Agoraphobia

[StLouisMike]

First off I hope that I have spelled Agoraphobia correct. I was told by a doctor after a nasty anxiety attack lasting a few days during a senior trip that I suffer from agoraphobia. The doctor reccomended medicine but, I refused to take it and would rather suffer from them than to take anti depressants all of my life. In the past few years I rarely suffer an anxiety attack but, I have not been out of town over night since. I recently had to turn down an opportunity to go on a trip with friends to L.A. because, my anxiety started coming back once I started thinking of the trip again. So it seems that the anxiety has never went away yet suppressed because I have not been out of town since my original attack. My senior trip was not the first time I have been out of the country or on my own. I have traveled oversees three other times going as far as Australia for a few weeks. Can anyone relate to this? Thanks

Mike

[Aytumious]

Why do you not want to take medication? Many of the newer meds work very well with minimal side effects.

[bodie]

Mike,

You should contact a psychologist/psychiatrist who works with cognitive therapy sessions, and give this a try as a way to understand and master your anxiety. Try this first before you go on meds and you may find you never need them. Yes, meds can really help but they can also have side effects and be difficult to get off of, so you should try this other way first.
Cognitive therapy teaches you how to approach what are now scary situations in a controlled successful way so that you will literally see the anxiety lose its power.

Good luck,
Bodie

[StLouisMike]

I now remember thinking after the meeting with the doctor if there was a cognitive approach. Thanks for the info I will have to contact a doctor about it. I believe that it effects more of my life than just going on trips out of town. I have trouble bieng in public places always feeling that others are going to laugh about something as little as the way my shirt looks. Because of this I have always been a perfectionist in everything I do forever feeling that someone will make fun of me if something I do or the way I look that day. I don't want to take the meds because of the long term side effects (ie ulcers, liver problems).

I have never had an anxiety attack personally, but my father experienced them when in graduate school. He got a prescription for some drug that worked extremely well -- but the remarkable thing was this: after he knew that he could simply pop a pill if he felt an anxiety attack coming, he never had them again, and never even had to take the drug again. Part of what stimulates an anxiety attack is the fear of losing control -- when that fear is destroyed by the knowledge that you can simply pop a pill if things get bad, often times you simply stop having them.

[BigBaitsim (milo)]

I like to think of meds as a useful adjunct to cognitive therapy for anxiety/panic. Cognitive therapy has proven most effective in reducing or eliminating panic in the long run.

If the panic attacks interfere with life in any way, find a therapist.

If the anxiety/panic causes significant interruption in life, medds may be helpful. They can get through the more difficult time early in treatment, while you are learning the skills needed to beat the anxiety.

-Dr. Milo

take medical advice from different doctors, so you can choose the best therapy.

good luck!

[StLouisMike]

thanks for all of the responses.

mike

[Bill C]

[ QUOTE ]
take medical advice from different doctors, so you can choose the best therapy.

good luck!

[/ QUOTE ]

This is poor advice. How do you KNOW which is the best therapy?
Better: Find a very good doctor. Present your case fully. Take his advice.

bc