won't be a line, hands shaking to get the credit card into the slot. Worst of all is the fear of a panic attack itself. Because I start thinking it feels like a heart attack, and with no describable difference, when do I need to call 911. For me in particular, my agoraphobia all started with one single panic attack in my own driveway, and then my entire life was taken away from me. Now I've got a mortgage hanging over my head and I can only take remote positions that don't involve driving or going anywhere. So that plays on the fears of financially surviving. Simple things that normal people don't even think about -- taking my phone with me to even go outside to get the mail in case I collapse or lock myself out. How to actually beat this condition seems nearly impossible. I would love any advice.
You have explained me to myself in ways I knew but couldn't articulate properly. All the things you covered make sense and it was 'yes, that's me, my life'. When you mentioned how the isolation leads to depression it is SO true. Losing my independence has I feel been slowly but surely killing me. I don't even get dressed any longer as I know I won't be going out. One thing that really messed with my progress, small though it was was when I no longer had a vehicle and unable to drive with the knowledge "just get in your car if/when things get too panic ridden and get home" Unfortunately what is adding to my problem is having serious physical health issues! A trip to the ER fills me with so much panic I can not go. To see my GP is a 7 week wait and then usually is just a band aid or you need to go to hospital . Diagnostics in the medical field is not good. They seem almost unable to do what the old school doctors could and would. Now it's gate keepers. Try to get an appt. wait 6-8 weeks, try a new medication which lends itself to a slew of potential problems. If the new med doesn't work, if there are side affects etc. etc. it means waiting another month or longer to discuss what happened in the previous appt. A year can go by before any answers and then it's why bother. I can see I probably shouldn't have begun this comment because I see that I'm delving too deep into other issues. I'll stop now and say again, you have described me many times over
You hit the nail on the head. I don’t walk by myself because I am afraid I will have an issue and not be able to get home. I am 77 and have suffered most of my adult life. I feel there might be help on this site.
I have had Agorafobia and Panick Attacks for 38 years. I know every book ever written on the subject and know all the studies on the matter. It is the most crippling metal illness that you can suffer from. Having said that I would like to let you know that exposure treatment is not the answer. For 38 years I have suffered with this and never let myself give in to my fears and my panicks. The thing I love most is to travel, curiously is what makes me suffer the most. But I still do it, unfortunately under a great suffering, but I do it. I expose myself and it doesn’t get any better. If anything it’s getting worse….Lia
Same here, i still face my fears but suffer greatly, never have a good time even though i push myself to do things and go places. What else is there to do? I want this to end, im tired. Its been years
You guys are missing the other piece of the puzzle. Exposure therapy is one thing, but you also need to build your resilience in terms of your overall personal sensitivity. A higher sensitivity threshold will make you less likely to be triggered by stressors. You need to build both your emotional resilience (mindfulness, meditation, socialising, problem solving, journaling your life’s goals, SSRI if you want medication etc) and your physical resilience (exercise, nutrition, sleep, rest etc)
I wish you were my doctor. You do such an amazing job at explaining things so we can understand which really helps and in a way makes it less scary. It feel like I constantly question why things are happening and once I watch your videos I’m like ok , this is why it’s happening, and here’s what I have to do. Thank you
Hi Elle, thank you for your kind words and for supporting the channel. I'm really pleased you have found the videos helpful. One of the central components of CBT is helping a person develop a new understanding of their difficulties and that's what you are describing!
I have recovered from this, my worst most severe continuous stint was 11 years as a shut-in under my Father's house. For me, and I imagine most who go through this, was the co-occurrence with social anxiety, so not only apprehension of the situation, but shame, low-self esteem, fear of judgment, embarrassment and rejection. I hit my rock bottom and thankfully I chose life over death. The very first insight that sparked my recovery was the knowledge that I was not alone in my fear and thus no shame in my own, everyone everywhere experiences fear, as well as love and all things in-between. I am human, imperfect. We all are. I caste away my shame & self-loathing and began to switch thoughts into actions in pursuit of my happiness. I was also fortunate that where I live there where a couple a peer organizations where I was able assimilate back into the world surrounded by those where also struggling forward; it made it easier to begin this way.
Stalking was involved. Some bad things did happen. 8 years ago I was social, I was using public transportation regularly, I was making dr. appointments Dr. going to therapy all by myself, no problem. Today, 8 years later I live in a crawl space. I'm afraid of everything. Your voice is very soothing. Thank you.
This guy does a great job explaining agoraphobia. I can relate to most if not all these symptoms. Thanks. I will share this with friends and family so they have a better understanding of what I experience. Hang in there friends. We can get through this. You're not alone ❤
Hi, there are two things I did that really helped a lot, read the book Anxiety RX, and also started taking really good probiotic and my intestine is now working fairly well. You know what they say, that your intestine is your second brain.
My friend has anxiety and she didn’t know it. She just thought she didn’t *like* to go places alone. Her therapist helped her realize it was anxiety and now she’s actually able to do things on her own now. We were room mates at the time so whenever she needed to run down to the gas station she’d convince me to go. Like I said, she didn’t realize that she was limiting herself.
This is my thinking for everywhere I go, except one person’s home. I’m at ease and feel safe as if I’m in my own home. I’ve lived this way since aged 7, I’m almost 47. It is at an all time high of late. It’s effecting my employment and finances.
I feel like i have this but mine feels like fear being outside my house. Safety only at home. Fear of being judged. Shame about how i look. Embarrassment. Maybe i haven't dug deep or maybe i don't have this at all. Idk
You explain so well about Agoraphobia. I am just learning about this phobia because I kept on thinking my husband has more than just an anxiety attack, it seems more like a fear than a intense nervousness. Thank you. The other examples I watched and read was not making sent with me.
I suffer bad with agoraphobia. I would like to hear you speak more on treatment. I will look through your videos. I appreciate you taking about agoraphobia. I have been in a 3 miles radius for 2 years. I'm talking about my mental health struggles openly now on my channel. If anyone with agoraphobia or other anxiety/depression struggles want to join the conversation I would love to talk to other people who suffer. I want to talk about what helps individuals personally. Maybe what we have learned helps or doesn't can help others. I notice just by being open about it my anxiety baseline goes down. I also have ARFID, ocd and amaxophobia. Let's crush the stigma around talking about our struggles and help one another. Peer support is so helpful!
Thank you so much for posting this. Describes me to a T. And it's encouraging to see comments where there are other people like me. I feel like I'm hopping along with one leg, and everyone else around me has two.
I just found your channel, and thank you so much for your videos. I'm currently on a waiting list (again / still for 3 years) to see a psychiatrist or psychologist, preferably both. I have had anxiety and depression for about 25 years (I'm 37). For the last 5 year's it's become progressively worse, to the point of now I've developed PNES 🙄😭
I have been suffering from agoraphobia, panic attacks, panic disorder, PTSD, generalized anxiety, depressive disorders, ocd , hypochondriac, and adhd since I was 14 years old. I am 55 years old now and it got worse. I’ve been unemployed since 2019 due to my agoraphobia and panic attacks. I don’t go out anywhere anymore I only feel safe at home. I’ve been on medication since 1995, I’ve taken therapy, I’ve seen psychologist and psychiatrist but nothing works but to be at home safe yet beyond at home has made me even more depressed. I have asked many doctors if this will ever go away and no one can give me an answer. My question to you is: Would this ever go away ? Thank you so much for your video ! It is extremely helpful!! God Bless you for doing this for us 💙🙏💙
I have a complex, seemingly unbeatable version of this insidious disorder, Agoraphobic due to feeling weak physically all the time, which then brings on anxiety etc, since 1987, it then became worse around my 50th Birthday in 2017, when I hit tolerance on the med I was taking daily to help it, at that time for 3 years , Klonopin, a Benzo, hitting tolerance made my AG 10 times worse, it took 1051 days to taper off it, been 2 years since last dose, doing the best I can, but still no real progress, some mornings I'm better, then I fade energy wise. if I'm not weak, I'm fine, but it doesn't last long, (weak as in feeling like low blood sugar/faint like, no voltage, it's horrible) so yeah, I have many physical symptoms, with no real cause, all blood work etc checks out fine, no idea why , or where this constant daily fatigue is coming from, I'm in Ontario, but can't afford a psychologist... I have no bad habits, I don't smoke, drink, and I eat healthy, and exercise when I can, walking etc so I believe I have also, complex health anxiety
no, I Haven't , but my adrenals were checked recently , and all that is fine, was also just hit by another medication for high cholesterol, Crestor, suffered horrible side effects, in the 6 weeks I took it, that's all my Doc is worried about now, never been to a Homeopathic Doc, in Canada, docs of any kind are very very hard to come by, @@christinakinne9790
I feel trapped with someone with me. I can't get to my doctor, dentist, grocery stores, restaurants. Oh ya and I am getting very depressed. I can't even go to the rescue to adopt a cat. Exposure therapy doesn't work
I’m that girl or now “50yo” looking out the window. I was doing well before COVID. Slowly becoming seen … now it’s not leaving again. Only this time I find when I do venture out to an appointment, grocery store or pet store I am unable to have any patience for the others on the road, waiting in a line etc. it’s the feeling of not being in control I think.
This was very informative, thank you for the quality video! I would love to hear your opinions and any advice you would have on fear/anxiety-based procrastination, if this isn't a topic you've covered already that I missed 😅
I have the same comment as some others. Exposure only seems to make me feel worse. I don't ever get to a point where the anxiety subsides. Every exposure is a traumatic experience. It seems to me that exposure therapy does not work for everyone even though I've spoken to many doctors and therapists who insist that it is the best therapy for agoraphobia.
If I can't fight mine off they throw me into a non epileptic seizure. I was literally raised by narcissistic sociopaths. Both with npd. One physically abusive,other mental abuse. Long story. Trauma the majority of my life. Still dealing with trauma. Is there a book I can read about getting rid of agoraphobia? Give me your opinion on why you think they throw me into nonepilectic seizures? Some say i just smack my lips during these seizures,and sometimes I continue doing things regularly.
I have it since birth it’s open spaces I travel and lived in difersnt countries I had panic attacts been in zana x sine 1970 been in Riverview they tied shock treatments later relaxation excersices vey interesting thank you
What’s wrong with avoiding the situations? If that’s how someone successfully deals with the anxiety, if that’s the only way they can live, why not? I’ve done every avoidance you mentioned. The less anxiety I have, the less fibromyalgia symptoms I have. The more anxiety I have, the more severe my fibromyalgia symptoms are. There is no cure to either, so why not learn what works and stick with it?
You're absolutely right, if avoidance works for a person and does not come with significant limitations and restrictions of their life. The problem with avoidance is when it prevents a person from doing things they want to do or live the life they would like to live.
@@DrRamiNader makes sense. So basically it depends on how willing someone wants their life to change. For instance, lack of money prevents people from living the life they want. So they have to decide what they’re willing to sacrifice to make enough money to get what they want.
You knocked this out of the park. Truly. Besides exposure therapy and in my case, medicine, do you suggest hypnotherapy? I have never tried it but curious what your opinion is. Thanks.
What about fear of being hunted down for not masking, and several traumatic situations during crazy COVID days. It's not actually about leaving it's really about I'm afraid I'm going to be verbally assaulted. That someone will trigger me. When my right to breath freely was violated and I felt it deeply. Wearing a mask was a anxiety to begin with but to be faced with absolutely no accomodations. Something was stolen from me and trying to get my way back to it.
What you're describing is understandably distressing, but it doesn't sound like agoraphobia. There are lots of ways that anxiety can interfere with a person wanting to leave their home, but that doesn't mean it's agoraphobia.
I started developing agoraphobia symptoms after being in a mass shooting. If I go out alone to a crowded place, like a supermarket, I'm on super high alert. The shooting wasn't in a supermarket, but the supermarket is a crowded place I have to go to fairly often. And no matter how many times I go to the store without incident, my brain reminds me how unpredictable shootings are and how everyone who's been in a shooting went to wherever without incident until a shooting happens. Its been 19 years since the mass shooting, I've been through a lot of therapy but the agoraphobia gets worse. Each mass shooting reaffirms my fears. Idk if exposure therapy works for this kind of agoraphobia.
Hi Dr. I have three agoraphobia 1.. Fear of lack ventigalion like public transports, locked buildjngs. ( due to having alergic that causes swelling of blister like filled with blood in both nostrils) 2. Fearing Mass water bodies like sea, ocean, river or lakes.( due to when my eldest brother died when i was very young . I avoind mass water bodies) 3. Fear of tall buildings and long hes like wells.( This is causes by at the age between 6- 8 years i was running on tall wall and fell down hitting the ground through the wall.) I also avoid that. The one that is affecting me so.much is the fear of lack of ventilation, that causes breathing problems whenever that fear comes to my mind. So dr what can i do? Need your help.
Honestly for me just going somewhere and try to figure out how to handle it because of my two autistic kids.. we have a double buggy and its a hell we can barely fit in to some shops.. yesterday i went to walk around and i counted more like 20 shops we couldn’t get in plus many more where we couldn’t get in because of stairs.. today i was sweating like a pig on a bus tried first time the city bus. Here in slovakia its just so stressful for me.. but to be honest it was everywhere in Switzerland and UK too was the same.
Is it weird I can go out to parks , travel to see my mom in another state I don’t mind going to the mall but some reason I avoid my local Walmart and there’s a road like a Main Street with stores in my town I can’t go there Makes me nervous but I can go to the next town over and feel fine idk if certain places trigger it
Wow! 13 minutes out of 14 min on describing how intense agoraphobic attacks are and less than 50 seconds of information on treatment, options and how to overcome it? 😮
Panic Attacks, Anxiety with Agoraphobia is the most insane state of life . Avoiding the same thing that I love " travel" ... It feels like Partial Jail, life stop, Kind of Paralysis, end to happiness.
Sorry to hear you are going through a difficult time. Have you taken a look at some of the videos I've done about panic attacks. You can find them here: Panic and Panic Attacks: th-cam.com/play/PLG_XiSJeP3s0vBPGLL-Jn_Dxen04L795w.html
@@rusagvazava6337 As I already mentioned, it is possible to recover from agoraphobia. I'm not sure what you mean about the connection between agoraphobia and anhedonia. They are separate conditions.
You could try contacting the North Shore Stress and Anxiety Clinic (www.nssac.ca), as they have a number of psychologists who specialize in treating GAD and agoraphobia.
Anyone heard of Charles Lindin method? I see things he states and they look promising. I just don’t truly understand how total anxiety can be solved and cured as fast as a half a day as he claims. Most posts are 8-16 years old. Seems to me if it was so good and fabulous there would be many new testimony’s and comments on it.
If anxiety could be solved in a day, he'd be a multibillionaire and a Nobel Prize winner. If it sounds too easy or too good to be true, it probably is.
Your wana try snd have menears desease , vertigo on top of all this evil shit. My doctor us a total C...t. There's no help your on your own with all this and it's conpletly crippling.
I have this. My world is getting smaller and i feel like such a burden on my husband. I hate Home Depot because i have to walk so far from the entrance. I get dizzy and palpitations. I have to be near my husband just to leave.This is horrible.
“No one will be there to help me if I need it.”
Well this explains why I have whole LIFE anxiety.
That’s because u mess with the occult
This has just started for me in the last few years. Some days I feel afraid even inside my house. I'm tracking my cycle because I think that also affects when I'm feeling fear. But this is so unusual for me because I have always been out in the world meeting people and having fun... Now I starting to feel really alone because I can't interact or go places. I sometimes am eating the most invented meals because I can't make myself go to the store... It really sucks. I want to be how I was.
So relatable. Hope your agoraphobia improves soon. Hate the fact that our lives are so limited too
Sameeeeeeeeeeee
Probably from lockdowns...
I’ve dealt with anxiety/agoraphobia for 7 years. I would recommend Dr Claire Weekes book “hope and help for your nerves” more so, I would recommend the audiobook. Not many therapists have experience working with agoraphobia. Also, I think one of the biggest challenges is dealing with the anticipatory anxiety prior to exposures. It would nice to talk about this and possibly provide some tips. Thank you
That's a good idea. I'll add it to my list of future video topics.
@J star 1 still dealing. Doing exposures everyday … how about you ?
This is completely correct regarding anticipatory anxiety. Fears of even having people over to my house provokes thoughts of "am I going to vomit, am I going to be embarrassed if I have a panic attack, what if I need them to leave and they eventually stop wanting to be around me because I'm a pain to deal with". I even tried exposure therapy, or "flooding" as they call it. This actually becomes a struggle because when flooding and putting myself in these situations, it invokes a negative reaction, which makes me avoid the situation even further. So how to overcome the negative association with exposure is what I've been struggling with. I tried driving to the hardware store once; the drive: I'm trapped in my car, would an ambulance know how to find me... in the store, my heart starts pounding and I feel like I had to rush to find an item... after the mental time limit is up I just choose the completely wrong item just to get out of there... walking to the self-checkout... praying there won't be a line, hands shaking to get the credit card into the slot.
Worst of all is the fear of a panic attack itself. Because I start thinking it feels like a heart attack, and with no describable difference, when do I need to call 911. For me in particular, my agoraphobia all started with one single panic attack in my own driveway, and then my entire life was taken away from me. Now I've got a mortgage hanging over my head and I can only take remote positions that don't involve driving or going anywhere. So that plays on the fears of financially surviving. Simple things that normal people don't even think about -- taking my phone with me to even go outside to get the mail in case I collapse or lock myself out. How to actually beat this condition seems nearly impossible. I would love any advice.
I'd encourage you to take a look at this video: th-cam.com/video/VVudLksCbfo/w-d-xo.html
30 yrs here, tried everything
You have explained me to myself in ways I knew but couldn't articulate properly. All the things you covered make sense and it was 'yes, that's me, my life'. When you mentioned how the isolation leads to depression it is SO true. Losing my independence has I feel been slowly but surely killing me. I don't even get dressed any longer as I know I won't be going out. One thing that really messed with my progress, small though it was was when I no longer had a vehicle and unable to drive with the knowledge "just get in your car if/when things get too panic ridden and get home" Unfortunately what is adding to my problem is having serious physical health issues! A trip to the ER fills me with so much panic I can not go. To see my GP is a 7 week wait and then usually is just a band aid or you need to go to hospital . Diagnostics in the medical field is not good. They seem almost unable to do what the old school doctors could and would. Now it's gate keepers. Try to get an appt. wait 6-8 weeks, try a new medication which lends itself to a slew of potential problems. If the new med doesn't work, if there are side affects etc. etc. it means waiting another month or longer to discuss what happened in the previous appt. A year can go by before any answers and then it's why bother. I can see I probably shouldn't have begun this comment because I see that I'm delving too deep into other issues. I'll stop now and say again, you have described me many times over
You hit the nail on the head. I don’t walk by myself because I am afraid I will have an issue and not be able to get home. I am 77 and have suffered most of my adult life. I feel there might be help on this site.
I hope you find the videos helpful!
I have had Agorafobia and Panick Attacks for 38 years. I know every book ever written on the subject and know all the studies on the matter. It is the most crippling metal illness that you can suffer from. Having said that I would like to let you know that exposure treatment is not the answer. For 38 years I have suffered with this and never let myself give in to my fears and my panicks. The thing I love most is to travel, curiously is what makes me suffer the most. But I still do it, unfortunately under a great suffering, but I do it. I expose myself and it doesn’t get any better. If anything it’s getting worse….Lia
Have you read/audiobooks Dr Claire Weekes and/or The anxious truth ?
@@georgia3465 thank you for you message. Yes I have read Claire Weeks books.
Same here, i still face my fears but suffer greatly, never have a good time even though i push myself to do things and go places. What else is there to do? I want this to end, im tired. Its been years
You guys are missing the other piece of the puzzle. Exposure therapy is one thing, but you also need to build your resilience in terms of your overall personal sensitivity. A higher sensitivity threshold will make you less likely to be triggered by stressors. You need to build both your emotional resilience (mindfulness, meditation, socialising, problem solving, journaling your life’s goals, SSRI if you want medication etc) and your physical resilience (exercise, nutrition, sleep, rest etc)
@@georgia3465 Claire Weekes’ material although useful as a starting point, is outdated. Try reading some of the more recent theories like Porges’ PVT.
I’m dealing with every example you mentioned in this video 😔 Thank you for talking about this!
I'm glad you found the video helpful!
Me too hun.
I wish you were my doctor. You do such an amazing job at explaining things so we can understand which really helps and in a way makes it less scary. It feel like I constantly question why things are happening and once I watch your videos I’m like ok , this is why it’s happening, and here’s what I have to do. Thank you
Hi Elle, thank you for your kind words and for supporting the channel. I'm really pleased you have found the videos helpful. One of the central components of CBT is helping a person develop a new understanding of their difficulties and that's what you are describing!
@@DrRamiNader would you consider online sessions?
As I am only licensed to practice psychology in BC Canada, I can't provide psychological services to anyone who does not live here.
I have recovered from this, my worst most severe continuous stint was 11 years as a shut-in under my Father's house. For me, and I imagine most who go through this, was the co-occurrence with social anxiety, so not only apprehension of the situation, but shame, low-self esteem, fear of judgment, embarrassment and rejection. I hit my rock bottom and thankfully I chose life over death. The very first insight that sparked my recovery was the knowledge that I was not alone in my fear and thus no shame in my own, everyone everywhere experiences fear, as well as love and all things in-between. I am human, imperfect. We all are. I caste away my shame & self-loathing and began to switch thoughts into actions in pursuit of my happiness. I was also fortunate that where I live there where a couple a peer organizations where I was able assimilate back into the world surrounded by those where also struggling forward; it made it easier to begin this way.
Thank you for sharing your experiences and encouraging others.
Stalking was involved. Some bad things did happen. 8 years ago I was social, I was using public transportation regularly, I was making dr. appointments Dr. going to therapy all by myself, no problem. Today, 8 years later I live in a crawl space. I'm afraid of everything. Your voice is very soothing. Thank you.
I'm glad you found the video helpful. I wish you all the best in your efforts to feel better.
This guy does a great job explaining agoraphobia. I can relate to most if not all these symptoms. Thanks. I will share this with friends and family so they have a better understanding of what I experience. Hang in there friends. We can get through this. You're not alone ❤
Hi, there are two things I did that really helped a lot, read the book Anxiety RX, and also started taking really good probiotic and my intestine is now working fairly well. You know what they say, that your intestine is your second brain.
My friend has anxiety and she didn’t know it. She just thought she didn’t *like* to go places alone. Her therapist helped her realize it was anxiety and now she’s actually able to do things on her own now. We were room mates at the time so whenever she needed to run down to the gas station she’d convince me to go. Like I said, she didn’t realize that she was limiting herself.
This is my thinking for everywhere I go, except one person’s home. I’m at ease and feel safe as if I’m in my own home. I’ve lived this way since aged 7, I’m almost 47. It is at an all time high of late. It’s effecting my employment and finances.
I wish someone would do a video on loss of appetite which some anxiety sufferers like myself suffer with because of the nausea from anxiety
I feel like i have this but mine feels like fear being outside my house. Safety only at home. Fear of being judged. Shame about how i look. Embarrassment. Maybe i haven't dug deep or maybe i don't have this at all. Idk
Agoraphobia is very rare only 2 percent of the world population actually have it. Did your symptoms start during covid
@@linnerellie209 no after lots of trauma and betrayal from family.
You explain so well about Agoraphobia. I am just learning about this phobia because I kept on thinking my husband has more than just an anxiety attack, it seems more like a fear than a intense nervousness. Thank you. The other examples I watched and read was not making sent with me.
Glad you found the video helpful.
I suffer bad with agoraphobia. I would like to hear you speak more on treatment. I will look through your videos. I appreciate you taking about agoraphobia.
I have been in a 3 miles radius for 2 years. I'm talking about my mental health struggles openly now on my channel.
If anyone with agoraphobia or other anxiety/depression struggles want to join the conversation I would love to talk to other people who suffer. I want to talk about what helps individuals personally. Maybe what we have learned helps or doesn't can help others. I notice just by being open about it my anxiety baseline goes down.
I also have ARFID, ocd and amaxophobia. Let's crush the stigma around talking about our struggles and help one another. Peer support is so helpful!
Before anxiety i am going to the church every sundy and wensdy's now i am not going because this anxiety(i hope)
Thank you so much for posting this. Describes me to a T. And it's encouraging to see comments where there are other people like me. I feel like I'm hopping along with one leg, and everyone else around me has two.
Glad you found the video helpful. I wish you the best in your efforts to feel better.
I just found your channel, and thank you so much for your videos.
I'm currently on a waiting list (again / still for 3 years) to see a psychiatrist or psychologist, preferably both.
I have had anxiety and depression for about 25 years (I'm 37).
For the last 5 year's it's become progressively worse, to the point of now I've developed PNES 🙄😭
Hi Foxy - welcome to the channel and I'm glad you have found my videos. I wish you all the best in your efforts to feel better.
Where are you from if you don't mind me asking? That is a tough wait time to see someone. I'm so sorry to hear this.
Thank you for your time and content ❤️
You're very welcome! Glad you found it helpful.
Oh geez, I guess I'll add this to my list 🥴
I feel like I have everything 🤦🏻♀️🤣
I have been suffering from agoraphobia, panic attacks, panic disorder, PTSD, generalized anxiety, depressive disorders, ocd , hypochondriac, and adhd since I was 14 years old. I am 55 years old now and it got worse. I’ve been unemployed since 2019 due to my agoraphobia and panic attacks. I don’t go out anywhere anymore I only feel safe at home. I’ve been on medication since 1995, I’ve taken therapy, I’ve seen psychologist and psychiatrist but nothing works but to be at home safe yet beyond at home has made me even more depressed. I have asked many doctors if this will ever go away and no one can give me an answer. My question to you is: Would this ever go away ? Thank you so much for your video ! It is extremely helpful!! God Bless you for doing this for us 💙🙏💙
Y the hell this happened to u, wishing all the best at u ma'am, that's a f'd up life. I hope u find some good companions ma'am
@@anonymous-bm4yh Thank you! My mental disorders are genetic plus I saw to much violence as a 4 year old sadly.
Sorry, on another note, I've told my last psychologist these exact symptoms, I was told I over catastrophize.
I have a complex, seemingly unbeatable version of this insidious disorder, Agoraphobic due to feeling weak physically all the time, which then brings on anxiety etc, since 1987, it then became worse around my 50th Birthday in 2017, when I hit tolerance on the med I was taking daily to help it, at that time for 3 years , Klonopin, a Benzo, hitting tolerance made my AG 10 times worse, it took 1051 days to taper off it, been 2 years since last dose, doing the best I can, but still no real progress, some mornings I'm better, then I fade energy wise. if I'm not weak, I'm fine, but it doesn't last long, (weak as in feeling like low blood sugar/faint like, no voltage, it's horrible) so yeah, I have many physical symptoms, with no real cause, all blood work etc checks out fine, no idea why , or where this constant daily fatigue is coming from, I'm in Ontario, but can't afford a psychologist... I have no bad habits, I don't smoke, drink, and I eat healthy, and exercise when I can, walking etc so I believe I have also, complex health anxiety
Hey There Tony have you tried doing to see a Homeopathic Doctor to see if you could use some help with your adrenals, and minerals?
no, I Haven't , but my adrenals were checked recently , and all that is fine, was also just hit by another medication for high cholesterol, Crestor, suffered horrible side effects, in the 6 weeks I took it, that's all my Doc is worried about now, never been to a Homeopathic Doc, in Canada, docs of any kind are very very hard to come by, @@christinakinne9790
i felt like you were speaking for me! you sir got talent and knowledge i needed to hear this.
Glad you found the video helpful!
I feel trapped with someone with me. I can't get to my doctor, dentist, grocery stores, restaurants. Oh ya and I am getting very depressed. I can't even go to the rescue to adopt a cat. Exposure therapy doesn't work
Listening to situations caused anxiety. Will have to listen later
I know the feeling. Someone posted a picture of a woman wrapped in seran wrap. I about had a panic attack just seeing it.
I’m that girl or now “50yo” looking out the window. I was doing well before COVID. Slowly becoming seen … now it’s not leaving again. Only this time I find when I do venture out to an appointment, grocery store or pet store I am unable to have any patience for the others on the road, waiting in a line etc. it’s the feeling of not being in control I think.
I don’t know about escaping open spaces. Personally, open spaces = open to unknown/infinite eyes.
This was very informative, thank you for the quality video! I would love to hear your opinions and any advice you would have on fear/anxiety-based procrastination, if this isn't a topic you've covered already that I missed 😅
I have a video about that very thing coming up in March.
@@DrRamiNader That is great to hear, I look forward to it :)
@@DrRamiNader I look forward to this as well.
👍
I have the same comment as some others. Exposure only seems to make me feel worse. I don't ever get to a point where the anxiety subsides. Every exposure is a traumatic experience. It seems to me that exposure therapy does not work for everyone even though I've spoken to many doctors and therapists who insist that it is the best therapy for agoraphobia.
Exposure, if not done properly, can make anxiety worse. That's why it's important to work with someone who really knows what they are doing.
On public transport I worried that I didn't look right or I was looking at them. I also had people complain that I didn't look at them
The Claire weeks method controls agoraphobia
If I can't fight mine off they throw me into a non epileptic seizure. I was literally raised by narcissistic sociopaths. Both with npd. One physically abusive,other mental abuse. Long story. Trauma the majority of my life. Still dealing with trauma. Is there a book I can read about getting rid of agoraphobia? Give me your opinion on why you think they throw me into nonepilectic seizures? Some say i just smack my lips during these seizures,and sometimes I continue doing things regularly.
I have it since birth it’s open spaces I travel and lived in difersnt countries I had panic attacts been in zana x sine 1970 been in Riverview they tied shock treatments later relaxation excersices vey interesting thank you
Hi Dr Rami Nader, is it possible to make a full recovery from agoraphobia? Or will you always feel a sense of unease in those situations?
With appropriate treatment, people can fully recover from agoraphobia.
What’s wrong with avoiding the situations? If that’s how someone successfully deals with the anxiety, if that’s the only way they can live, why not? I’ve done every avoidance you mentioned. The less anxiety I have, the less fibromyalgia symptoms I have. The more anxiety I have, the more severe my fibromyalgia symptoms are. There is no cure to either, so why not learn what works and stick with it?
You're absolutely right, if avoidance works for a person and does not come with significant limitations and restrictions of their life. The problem with avoidance is when it prevents a person from doing things they want to do or live the life they would like to live.
@@DrRamiNader makes sense. So basically it depends on how willing someone wants their life to change. For instance, lack of money prevents people from living the life they want. So they have to decide what they’re willing to sacrifice to make enough money to get what they want.
We do live in Houston Texas. Grew up in a small suburb of Cleveland, Ohio for 36yrs
I can't walk properly in crowds
Thia ia 100% spot on. Great Explanation!
Glad you found it helpful!
Hello!
Some people have panic disorder and agoraphobia but will never have depression. No matter how long they're agoraphobic.
That is true. Not everyone with agoraphobia will experience depression.
You knocked this out of the park. Truly. Besides exposure therapy and in my case, medicine, do you suggest hypnotherapy? I have never tried it but curious what your opinion is. Thanks.
Hi Sarah - I'm not aware of any research that shows that hypnosis is effective for Agoraphobia.
Hypnotherapy doesn't help I tried it for a few months and it did nothing
@@linnerellie209 Thanks for sharing your experience. I started my first session on Monday, I'll let you know how it goes for me
What about fear of being hunted down for not masking, and several traumatic situations during crazy COVID days. It's not actually about leaving it's really about I'm afraid I'm going to be verbally assaulted. That someone will trigger me. When my right to breath freely was violated and I felt it deeply. Wearing a mask was a anxiety to begin with but to be faced with absolutely no accomodations. Something was stolen from me and trying to get my way back to it.
What you're describing is understandably distressing, but it doesn't sound like agoraphobia. There are lots of ways that anxiety can interfere with a person wanting to leave their home, but that doesn't mean it's agoraphobia.
Es this apply to the fear of getting shot. I'm in the US. My life has gotten very small. I rarely go out anymore.
I started developing agoraphobia symptoms after being in a mass shooting. If I go out alone to a crowded place, like a supermarket, I'm on super high alert. The shooting wasn't in a supermarket, but the supermarket is a crowded place I have to go to fairly often. And no matter how many times I go to the store without incident, my brain reminds me how unpredictable shootings are and how everyone who's been in a shooting went to wherever without incident until a shooting happens. Its been 19 years since the mass shooting, I've been through a lot of therapy but the agoraphobia gets worse. Each mass shooting reaffirms my fears. Idk if exposure therapy works for this kind of agoraphobia.
Hi Dr. I have three agoraphobia
1.. Fear of lack ventigalion like public transports, locked buildjngs. ( due to having alergic that causes swelling of blister like filled with blood in both nostrils)
2. Fearing Mass water bodies like sea, ocean, river or lakes.( due to when my eldest brother died when i was very young . I avoind mass water bodies)
3. Fear of tall buildings and long hes like wells.( This is causes by at the age between 6- 8 years i was running on tall wall and fell down hitting the ground through the wall.) I also avoid that.
The one that is affecting me so.much is the fear of lack of ventilation, that causes breathing problems whenever that fear comes to my mind. So dr what can i do? Need your help.
Honestly for me just going somewhere and try to figure out how to handle it because of my two autistic kids.. we have a double buggy and its a hell we can barely fit in to some shops.. yesterday i went to walk around and i counted more like 20 shops we couldn’t get in plus many more where we couldn’t get in because of stairs.. today i was sweating like a pig on a bus tried first time the city bus. Here in slovakia its just so stressful for me.. but to be honest it was everywhere in Switzerland and UK too was the same.
Is it weird I can go out to parks , travel to see my mom in another state I don’t mind going to the mall but some reason I avoid my local Walmart and there’s a road like a Main Street with stores in my town I can’t go there Makes me nervous but I can go to the next town over and feel fine idk if certain places trigger it
I have the same thing, Walmarts make me so uneasy. Some stores I do fine and others I just can’t.
Its really hard and painful.
Wow! 13 minutes out of 14 min on describing how intense agoraphobic attacks are and less than 50 seconds of information on treatment, options and how to overcome it? 😮
If you want detail on how to treat anxiety conditions, you can check out this video on exposure therapy: th-cam.com/video/tpnzdXkBCwk/w-d-xo.html
So what do we do? He never says.
13:33
Instead explaining what's agoraphobia for 99% of the video you could have discussed the solution and cure. So it's true that no cure for this😢
There are therapies that help with agoraphobia, specifically, exposure-based treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy.
Panic Attacks, Anxiety with Agoraphobia is the most insane state of life . Avoiding the same thing that I love " travel" ... It feels like Partial Jail, life stop, Kind of Paralysis, end to happiness.
Sorry to hear you are going through a difficult time. Have you taken a look at some of the videos I've done about panic attacks. You can find them here: Panic and Panic Attacks: th-cam.com/play/PLG_XiSJeP3s0vBPGLL-Jn_Dxen04L795w.html
@@DrRamiNader thank you very much sure I will watch these
Why does nobody talk about people feel like there being stared at and looking at them thats my main problem not feeling like i cant escape
Scopophobia is an excessive fear of being stared at
Doctor, as I understand the treatment for agoraphobia is gradual exposure therapy ?
That is the approach I use.
Hi , Thank you so much , it was really helpful, please kindly inform if it's possible to recover from agoraphobia wholly ?
Yes, people can overcome anhedonia.
@@DrRamiNader Doctor can you please explain is it possible to recover from agoraphobia and what does anhedonia has to do with it ? Sincere Regards
@@rusagvazava6337 As I already mentioned, it is possible to recover from agoraphobia. I'm not sure what you mean about the connection between agoraphobia and anhedonia. They are separate conditions.
Goddam doctors don't get it!
I am in Burnaby, I see your office in N. Van, are you accepting new patients?
Hi Jolene, unfortunately my practice is full and I'm not currently taking new clients.
@@DrRamiNader Thanks for your response. Can you refer anyone else that specializes in GAD and Agoraphobia?
You could try contacting the North Shore Stress and Anxiety Clinic (www.nssac.ca), as they have a number of psychologists who specialize in treating GAD and agoraphobia.
Anyone heard of Charles Lindin method? I see things he states and they look promising. I just don’t truly understand how total anxiety can be solved and cured as fast as a half a day as he claims. Most posts are 8-16 years old. Seems to me if it was so good and fabulous there would be many new testimony’s and comments on it.
If anxiety could be solved in a day, he'd be a multibillionaire and a Nobel Prize winner. If it sounds too easy or too good to be true, it probably is.
jew
Your wana try snd have menears desease , vertigo on top of all this evil shit. My doctor us a total C...t. There's no help your on your own with all this and it's conpletly crippling.