Tips from anyone who has overcome agoraphobia or anything similar.

[ericmitchell223]

I'm not too sure if what I have is agoraphobia but its basically a fear of becoming trapped/being in a situation which I can't control (Like being in an elevator or being told I had a terminal illness). I don't think I would mind being stuck in an elevator if someone said "your going to be stuck in here for three hours, and after that we'll let you out" its just that fear of uncertainty about not knowing if I'm ever going to escape. This could also be the reason behind my fear of terminal illnesses and death as its not death that scares me but just the fact that I have no Idea whats after it.

However the problem I'm facing at the moment is that when I try to expose myself to things that I fear such as elevators or going to the doctors, I get the feeling that when I go into that elevator or to the doctors I will gt stuck forever or be told that I have a terminal Illness. I know that getting stuck in an elevator forever is unrealistic but I still get that feeling of 'It could happen' which is the thing that holds me back from doing anything that I feel could result in me dying or becoming trapped, and I really don't know how to push past that.

I would greatly appreciate any advice from anyone who has managed to overcome anything similar as I feel that I'm running out of options as I have been to quite a few therapists with little/no success.

[needtogetwell]

Go visit anxietycoach.com. Lots of good ways to manage this.

BTW- if you are actually leaving your house you are not agoraphobic. That's a good thing if you aren't!

[drac16]

Do something to take the edge off. Before the doors close, let out a big fart/burp and quickly jump off. Go take the stairs to whatever floor you need to be at. When you're taking the stairs, you can laugh at all the people who are dying in there.

If that's not up to speed, then do something in the elevator that will distract you. Chew gum, read a magazine or book, take selfies with whoever's in there with you, meditate, etc.

[sae]

I have a difficult time leaving the house. If I am with my partner in crime it becomes alot easier to stay distracted and enjoy the ride. If I have to go it alone, I usually put it off until I just plain have to get out ie: paying rent, buying perishable groceries (I buy my non-perishable foods almost strictly through amazon haha), attending the kid's school functions, I listen to very loud music over headphones.
I invested in a set of beats, developed a playlist of all of my happy, ambient foreign language post rock favorites, and the sound successfully drowns out the world around me, narrowing my scope of panicked attention. I take my walks during the morning now, in daylight hours (dun dun DUUUUNNNN), will sometimes walk around my favorite stores (which, oddly enough are auto parts places and building supply stores) just to force myself out of the house, hang out in a bookstore with a decaf latte and a book I read a few chapters at a time so I don't actually have to buy it (the public library has a dismal selection for my tastes). The music not only serves as a distraction but prevent people from trying to start conversations with me. I feel less like escaping the scary, vast uncontrollable world around me, and more like moving with the slow tones of a good Explosions in the Sky song.