Struggling with anxiety.

[SophieLouise]

I am new to this forum, but so far all the posts iv read is like im reading my own life.

Im currently 17 and I had my first panic attack when I was 13. Ever since then It has got worse, I have developed agoraphobia and now struggle with day to day life.

I have a job and go to college and use to just about manage going to these. But recently Iv been going through a very rough patch. I am struggling to go to college at all now, and only manage to go to work when my mum takes me in her car. Im turning 18 soon and I feel hopeless and deppressed.

I cant travel far, such as on trains, airoplaines, boats e.t.c and I can barely travel/go anywhere alone. I get panic attacks if i have to travel for longer than 10 minutes on the bus. Both my work and college are at least 40 minutes on bus away.

I have been in therapy for over a year. Recently went to the doctors to be put on medication.

I am just looking for some advice or someone to just share experiences :(

[Charmbracelet81]

So have you done any exposures while in therapy? What are you actually diagnosed with?

[SophieLouise]

Well I was told I had Panic disorder, but iv been told i could have agoraphobia but No one has ever confirmed it to me. I was told there may be other things too. Despite visiting many different places and speaking to doctors, No one has ever properly diagnosed me. Not quite sure what you mean by exposure.

[Charmbracelet81]

I'm not sure what kind of therapy you are in, but I am in cognitive behavioral therapy and am now starting exposures. This is where I expose my self to places or certain situations that usually would make me panic or have high anxiety and instead of fleeing (which we normally do) I "sit" with the panic and/or anxiety and let it peak and let it fall. This re-trains the brain that doing these things are safe and ok...somewhere along the line our brains have learned these things are scary and thus, we avoid them. The exposures are changing this around. I have agoraphobia and while exopsures are hard (who wants to have a panic attack in public?!) it is working, I am venturing out more.

[SophieLouise]

Yeahh im in cognitive therapy and my therapist has talked about re-training my brain and things. I find it very hard at times to keep myself motivated and not just run away, especially when it comes to travelling and things :(

[Charmbracelet81]

Maybe you just aren't at the exposure phase yet. That's where the travel comes in. It's so hard to get through the exposures but the more and more you do on your list of "I'm not gonna do that" makes you more and more confident.