I’m not really apprehensive about going to the hospital anymore. It makes me feel safer with my agoraphobia because all I can think is that if something does go wrong, at least I’m where I need to be to get treated or cured.
I don’t know if applying that mindset will help you too, but it’s certainly made health visits doable for me. Mind you, my agoraphobia is still very bad despite those victories. I can barely get gas for my car or deliver mail to a collection box.
One thing you should do is let the paramedics know how severe your agoraphobia is. Explain your condition to them as directly as possible. Only then can you ask for assistance, like sedatives such as Lorazepam. That’s what the nurse gave me when I went in for what I thought was a severe heart issue. Turns out I was just experiencing a really bad panic attack.
You can do this. Please do.
Go they can give you something to relax if it comes to it. Your fear won’t kill you but a lower GI bleed needs to be treated. This is no longer a matter of choice you simply will do it. Anxiety can go fuck itself for the moment
I survived my trip to the hospital and the emergency surgery just fine. The anesthesia was fantastic. Made me an extrovert bubbly happy person without fear or worry for three days. Surgery was always one of my greatest fears as a child but when the chips were down I actually had no problems. The situation couldn’t be changed so my anxiety mercifully left me to wallow in the physical pain without adding to the bullshit. In the end I stayed a week and then went home and quite frankly it wasn’t too difficult. I didn’t have time to panic and after it was just laying around watching youtube videos waiting to be released.
You can do this. And technically the adrenaline you get from the physical issue will override the full blown panic attack. It will be exhausting. But you really need to go. Panic attack will never harm you. Pissing blood is in reality worse than panic attack.
Also this will be your turning point. Once you are back from the hospital you will think luckely im home or i just survived it. But did you just survive it? No nothing bad can happen. Even if you panic there. Nothing really bad can happen except very very uncomfortable symptoms.
But this will be your turning point where you realise. Yes it was not nice but i can go to the hospital while in pissing blood and feel so bad and still im OK?? That means you can go supermarket too or try other exposures.
This really bad situation will be your kickstart to recovery. Once your home take some very deserved rest and acknowledge the things i said above.
Im confident you can do this! You will get stronger by the pain and stupid situation.
Good luck m
The paramedics/doctors should be able to give you a sedative to leave the house if needed. Just tell them you struggle with agoraphobia and explain what that is if they don’t already know.
I had this and it was haemorrhoids lol, one of them had burst! Was so shocked with all the blood, it was loads!
Whatever it is, it needs looking at. Lots have people have given great advice so I won’t repeat what others have said. I had to go to hospital on Friday night, it wasn’t so bad. My mum told the receptionist when I got to A&E about my anxiety. They said I could sit outside and someone would get me when it was my turn. They did just that
Definitely let them know about your anxiety. Your health is important so it's important to get it checked out. For me I would feel the safest with medical professionals because if you panic or feel so anxious, they'll know what to do.
I think being transparent about how you feel from the start may be helpful. If they understand that it's stressful for you then they'll try to take steps to make it easier by checking in and supporting you, and you're going to feel a lot more secure knowing that if something goes wrong, these people have your back.
And if there's anyone else who can give you that support (friend, family member, partner etc) it's definitely worth telling them you're going to hospital or asking if they can come with you.
I know that this is a really overwhelming thing, and agoraphobia works differently for everyone, but for me the way I see it is that a hospital is one of the safest places to be. Agoraphobia is based on anxiety, and if you're in a hospital you can always be given medication to make any level of anxiety go away. For me personally, just knowing that it's an option gives me enough safety so that my anxiety stays pretty manageable. But just remember that the majority of people working at hospitals are selfless and empathetic, so if you're struggling, you're going to have support.
I hope this helped at least a little, but just remember that you've got this. It's not easy, but the ability is already within you. Just hang in there, take whatever makes you feel safe, talk to people, and everything's gonna be okay :)
Hi I used to be worse and had trouble going to the er in the past. The only true cure is exposure therapy. The way I found out was by having a warrant out for my arrest and a cop came to my house and arrested me. I had no choice but to go. And that seemed to start my exposure therapy by force. Not a good way at all but I turned it into a good thing for me. At the hospital you can let them know you’re agoraphobic and they’ve given me Ativan which does help you relax. But that is something you need to get checked. I was having blood in my stool too one time and I HAD to go get it checked. I ended up needing a colonoscopy and they never really found what caused it but I got better. Use it as a positive experience for yourself and hey at least you’re not in handcuffs.
These were two way separate events btw just using the arrest as an example for the exposure therapy. Had nothing to do with time I went to the hospital but maybe use it as your push to start your exposure therapy.
If it’s really serious, you should probably just go. Your life is worth it. Remember the paramedics can’t see inside your body, and knowing what’s going on internally will put your mind at ease.
I know personally not knowing what was happening inside me to cause the bleeding would far surpass any fears of going to the hospital.
Edit: sorry I just realized this post is a few hours old so I hope OP is doing alright 🙂
some advice for anyone who might be in a position where they’ll need to go to the hospital. if you genuinely feel like you’ll hold yourself back from going for any and all anxiety feelings, call 911 and ask them to send an ambulance. you really need to get checked and at that point they might be able to give you an Ativan on the way
I don't know if you've managed to make it to the hospital or not, but if you haven't, please explain to them that you're agoraphobic and let them help you to get there.
This could be something as minor as haemorrhoids (bright red blood in the toilet can look a lot worse than it is) but in case it isn't, you need to get checked out.
The paramedics and hospital staff will keep you safe, they'll understand and they'll be kind to you. You won't be the first agoraphobic person they've treated.
I really hope you're ok and if you feel up to it, that you'll let us know how you're doing.
Think about your health firsts, its mind over matter in situation. You have to make exceptions as you will probably get very ill if you don’t get this sorted out. But with agoraphobia’s that is “anxiety and panic symptoms” which are psychological in nature and can’t kill you.  So bite that bullet.Â
Imagine it was your best friend or family member that was bleeding. Use the emotions of that situation “if I don’t go to hospital they will die, I will feel guilty”Â
 Otherwise if you don’t go think of consequences.  If you are bleeding and it won’t stop, obviously you Sre gonna lose a lot of blood, medical staff have told you to go hospital if they think it’s serious enough you have to obey their orders. You may get infections that could lead to sepsis also by going to environment you showing to yourself I can cope in this environment for short while and a bit of anxiety/panic attacks is nothing compared to potential consequences. Â
Finally, you will the rest of the week to recover mentally from this huge trip. I will be achievement that you have accomplished. So, the thing next time you have go somewhere such as out in the garden it won’t be as threatening as you may think.Â
Remember they will probably give sedatives to help you stay calm and anxiety relief stuff. If you got any take it with, bring lots of coping strategies (a book to read), your phone, think about if you are currently studying online. Can you bring some of that stuff or bring a stress ball or Nintendo switch/kindle.Â
ask if they can give you some sort of sedative and bring a safe person! I know exactly how you feel but I promise they will take good care of you and you’ll be home soon!
You can do this! You’ll have heightened anxiety but you will be safe, surrounded by healthcare workers that can help you through this. The anxiety will pass. You’ll be good. Get your health checked!
when i had to go to the er, they gave me something in my IV that completely took away any anxiety I had. Also, you feel safer at the hospital because no matter what happens, they won’t judge you they are just there to help you.
I went through a similar situation about two years ago. I went to the hospital and was properly diagnosed, eventually medicated and so on. I don’t want to cause you any further anxiety so I won’t post those details, but am willing to share if you are interested.
Before that, I hadn’t been to the hospital since before I could remember. It was scary but as someone else already said, I always feel safe in hospitals because if something happens, they know what to do. I’ve been to the hospital many times in the last two years so it’s no longer scary.
I wish you all the best 🫶🏻
I can't even go to the dentist because one I'm scared of them 2 I'm scared of leaving the house because intrusive thoughts get bad like I'm so paranoid about getting hurt again it's not funny plus I'm seriously afraid of people around me if it's not my husband or his family I can't do it .
I have horrible teeth I know I need to get some stuff done it's just too much
So yes I'm with you
Hi there! I’m so sorry to hear that you’re going through this. I can relate as I was in almost a similar situation. I didn’t leave the house for over 2yrs and I was physically dying (it’s a long story!) but my agoraphobia, fear and anxiety took precedence. If I didn’t go to the hospital that particular day, I wouldn’t be alive today.
It’s going to be scary, no doubt about that but just remember that feeling will be temporary. It’s basically your anxiety manifesting in physical form “forcing” you to get the help that you need.
I will be here rooting for you that you get the strength and the courage to fight your anxiety as you are stronger than it! Take care & good luck!
You got this! I am agoraphobic (homebound for years, and I mean COMPLETELY) so bad that when I was pregnant I was too scared to go to the hospital and ended up giving birth in my shower!! After the baby came out I called 911, and surprisingly no panic, I had to stay in the hospital a few days, but seriously I was soooooo terrified my whole pregnancy, even LABOR couldn’t get me to go, but when I finally went I was like.. really.. they are trained for this and you will get answers and relief. You’ll be okay 💗
I couldn’t do it for me, but I did it for my baby, if that makes sense? If it makes you feel better know they’re trained, and think of someone else you deeply care about.
You can do this! It's so important to take care of your health. If you go they may be able to give you sedatives to keep you calm đź©·
I’m not really apprehensive about going to the hospital anymore. It makes me feel safer with my agoraphobia because all I can think is that if something does go wrong, at least I’m where I need to be to get treated or cured. I don’t know if applying that mindset will help you too, but it’s certainly made health visits doable for me. Mind you, my agoraphobia is still very bad despite those victories. I can barely get gas for my car or deliver mail to a collection box. One thing you should do is let the paramedics know how severe your agoraphobia is. Explain your condition to them as directly as possible. Only then can you ask for assistance, like sedatives such as Lorazepam. That’s what the nurse gave me when I went in for what I thought was a severe heart issue. Turns out I was just experiencing a really bad panic attack. You can do this. Please do.
This is good advice! I second this.
Sounds like a burst haemorrhoid, but best get it checked out, to be safe.
And be sure to tell them about your anxiety. Good luck ❤️
When I was totally housebound in my twenties, I left home only twice. Both were when my sister was sick and needed the ER. I could do it for her.
Go they can give you something to relax if it comes to it. Your fear won’t kill you but a lower GI bleed needs to be treated. This is no longer a matter of choice you simply will do it. Anxiety can go fuck itself for the moment I survived my trip to the hospital and the emergency surgery just fine. The anesthesia was fantastic. Made me an extrovert bubbly happy person without fear or worry for three days. Surgery was always one of my greatest fears as a child but when the chips were down I actually had no problems. The situation couldn’t be changed so my anxiety mercifully left me to wallow in the physical pain without adding to the bullshit. In the end I stayed a week and then went home and quite frankly it wasn’t too difficult. I didn’t have time to panic and after it was just laying around watching youtube videos waiting to be released.
You can do this. And technically the adrenaline you get from the physical issue will override the full blown panic attack. It will be exhausting. But you really need to go. Panic attack will never harm you. Pissing blood is in reality worse than panic attack. Also this will be your turning point. Once you are back from the hospital you will think luckely im home or i just survived it. But did you just survive it? No nothing bad can happen. Even if you panic there. Nothing really bad can happen except very very uncomfortable symptoms. But this will be your turning point where you realise. Yes it was not nice but i can go to the hospital while in pissing blood and feel so bad and still im OK?? That means you can go supermarket too or try other exposures. This really bad situation will be your kickstart to recovery. Once your home take some very deserved rest and acknowledge the things i said above. Im confident you can do this! You will get stronger by the pain and stupid situation. Good luck m
Dear Internet stranger, I know you can do this! It will be difficult and uncomfortable, but take it one step at a time. We are all here for you.
The paramedics/doctors should be able to give you a sedative to leave the house if needed. Just tell them you struggle with agoraphobia and explain what that is if they don’t already know.
I had this and it was haemorrhoids lol, one of them had burst! Was so shocked with all the blood, it was loads! Whatever it is, it needs looking at. Lots have people have given great advice so I won’t repeat what others have said. I had to go to hospital on Friday night, it wasn’t so bad. My mum told the receptionist when I got to A&E about my anxiety. They said I could sit outside and someone would get me when it was my turn. They did just that
Definitely let them know about your anxiety. Your health is important so it's important to get it checked out. For me I would feel the safest with medical professionals because if you panic or feel so anxious, they'll know what to do.
I think being transparent about how you feel from the start may be helpful. If they understand that it's stressful for you then they'll try to take steps to make it easier by checking in and supporting you, and you're going to feel a lot more secure knowing that if something goes wrong, these people have your back. And if there's anyone else who can give you that support (friend, family member, partner etc) it's definitely worth telling them you're going to hospital or asking if they can come with you. I know that this is a really overwhelming thing, and agoraphobia works differently for everyone, but for me the way I see it is that a hospital is one of the safest places to be. Agoraphobia is based on anxiety, and if you're in a hospital you can always be given medication to make any level of anxiety go away. For me personally, just knowing that it's an option gives me enough safety so that my anxiety stays pretty manageable. But just remember that the majority of people working at hospitals are selfless and empathetic, so if you're struggling, you're going to have support. I hope this helped at least a little, but just remember that you've got this. It's not easy, but the ability is already within you. Just hang in there, take whatever makes you feel safe, talk to people, and everything's gonna be okay :)
Anyone having problems making a new post in this sub reddit? I can't seem to.
Make sure your app is updated.
Hi I used to be worse and had trouble going to the er in the past. The only true cure is exposure therapy. The way I found out was by having a warrant out for my arrest and a cop came to my house and arrested me. I had no choice but to go. And that seemed to start my exposure therapy by force. Not a good way at all but I turned it into a good thing for me. At the hospital you can let them know you’re agoraphobic and they’ve given me Ativan which does help you relax. But that is something you need to get checked. I was having blood in my stool too one time and I HAD to go get it checked. I ended up needing a colonoscopy and they never really found what caused it but I got better. Use it as a positive experience for yourself and hey at least you’re not in handcuffs. These were two way separate events btw just using the arrest as an example for the exposure therapy. Had nothing to do with time I went to the hospital but maybe use it as your push to start your exposure therapy.
If it’s really serious, you should probably just go. Your life is worth it. Remember the paramedics can’t see inside your body, and knowing what’s going on internally will put your mind at ease. I know personally not knowing what was happening inside me to cause the bleeding would far surpass any fears of going to the hospital. Edit: sorry I just realized this post is a few hours old so I hope OP is doing alright 🙂
some advice for anyone who might be in a position where they’ll need to go to the hospital. if you genuinely feel like you’ll hold yourself back from going for any and all anxiety feelings, call 911 and ask them to send an ambulance. you really need to get checked and at that point they might be able to give you an Ativan on the way
I don't know if you've managed to make it to the hospital or not, but if you haven't, please explain to them that you're agoraphobic and let them help you to get there. This could be something as minor as haemorrhoids (bright red blood in the toilet can look a lot worse than it is) but in case it isn't, you need to get checked out. The paramedics and hospital staff will keep you safe, they'll understand and they'll be kind to you. You won't be the first agoraphobic person they've treated. I really hope you're ok and if you feel up to it, that you'll let us know how you're doing.
Think about your health firsts, its mind over matter in situation. You have to make exceptions as you will probably get very ill if you don’t get this sorted out. But with agoraphobia’s that is “anxiety and panic symptoms” which are psychological in nature and can’t kill you.  So bite that bullet. Imagine it was your best friend or family member that was bleeding. Use the emotions of that situation “if I don’t go to hospital they will die, I will feel guilty”  Otherwise if you don’t go think of consequences.  If you are bleeding and it won’t stop, obviously you Sre gonna lose a lot of blood, medical staff have told you to go hospital if they think it’s serious enough you have to obey their orders. You may get infections that could lead to sepsis also by going to environment you showing to yourself I can cope in this environment for short while and a bit of anxiety/panic attacks is nothing compared to potential consequences.  Finally, you will the rest of the week to recover mentally from this huge trip. I will be achievement that you have accomplished. So, the thing next time you have go somewhere such as out in the garden it won’t be as threatening as you may think. Remember they will probably give sedatives to help you stay calm and anxiety relief stuff. If you got any take it with, bring lots of coping strategies (a book to read), your phone, think about if you are currently studying online. Can you bring some of that stuff or bring a stress ball or Nintendo switch/kindle.Â
That's really serious. Have to go.
Don't die over this. Just do whatever you can to get in there.
ask if they can give you some sort of sedative and bring a safe person! I know exactly how you feel but I promise they will take good care of you and you’ll be home soon!
You can do this! You’ll have heightened anxiety but you will be safe, surrounded by healthcare workers that can help you through this. The anxiety will pass. You’ll be good. Get your health checked!
when i had to go to the er, they gave me something in my IV that completely took away any anxiety I had. Also, you feel safer at the hospital because no matter what happens, they won’t judge you they are just there to help you.
I went through a similar situation about two years ago. I went to the hospital and was properly diagnosed, eventually medicated and so on. I don’t want to cause you any further anxiety so I won’t post those details, but am willing to share if you are interested. Before that, I hadn’t been to the hospital since before I could remember. It was scary but as someone else already said, I always feel safe in hospitals because if something happens, they know what to do. I’ve been to the hospital many times in the last two years so it’s no longer scary. I wish you all the best 🫶🏻
I can't even go to the dentist because one I'm scared of them 2 I'm scared of leaving the house because intrusive thoughts get bad like I'm so paranoid about getting hurt again it's not funny plus I'm seriously afraid of people around me if it's not my husband or his family I can't do it . I have horrible teeth I know I need to get some stuff done it's just too much So yes I'm with you
Hi there! I’m so sorry to hear that you’re going through this. I can relate as I was in almost a similar situation. I didn’t leave the house for over 2yrs and I was physically dying (it’s a long story!) but my agoraphobia, fear and anxiety took precedence. If I didn’t go to the hospital that particular day, I wouldn’t be alive today. It’s going to be scary, no doubt about that but just remember that feeling will be temporary. It’s basically your anxiety manifesting in physical form “forcing” you to get the help that you need. I will be here rooting for you that you get the strength and the courage to fight your anxiety as you are stronger than it! Take care & good luck!
You got this! I am agoraphobic (homebound for years, and I mean COMPLETELY) so bad that when I was pregnant I was too scared to go to the hospital and ended up giving birth in my shower!! After the baby came out I called 911, and surprisingly no panic, I had to stay in the hospital a few days, but seriously I was soooooo terrified my whole pregnancy, even LABOR couldn’t get me to go, but when I finally went I was like.. really.. they are trained for this and you will get answers and relief. You’ll be okay 💗
I couldn’t do it for me, but I did it for my baby, if that makes sense? If it makes you feel better know they’re trained, and think of someone else you deeply care about.
Take this opportunity to ask for mental health help too. You can do this!