Looking for help

[Dirttrack]

Im 65, have Agoraphobia, since i was 14, am not doing well, and the meds dont work as good, im lost in my brain, and housebound. I dont know if this will work, its hard for me to deal with life it self with having this disorder. Am here cause of my sister.

[Loveydovey0519 Ambassador]

Welcome to the community. Do you have a therapist/doctor you could speak to about the medicine not working like it should? I had a short 7-8 month stint of agoraphobia at the beginning of my anxiety about 10 years ago. Definitely not something fun to be dealing with that's for sure.

[KrierandRosie in reply to Loveydovey0519]

I am 64 so I know what you are going through. Each day is a struggle. And with age comes health problems. New ones pop up every week. I have a lump on the inside of my upper arm. It is weird. Some call it a lipoma and one called it a slow growing lymphoma. I am leaving it there until I get on Medicare if that covers it.

[gamster5]

Dirttrack

Hi

I am 72 and still fight with agoraphobia, depression, panic attacks and anxiety. I wish I had an answer for you. I have been with over 25 therapists, doctors, hypnosis, almost every antidepressant through the years. Nothing seemed to work. Did you have one or more terrible things happen to you? The reason I asked was my life was wrecked from birth. All the things that happened piled one on top of the other until I felt like I was good for nothing. I started when I was very young distancing myself from family and others so I wouldn't get hurt. I have been locked up in the jail I made for myself for a very long time. I have had my dog for almost 17 years and she is my life. I can only tell you what I think. I believe that agoraphobia is a "symptom" of all that has happened in my life and is "situational". I mean the situations I grew up with that I couldn't handle or change. All the bad that has been thrown me seemed to stick in my brain and my little demons dance around me all the time....so as I grew up, I started to make my own place where I would be safe and wouldn't get hurt. I don't have money to get help (which at this age I don't think would help) and don't have any support at all. I hate it and see people on TV where families are having fun together and I just cry. My primary doctor has seen me one time having a panic attack. I told him my whole story and that antidepressants back up on me after a while and no money to go to shrink. I have major medical conditions so he gave me something for pain, something for the nerve pain, sleeping pills and something to bring me down from panic attack. I'm doing okay with my body pain but my brain is still carrying around all the hurt and memories. I pray a lot and know God is with me. I guess I just take each day and adapt to whatever happens. If the doorbell rings, I almost hit the ceiling! I am still scared when the phone rings. Found out my little dog has kidney disease and bad heart. I am in shock and know her body is shutting down. It isn't real to me and I think I will die with her, then I will be nothing.

I am sorry I don't have magic or answers for you, but I had to lock everyone away from me mostly from my bad choices when I was in teens and from then on.

I could write a book on what happened to me, but agoraphobia is something I think I will have the rest of my life.

I pray you find some answers or help and please remember we are all here for you. Take care and God bless you and give you strength to handle your problem.

Hugs, gamster5

[mapofgaia in reply to gamster5]

I'm scared I'm going to be writing this same post 13 years from now and it makes me so sad. No one should have so many bad things happen. I think sometimes I was a very bad person in another life to deserve all I have endured. Tears are rolling down my face for you. Peace and Namaste I don't believe in god.

[gamster5]

mapofgaia

Okay, you don't believe in God, I respect your beliefs, but I hope you believe that you can get help and some good advice from this site and therapist if you have one. Now my beliefs are that you only have one life and you are not being punished by a previous life. S**t happens and I don't know what has happened to you to get you to this place. There are some meds. that might help you. I have worked with my primary doctor and I think he finally found the meds. that will work for me. I have drugs for sleep, pain, nerves (diabetes), and fear for agoraphobia. I still have all of my demons, but now they know I am fighting. My problems didn't come overnight and will take a long time to get rid of them. I am so glad I found this site and all the wonderful people I have talked to. I am taking small steps at a time and feel good about it. I am a stubborn person and I will continue to fight and learn. I do know that I am the only person responsible to take the bull by the horns and I will. I have no support from anyone else except on this site and am thankful for all my replies. I am rooting for you as are many other people. Please hang tough, learn all you can about your problems and what is comfortable for you. I think that somewhere inside you, you have the wisdom and strength to fight for yourself and we are all here for you.

Stay in touch...hugs, gamster5