You are putting a lot of hard work and innovation into this - love it. I have no doubt with your past experience and your hard work now you will see results soon.
Keep us updated on how you are doing. I am really interested in hearing more about virtual reality for anxiety. Super cool!
Thanks for the reply Ashland! I am struggling with this still but I have been trying to work through the program and have done several exposures. I have CBT experience with social anxiety so a lot of this is a refresher course but applied to much different things now. I've managed to go outside in a very limited manner -- so far just in my apartment complex. But it has helped a bit so far. I kind of got stuck in the last week and haven't made as much progress as I'd like but I'm trying to stick with it. I've been dealing with this in a limited form for about three years but I haven't been able to walk to the store in over three weeks. I just ordered a virtual reality headset because I was reading how it can be effective in treating agoraphobia. I'd be curious if anyone else has had luck with VR. I am going to use challenging environments such as the mountains and maybe large arenas and things because these are my biggest fears. My hope is that everyday situations will become easier if I can get comfortable with these more extreme scenarios that I can't really experience in actual reality.
First of all congratulations on all the positive lifestyle changes you have made. Quitting smoking and alcohol are huge achievements and they will help you to control your anxiety once you are through withdrawal. Keep in mind that withdrawal from both substances can make anxiety worse temporarily. However, the benefits of quitting far outweigh any of the side effects.
I am sorry to read what you have been going through with anxiety. It sounds like you are really fighting to do tasks that were once easy for you. I can only imagine how scary and frustrating this must be for you. Good for you for coming here and finding resources to support yourself. I think this program will be a big help to you. If you read the content and do the homework - trying to complete one session a week, then you should notice a difference within a few weeks.
Have you had a chance to get started yet? How are you feeling?
I couldn't think of a better subject line so I hope it doesn't come across too negative. I've been experiencing agoraphobia / panic for a couple years on and off, but meds were masking it. I've recently gone completely off meds, quit drinking alcohol for the time being, and quit smoking. In the last two weeks, and specifically this last weekend, my panic disorder went from an annoyance to critical. I had a really bad experience away from home on Saturday, and I haven't been able to go outside at all since. I go out on my patio for a minute or two and have to come back in. I need to take my garbage out to the trash, which is almost a block away, and I can't even work myself up to that trip out the door. I just feel literally like I'm going to freak out and float away. Just sitting here thinking about it causes a panic attack, and I'm fighting through that now. I could go on...basically I'm at a critical point. My car just broke down and I have to walk or taxi everywhere, and now I can't get out of the house even several hundred feet. I found some other online resources and have been trying exposures here at home (I have experience with some CBT from social anxiety several years ago), and a friend just told me about this site, so I'm going to start going through the program. Thanks for listening and it's nice to meet everyone :)
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