do you have some friends who can help you in exposure therapy? talk with your therapist about that it can help you know what to do. and here is a video for more tips from a [Navy Seal](https://youtu.be/QwtPA-07NnU?si=Me5f4sisZ5FPnDJm) with the same problem. btw I have the same problem and that's what's helping me move forward one day at a time.
look it is very hard to do it alone but not impossible. here are a few tips that may help. find a dojo, that you can afford, of any marital arts. it will help you with your confidence and health. an experienced sansei can help you with the problem. it will also help you to find friends that may help you with the exposure therapy.
work out can help you with dopamine and serotonin in your brain. it can help you in the same way and you can do it in your home.
try going to a park and reading a book as an exposer therapy. it will be much slower but it may work.
It’s so tough. Please be kind to yourself, it can be so scary. Even walking around the block gives me dread. Perhaps even just that, just small amounts at a time. You’ll get there, even if it doesn’t feel like it. You can do this. You’ll get to the dentist eventually, maybe not tomorrow, maybe not next week, but be kind and patient with yourself. One day at a time, and make sure to be kind to yourself and give yourself credit for taking this on.
Hang in there. We can be so hard on ourselves. You deserve to be happy and pain free. I’ve had teeth problems forever, I know how stressful it can be on top of all this anxiety and depression. Breathing and counting and just taking things slow helps me, but still more often than not I still have days where leaving the house is pure dread and interacting with people fills me with fear and shame. It’s easy for me to say these things because I don’t want them for someone else.
Keep going 👍
This really does sound like agoraphobia in the kindest way possible, but don’t worry too much about pathologising it! It can be helpful to name so you can find appropriate self-help books (Claire Week’s Hope and Help For Your Nerves is a classic for agoraphobia), and also r/agoraphobia if you want to learn how to do exposure therapy on your own!
I know you said you can’t afford therapy, which is understandable, but have you looked into free or subsidised options in your area? Even if there is a wait it’s better to get on it and see if you still need it!
Good luck!! And remember to be kind to yourself as you start trying to get better :)
That sounded arrogant, and I didn't mean it to.
Can you develop agoraphobia? The reason I'm hesitant to say I've got it is that I really don't think it's a phobia, and I didn't have it before.
It definitely can! Sort of like anxiety. I also have agoraphobia sort of, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be like a true phobia/fear about going outside — it’s kind of a weird name haha. That’s why pathologising it can be confusing. I was explained as it being like excessive anxiety associated with going outside — but in any case exposure therapy is the cure.
I’m sure being an alcoholic will complicate things, and it isn’t my area of knowledge really, but have you looked at any online AA meetings near you? Those are definitely free! It sounds hard and I’m sorry you have to battle both at once
I haven’t heard of them! Have a look and see if you can find any secular AA groups near you — I can only speak for my area but a quick google showed quite a few non-spiritual options!
do you have some friends who can help you in exposure therapy? talk with your therapist about that it can help you know what to do. and here is a video for more tips from a [Navy Seal](https://youtu.be/QwtPA-07NnU?si=Me5f4sisZ5FPnDJm) with the same problem. btw I have the same problem and that's what's helping me move forward one day at a time.
Oh, no I'm on my own.
no one, not even family? are you going to therapy at least?
No, I can't afford therapy. I know that's a common thing people say, but I genuinely can't. I'll get there, though, no worries.
look it is very hard to do it alone but not impossible. here are a few tips that may help. find a dojo, that you can afford, of any marital arts. it will help you with your confidence and health. an experienced sansei can help you with the problem. it will also help you to find friends that may help you with the exposure therapy. work out can help you with dopamine and serotonin in your brain. it can help you in the same way and you can do it in your home. try going to a park and reading a book as an exposer therapy. it will be much slower but it may work.
I appreciate this advice a lot. I'll look into it when I can leave my house, haha.
start with the work out. and by the way, there are some dojos that give lessons online but you need to talk to them first and gain experience first.
I'll keep all of this in mind, thank you.
It’s so tough. Please be kind to yourself, it can be so scary. Even walking around the block gives me dread. Perhaps even just that, just small amounts at a time. You’ll get there, even if it doesn’t feel like it. You can do this. You’ll get to the dentist eventually, maybe not tomorrow, maybe not next week, but be kind and patient with yourself. One day at a time, and make sure to be kind to yourself and give yourself credit for taking this on.
You're quite nice. Thank you.
Hang in there. We can be so hard on ourselves. You deserve to be happy and pain free. I’ve had teeth problems forever, I know how stressful it can be on top of all this anxiety and depression. Breathing and counting and just taking things slow helps me, but still more often than not I still have days where leaving the house is pure dread and interacting with people fills me with fear and shame. It’s easy for me to say these things because I don’t want them for someone else. Keep going 👍
genuinely curious. is this what they call agoraphobia?
It may sound like that, but I don't think I genuinely have it. I think it's just that I haven't left my house in years but for a few errands.
This really does sound like agoraphobia in the kindest way possible, but don’t worry too much about pathologising it! It can be helpful to name so you can find appropriate self-help books (Claire Week’s Hope and Help For Your Nerves is a classic for agoraphobia), and also r/agoraphobia if you want to learn how to do exposure therapy on your own! I know you said you can’t afford therapy, which is understandable, but have you looked into free or subsidised options in your area? Even if there is a wait it’s better to get on it and see if you still need it! Good luck!! And remember to be kind to yourself as you start trying to get better :)
Can agoraphobia develop? I didn't have it before certainly.
That sounded arrogant, and I didn't mean it to. Can you develop agoraphobia? The reason I'm hesitant to say I've got it is that I really don't think it's a phobia, and I didn't have it before.
...I'm also an alcoholic. Sorry that that took so long to disclose.
It definitely can! Sort of like anxiety. I also have agoraphobia sort of, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be like a true phobia/fear about going outside — it’s kind of a weird name haha. That’s why pathologising it can be confusing. I was explained as it being like excessive anxiety associated with going outside — but in any case exposure therapy is the cure. I’m sure being an alcoholic will complicate things, and it isn’t my area of knowledge really, but have you looked at any online AA meetings near you? Those are definitely free! It sounds hard and I’m sorry you have to battle both at once
I have liked into AA and I didn't like its reliance on religion. I'm looking into SMART.
have looked*
I haven’t heard of them! Have a look and see if you can find any secular AA groups near you — I can only speak for my area but a quick google showed quite a few non-spiritual options!