What to do after bad exposure therapy?

[Sweetlolly11]

I am trying to fight this agoraphobia thing head on and I am combining it with things I used to enjoy - I went walking today with my dog and brother, and sat on a bench outside waiting for my brother to come back from the grocery store. I am not in shape at the moment, I also have adrenal fatigue, and yesterday was a pretty busy day (physically anyway) for me, so today I was supposed to rest, but before I fell ill I could do a walk like today VERY easily and I have not realized I overdid it because I am no longer like I used to be. So, in the middle of the trip to the grocery store, I felt bad - legs felt weak, my derealization was so bad I started mixing up words (I said laptop instead of labrador and dress instead of jacket) - I literally thought I was having a stroke or something!! And then I remembered, in shock - I have forgotten to take my benzo completely... all the people around me and my muscle weakness and fear of fainting took its toll and I practically ran back home as soon as we were done. And now it's just another one of those bad exposure times - what to do now? Each time this happens, my fear only gets worse...

[Beevee]

Hi Sweetlolly11

If you haven't already done so, I strongly urge you to read "essential help for your nerves" by the late, great, Dr Claire Weekes. Dr Weekes goes into some detail about overcoming agoraphobia. Indeed, her way, the natural way, will cure any anxiety related disorder because it is all about exposing yourself gradually to your fears and being able to cope with them in the right way and not running away, which just adds more fear. Through continual exposure and accepting all that your anxiety can muster, those fears melt away.

If you follow the advice in the book, you will recover.

Best wishes

Beevee

[Devin76oh]

It looks like to me that you were doing good for a little bit. I think you need to build off of this to move forward. You were being mindful and enjoying things like the dog and the walk and being with your brother. You even forgot the medication which tells you that you can do it even without it.

The next time this happens maybe you should accept that the fear is there and understand that it will go away. The more you accept it, the more you know that you will see that it is only a fear and not going to harm you in way.

I've done this and it has worked for me. I don't try to fight the feeling and try get rid of it. Instead I just accept the feeling and know that it will go away. Eventually it does and you will see that. It takes patience and it takes time. But that is exactly what you have...time...

Im deeply involved in my faith and I have noticed that hope is a strong thing to have in these cases. I know you and I have had days where we did not feel this way, which means to me that those days are possible. If one day is not so great I then go and hope for the next day to be better. Hope is powerful and it keeps me going, and before you know it I have a great day. The days get better and the negative gets smaller. I pray and trust in God and Lord Jesus that they will take care of me and they can take all of my fears. It truly is a liberating feeling when you can just let go of control.

I hope this helps.

Devin

[Sweetlolly11 in reply to Devin76oh]

Yes, I have no idea how people who are not religious make it through, so many times I just kiss my cross and say "God take it from here" and it is very liberating knowing you are in God's hands, protected at all times, no matter what happens He's got you. Thank you for commenting.

[jennyjolly]

Feel same even though as Christians go i'm not always a great example

There is a great little book called 'Power in Praise'

In which it's explained how important it is to thank/praise God even for the bad stuff,

Not condoning it,but enabling His Power to flow into that situation,experience or feeling,

Transmuting it and bringing good from it.

[Sweetlolly11 in reply to jennyjolly]

I always have that belief in me... everything happens for a reason.

but this anxiety, it's almost like evil. Whenever it happens, I forget about God completely. I mean Lord forgive me, but it's true. I just completely forget all about Him. I am not the text book Christian - I don't go to church, I don't like priests and I don't quite believe in the Bible. But I have faith - extremely strong faith and I pray every night. I just wish I'd have even stronger faith

[jennyjolly]

I'm the same sort as you

Lot of allegory/metaphor in Bible

Can't take it literally,

But believe/know there is a Higher Loving Intelligence

And the Healing Power of Jesus Christ/Christ Consciousness

Call it what you will,

That if we quieten our minds

We can attune and receive comfort,wisdom and healing

It's like radio 4 wants us to listen to it but if our radios aren't attuned we

Are unable to hear it

Bit different as God hears us but we cannot always hear 'Him'

As our minds are too fraught

Worth spending time meditating each day as helps to attune.