Hi!! I've been battling agoraphobia since 2021 after lockdown and though I have gotten a lot better, I still seem to face some struggles. Back then, I was completely house bound and couldn't even walk out of the door. However now, I can leave the house, go to college, do driving lessons, go out with friends to the local area etc. very simple thinfs basically. I have been on 2 road trips since then which have mostly went ok!!
Initially i have a fear of panic attacks which is very ironic.. the idea of panicking somewhere with no escape / away from home terrifies me. I'm typically ok with car rides with family (anxious but bearable) because there's more control over it compared to being alone on public transport for example..
I'm basically wondering if propranolol could potentially help me with rhis, I'll explain my situation below:
However, despite me pushing through and getting to this stage, I still get physical symptoms whenever I have to go outside of my regular town, or do something witb little escape (such as a long walk even if it's 20m from home.) Also, I have regular panic attacks if I'm in a very isolated place such as the woods.
I also suffer from a sub side effect of agoraphobia which I believe is called cardio phobia? Essentially being out of breath (going up hills, running etc) can completely send me into a panic attack making it easy for me to avoid these scenarios. (I'm trying to face my fears more as part of exposure therapy.)
The physical symptoms are horrible.. shaking, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, complete irrational thinking etc. like I said, I'm not house bound anymore with my agoraphobia, but it is still controlling my life in many other ways and I'm sick of seeing people my age going out and having fun and I'm stuck feeling like this.
I want to travel so so so badly. before lockdown and agoraphobia I would travel perfectly fine.. trains, planes, cars you name it I was fine!
Is anyone in a similar boat to me and uses this drug to cope? Could it potentially prevent panic attacks and a panicky feeling enough to where I can travel once again? I'm fine with the initial on edge anxious feeling, it's more so the full blown panic that I am afraid of. I just want to feel normal again to an extent of not being sent into a panicked state when doing normal things I wanna do!!
Also: I'm fine with feeling anxious and on edge, I just want it to be to a manageable degree to where I can still be semi normal
By - poppyhendy
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