Driving miss crazy

[Shunneddune]

I struggle with ssecere anxiety.?.I mean terrified of living my house...it kills me because I am a people person...and I get terribly depressed and 7nmotived ...I feel like I've turned the ignition but won't get the car out of neutral..I spend time thinking of things to but end just staring the TV or sometimes the wall

I only have a small social circle that I can count them on one hand....I feel so isolated and lonely..I just had to vent for now I guess

Anyone have suggestions on how to put the car in drive

[Agora1]

Hey new friend...just to let you know that it took 5 years to get myself out of the house

and drive again. Anxiety had taken over control of my mind big time. So much so that

I became Agoraphobic and like you, stayed in the house looking at the 4 walls.

It's going to be okay. You took that first step in joining this caring community.

I'm so glad you are here with us. xx

[Shunneddune in reply to Agora1]

How did you do it....it's been two years for me....I have spurts of going out but it'seems l8ke I lawws regress foo some reeason

[Agora1 in reply to Shunneddune]

Hi Shunneddune, It was a long hard road getting back out. I made the mistake in

never going out at all during those 5 years. Groceries were delivered, doctor came

to me as well as nurse visits. I'm a very outgoing person and this just didn't seem

possible that this was happening. During those 5 years, I had counseling done in

my home as well as by phone. I was always researching anything and everything

I could get my hands on. YouTube became my "go to". It is where I found the

"key" to my success by finding that Meditation and Breathing (in time) brought

down my anxiety enough in allowing me to peek my head out the door to get the

mail. Small slow steps. I'm talking really small. It took time to eventually walk

to the garage and then sit in my car and then drive it to the end of the drive and

then drive it around the block. You're getting an idea that this is not an overnight

success.

The day I was ready to drive again and actually go somewhere, I called my therapist

who stayed on the phone with me as I drove to one of my favorite places. The Dollar

Tree Store. I planned to just go in and get a cart and stay 5 min. I was amazed that

nothing had changed in those 5 years as I went up and down the aisles looking at

all the little treasures I wanted to get.

An hour and a half later, I walked out of the store, happy and relaxed with bags

of goodies. On the drive home there was "aha moment" that I had where I knew

that everything was going to be alright. I had broken that cycle of staying in my

house. Life was once again in my control. This did happen for me and I am here

to pass that success forward. Believe in yourself xx