Agoraphobia? Don't be a prisoner in your own home!

[Jeff1943]

Agoraphobia is a common symptom of anxiety disorder. It helps to understand why it happens.For some time you must have been experiencing high anxiety for some reason. Your mind senses this anxiety and thinks you are in physical danger. Your mind wants to distance you from physical danger so sends you a signal to retire into the safety zone of your home. Your mind has got it wrong and provided a false remedy.

Agoraphobia is not an acceptable way of life. Why should you be subjected to a form of imprisonment? You have committed no crime: the great outdoors is your birthright.

Ask yourself this: what do you fear most? Some danger you will encounter if you leave home? Or the fear of the fear you will feel when you leave home?

Clearly it is the second - fear of fear- as you know well enough that you will encounter no physical danger when you go outside.

I suggest a way forward. A way that will allow you to reclaim the outside world which belongs to you.

Simply agree to accept the feeling of fear (for the time being) when you leave your home. Agree to co-exist with it for the moment. Brace yourself for that moment then let every muscle in your body go limp. Specially your jaw muscle and feel your brain relaxing too. It will take only a few minutes but you will feel the lack of tension soon enough.

Then leave your home, but let the bad feelings come, they will not always be there, but accept them completely for now. But you must accept them truly, not a case of 'just putting up with'.

On leaving your home imagine being propelled along effortlessly by some invisible force. What is called 'floating'. So float off up the road with some goal in mind: somewhere that sells your favourite brand of chocolate which after floating home you will be free to indulge in to celebrate your first steps to freedom.

Your legs may feel like jelly but 'jelly legs' will still get you there and back.

To use the old cliché: Do what you fear and the death of fear is assured. And you will do it by using Acceptance and Floating.

Do these things and the days of your agoraphobia are numbered. New happiness awaits that cannot be gained by endless days confined indoors. You have the courage to do this, this I know, using reserves of hidden strength you never knew you had but are present within everybody waiting to help.

You know what to do, Accept and Float. But don't think about it too much or too long. Just do it. You could start now.

I wish you God's speed in your journey to regain the great outdoors - and enter your own.

[Agora1]

Great post Jeff, I only wish I had that concept of thought when it first started.

I was baffled, frightened and alone. Thanks for explaining the root of Agoraphobia.

You're right in that no one deserves to have their right to life taken away by these

thoughts. xx

[Cat33]

Thank you Jeff You always write the most amazing posts that help me so much

I have been practicing exactly what you have described after finding a video on You Tube by Dr Harry Barry he calls it Flooding and IT WORKS it's not easy at first but gradually I'm losing my fear

I'm a huge fan on Claire Weekes like I know you are too I always turn to her book whenever I am going through a bad patch

I know your post is going to help so many people

Bless you for writing it

[MindfulMoment]

This makes me cry. I love the idea of floating. Everything always feels so heavy, jelly legs, heavy arms, heavy mind. Just float. Please don’t stop writing. I’m gonna read through all of your posts.

[Jeff1943 in reply to MindfulMoment]

Claire wrote several books but her first, 'Self help for your nerves' also published under the title 'Hope and help for your nerves', is the one that sets out her method.As you read the book you will feel that she knows you. There is no technical jargon. You may find some of the social contexts dated but who cares about that. The message is the same for each generation.

When you've finished reading it read it again. And again. And again until you know her method so well your response to anxiety becomes automatic.

Do not expect to achieve Acceptance right away. If you can glimpse it to begin with that's a good start. Don't expect recovery any time soon. You spent months getting into your present state, allow some time to get out of it. No instant cure here.

Everything I tell you is the method of Claire Weekes. She is the teacher. I am only her advocat. Do get back to me anytime if you feel the need.

[SouthernSally in reply to Jeff1943]

You can also find lengthy recordings of Claire Weeks on YT. With her accent and dramatic emphasis she's a delight to hear.