New member

Hi,
I have suffered from panic,anxiety for about 10 years that im aware. When I look back I have had symptoms since I was a child. OCD about illness was how it began but during the last 18 months it has developed into debilatating agoraphobia. I still manage to go out every day but I am unable to work at the moment as obviously I cannot keep leaveing to return to my safe place.
The worst symptom is being lightheaded which I know is linked to the way my breathing changes when I become anxious but I am unable to influence this unless I am at home alone.
Has anyone overcome this or improved it enough to continue to working.

[ce1221]

we are all working on this problem. Different thinks work for different people. Professional help seems to be the first step.

[cagekickr]

I was diagnosed with OCD and panic disorder which led to agorophobia. It also led to losing jobs, dropping out of college, alienating friends, the list goes on. Like ce1221 said, professional help is really the only way out I could find. I did talking therapy, which was good because I could label what was wrong with me and learned I wasn't the only crazy person in the world. But a point came that I had to admit that I wasn't going to progress without the help of a psychiatrist. My therapist referred me, and I cried about it because I thought it meant I was too far gone, but that isn't the case. I started on Paxil in 1996. Until it reached full theraputic levels, I combatted the panic attacks with Klonopin for about a month. Once the Paxil started working, I didn't need the Klonopin anymore. Since then, I have been living a relaltively normal life that I never thought was possible in 1996. I'm married, have children, and hold down a good job with the federal government. Have hope and try to be patient. Recovery doesn't come instantly, but the symptoms can be managed pretty quickly. Then the real work of picking up the pieces and convincing yourself that you're OK begins.

Thanks for your comments. I have tried to seek profesional help and when I can work I pay for it.However the area I live in the uk does not offer cbt or behavioral therapy on the NHS. They openly admit it is a cost issue." we have to cut our cloth " I was told.

[cagekickr]

Will NHS cover the medication or doctor visits? CBT is great and all, but OCD is often a life-long illness that is best controlled with medication. The success rate with medicine is around 80% without relapse. Without medication, the success rate is much lower. If NHS will supply meds, you can seek out material to work on by yourself as far as CBT goes. OCD is a peculiar beast. Talking therapy isn't a magic bullet, but helps once the OCD is under control. Frankly, I haven't been to a therapist in almost 10 years because my OCD has been managed with paroxetine.