go-go-ghost-ship
Member
It happened to me a lot during the past school year, and a few days ago the feeling returned. Does anyone else feel like this? I tried talking to Mom about it, but she basically told me to get over it. :
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Have you ever been scared to leave the house?
- Thread starter go-go-ghost-ship
- Start date
Steppen-Wolf
Well-known member
Maybe not truly scared, but rather anxious. Like leaving the house meant somehow breaking the coherence of my own personal world and being exposed to something different and unpleasant... or something like that.
EscapeArtist
Well-known member
Yes, more so about a year ago when I wasn't used to leaving the house alone. It's the kind of thing that needs to be approached with a 'slow and daily' kind of method. I had one counselor that wanted me to start by sitting on my deck for 10 minutes or so every day for a week or two, just to get used to stepping into the outside, and then go the next step was to go and sit in the backyard, then to go on a 5-10 minute walk each day, etc. I believe it's a comfort zone thing, like you are leaving your safe place, at least for me it is... but your safe place can be gradually extended, thank god.
THeCARS1979
Well-known member
It happened to me a lot during the past school year, and a few days ago the feeling returned. Does anyone else feel like this? I tried talking to Mom about it, but she basically told me to get over it. :
How long haven't you left the house? it sounds agoraphobic. Im sorry your mother feels that way cause she obviously doesnt understand you. Why doesn't she just talk to you. Just break it and go outside
Xervello
Well-known member
Anxious, yes. Scared, no. I've been a recluse for the past ten years, never leaving the house. But it's more out of anxiety. Are you literally scared to leave yours? Can you explain what you're scared of? It sucks that your mother just dismissed it like that, as if it was no big thing. Perhaps she should come to this forum and see just how serious of an issue it is for people.
Without knowing any details, I'm guessing you're either going through a bout of depression (one result may be feeling like your house is the only safe place for you right now) - social anxiety (fearing being seen/interacting with others) - agoraphobia (the fear of open spaces and being outside, in general) or post-traumatic stress disorder (were you recently assaulted or bullied by someone?)
We're here to help if you need it. Good luck.
Without knowing any details, I'm guessing you're either going through a bout of depression (one result may be feeling like your house is the only safe place for you right now) - social anxiety (fearing being seen/interacting with others) - agoraphobia (the fear of open spaces and being outside, in general) or post-traumatic stress disorder (were you recently assaulted or bullied by someone?)
We're here to help if you need it. Good luck.
tovoxy
Active member
I've been anxious several times during the last few years getting out of my home, sometimes I'd prefer to stay inside, sometimes I did go out but then I'd behave extremely anxious and paranoid.
Right now, I am really scared to go outside, in fact I haven't been outdoors for about 2 months now, even a thought about doing that brings a huge panic attack.
Right now, I am really scared to go outside, in fact I haven't been outdoors for about 2 months now, even a thought about doing that brings a huge panic attack.
Canis lupus
Well-known member
For me it's not so much leaving the house that scares me but being among people. When I go out to talk a walk in the forest, especially when it's raining, I don't get anxious or scared because I know I'll proabably won't encounter many people but when I need to go to the store or to the city or any other place where there are lots of people I get so anxious that the thought of doing something like that really scares me. I used to avoid things like that but now I've learned I have to do it or I'll never get better so I force myself and must say it is getting better, very slowly but there's definitely improvement.
WeirdyMcGee
Well-known member
All the time.
I'm agoraphobic and panic whenever I think I might have to leave my safe space (a.k.a. my bedroom) and pretty much anxious the rest of the time as well.
It's my fear of people, open spaces and of having a panic attack in public--- which I am guaranteed I will.
I'm agoraphobic and panic whenever I think I might have to leave my safe space (a.k.a. my bedroom) and pretty much anxious the rest of the time as well.
It's my fear of people, open spaces and of having a panic attack in public--- which I am guaranteed I will.
lyricalliaisons
Well-known member
I'm afraid to leave the house a LOT, which is why I have agoraphobia. The only time I feel okay about leaving, usually, is when my mom is with me, but even then it's hard. It used to be much worse though, especially between the ages of 17-19. I'm 30 now.
psych
Well-known member
I've sorta become a hermit...When I can be.
But, then I go do crazy sh*t like this Augusts camping trip in Western PA... Idk, it's easier for me to ignore my SA around ppl I already know, & away from where I live. I tend to loose some of my inhibitions.
There were stretches in my 20's, and during my marriage, when I was housebound for over a year at a time....
I almost starved before I got married, my mom brought me vegetables from her garden and left them at my front door... Or who knows?
I went through periods like that, when I had money... I would just stop functioning... It was like I had absorbed too many painful things in my dealings with people, over time. I would just shutdown.
So, yes. I can definitely relate.
But, then I go do crazy sh*t like this Augusts camping trip in Western PA... Idk, it's easier for me to ignore my SA around ppl I already know, & away from where I live. I tend to loose some of my inhibitions.
There were stretches in my 20's, and during my marriage, when I was housebound for over a year at a time....
I almost starved before I got married, my mom brought me vegetables from her garden and left them at my front door... Or who knows?
I went through periods like that, when I had money... I would just stop functioning... It was like I had absorbed too many painful things in my dealings with people, over time. I would just shutdown.
So, yes. I can definitely relate.
weberriver
Active member
This. Everything you've said here fits me perfectly too (well minus the improvement :
. I love, love, love being outdoors, but the possibility of running into other people keeps me trapped inside. In college I lived in a tiny town completely surrounded by open land; anytime I got stressed, I could just go for a walk and I'd soon be outside of "civilization". I would stay out for hours and hours, and even got stuck in a blizzard in the middle of the night once. It was a brilliant adventure, not scary at all. Yet now I can't even face walking down a street without fear of running into another human being. And it's only getting worse. I had to move out of my childhood home two years ago and it's been devastating. Not because of the house itself, but because I lost the fantastic view of the mountains that it had. Those mountains were like my security blanket growing up, I'd look at them whenever I felt anxious and feel immediately calm. But now I can barely see them, this other house is totally hemmed in by neighbors. It sucks bad.Hi!
I went through a few years where I rarely left the house because it would make me really anxious. It was actually one of the happiest periods of my life though because I found a lot of joy with stuff at home like TV and movies and computer games and stuff. People thought I was not getting out enough and worried about me but I was very happy. I got really into flight simualtion on the computer and would do that for weeks, only going out to go jogging. This led to going to airports a lot to hang out.
Eventually my Mum had enough and kicked me out. I really didn't know what to do but I ended up driving around France for 7 months sleeping in cheap chain motels and when the weather was hot enough in the South of France sleeping in my car. I saw a lot of really cool stuff but I was always quite out of it mentally.
It did eventually pass though as other things happen in life. Now I don't go out because I don't enjoy it not because it makes me have a panic attack!
Hope it might help.
Pierre
I went through a few years where I rarely left the house because it would make me really anxious. It was actually one of the happiest periods of my life though because I found a lot of joy with stuff at home like TV and movies and computer games and stuff. People thought I was not getting out enough and worried about me but I was very happy. I got really into flight simualtion on the computer and would do that for weeks, only going out to go jogging. This led to going to airports a lot to hang out.
Eventually my Mum had enough and kicked me out. I really didn't know what to do but I ended up driving around France for 7 months sleeping in cheap chain motels and when the weather was hot enough in the South of France sleeping in my car. I saw a lot of really cool stuff but I was always quite out of it mentally.
It did eventually pass though as other things happen in life. Now I don't go out because I don't enjoy it not because it makes me have a panic attack!
Hope it might help.
Pierre
