Hi Zaf :)
Like you, my depression decided to bring a group of its friends along for the ride too! Agrophobia being one of them... I know only too well the terror that just going outside your own front door can bring and the frustration of not being able to explain it to anyone. I was very fortunate that my doctor referred me to the local mental health team and I worked for ages with a woman from there just to get out of my house and onto a bus! Even now... a few months on, I still have this stupid irrational fear of being outside alone, of getting myself into situations that I hadn't pre-empted or that are somehow out of my control. With someone else, I'm ok - on my own... a nervous wreck!
I really hope you are getting some help from your doctors and/or support from those around you? I know what you mean about not being able to relax when you look around the house... everything seems to make me feel overwhelmed at the moment.
Take care, hope to see you around the forum.
Nay x
Hi Nay :)
Unless someone has experienced these problems they can have no idea what its like to have a panic attack brought on just by thinking of going outside, I am very fortunate that my husband has learned over the years that it is something genuine even though he doesnt really understand, he accepts that sometimes I need to sit indoors with the curtains shut as I cant even bear to see outside or that I cant face getting out of bed at times. I have irrational fears too, for some strange reason car parks are high on the list, I've never worked out why and even when my depression is under control I still feel anxious thinking about parking a car let alone actually having to do it.
My GP will give me a prescription without seeing me if its an emergency, and in the limited time he has during an appointment he seems to understand the basics of depression being an illness and I've never been told to pull myself together by him. I wish the NHS had the funds available to provide counselling without several months wait as for me that helps a huge amount.
Thinking of housework, I can usually gauge how bad my depression is by how much effort it takes me to wash up, today I needed to break it into four sections and it took about an hour and a half, not unusual at the moment
I'll feel I'm having a fantastic day if I manage to do a few items or ironing!
Zaf x