Psychosomatic Dizziness

Starry · Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2007 7:58 pm Post subject: Psychosomatic Dizziness

LONG story, sorry, please keep with me...

Well, I have agoraphobia, though I feel like a fraud for classing it as such, since I don't believe it's true agoraphobia... In my case it's caused by dizziness, I always have it to some degree or another, but it's definitely made worse by stress, leaving my "safe place" not being able to escape and get somewhere safe etc...

My dizziness started when I was 12. I was on a school trip to France. It was about 4pm on a Saturday, I hadn't had any sleep since I woke up at 7:30am on the Friday. I also hadn't had anything to eat or drink since 8am on Saturday. I was in a small, crowded shop, suddenly my vision went blurry, I went numb and felt like I was floating, half way between consciousness and unconsciousness. The whole place seemed to spin for about 30 seconds. I told the teacher, who told me to go sit outside for a while. I did so and it passed, I put it down to lack of sleep and lack of food and drink...

A few weeks later, while I was walking home from school, the same thing happened, only without the blurry vision. Slowly the attacks became more and more frequent, until I had a permanent low level of dizziness, which was agrivated by having to stand in the open, or in corridors, or in a line....

I became paranoid about having to walk anywhere without having something to hold onto incase I fell, or without being able to run somewhere so I could sit down until I was calm and it eased a little.

This started intefering with school, I started missing lunch so that I wouldn't have to stand in line, I missed assembly every day because I felt stressed having to stand to sing the song, and scared that I'd fall off of my chair or something infront of everyone.

Eventually, what with the dizziness and the social phobia, I couldn't face school anymore. I became an emotional wreck trying to just get out of the door to go. I couldn't do it anymore and stopped going completely.

I eventually got into a non-mainstream school, that I was taken to and from by taxi, I still found it stressful there, but the teachers were understanding at least. Plus it was only small and didn't have endless corridors - I really hate corridors with the dizziness, they make it much worse.

Then I left school at 16. And I haven't left the house since. I only go to doctors appointments when absolutely necesarry, and then only if I'm taken by taxi. (Though it's literally a 15 minute walk away.) I can't even get to the end of my road. (4/5 houses away from mine)

I had an appointment at the hospital in May last year to see an ENT consultant, to do tests on my ears incase it was a physical problem. He was very condescending to me, treated me like a little child. When I fell over he called it an "over-reaction." I spent the whole appointment in tears. Embarassed

Only to be told it was psychological.

The last time I went to the doctors I fell over there too, and literally crawled into the doctor's office. Embarassed

You can imagine how embarrassed I was when you add the social phobia onto the top of that. Shocked

So now I can't even face the doctors anymore...

Sorry to make this post so long, I thought background information might prove useful...

I was just wondering if anyone else had any experience of psychosomatic/psychogenic dizziness that's continuous to some degree or another. And if anyone knew of any way to overcome it? Because after nearly 9 years of it, I'm just about sick and tired of it and with completely wasting my life. *Sigh*

Any help much appreceiated. Smile

_________________
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The magnificent calm of the sky
Our treasures...

DYiNG-iNSiDE · Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2007 9:16 pm Post subject:

you know reading your posts u remind me alot of me lol i get that i dont think as bad as u buti still get preeetty dizzy at times u doped out at 16? im 16 now and havent been in 2 wks. do u regret dropping out?

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Where Would We Be Without Our Misserable Childhoods? - Running With Scissors

Starry · Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2007 9:28 pm Post subject:

Here in the UK school ends at 16, so I still took my exams and everything, though I do regret not going into further education - College, University etc...

I'm sorry you have dizziness too, it's such a pain. It really badly effects me - Some days I can't even manage to stand in the kitchen to cook a meal because of it. Shocked

Though thankfully, it hasn't been that bad for a good few months now.

_________________
The blazing beauty of a tree
The magnificent calm of the sky
Our treasures...

DYiNG-iNSiDE · Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2007 3:31 pm Post subject:

omg, school ends at 16!?? god ur sooo lucky id do anything 2 be done w/ it this yr but still got 2 more at least after this. Sad

_________________
Where Would We Be Without Our Misserable Childhoods? - Running With Scissors

Starry · Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2007 4:06 pm Post subject:

Yep. I still wish I could have continued with my education though...

Hold in there, you'll probably regret it if you drop out.

I know how difficult school is though. It was a nightmare for me.

But, and this is going to sound so weird... I'd still rather be back there than stuck in the house all the time like I am now. Shocked

If I'd known at the time, that I'd end up saying that one day, I think I may have appreceiated school more lol. I just look back and think, it wasn't so bad... Okay, so I was constantly stressed, okay, so I was bullied, okay, so I had no friends, okay, so the dizziness caused me to become an emotional wreck,okay, so I hated it...

But I hate this more, and school honestly looks inviting compared to this lol. Shocked

_________________
The blazing beauty of a tree
The magnificent calm of the sky
Our treasures...

DYiNG-iNSiDE · Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2007 4:16 pm Post subject:

lol i guess i c what u mean. u dont work?

_________________
Where Would We Be Without Our Misserable Childhoods? - Running With Scissors

Starry · Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2007 7:38 pm Post subject:

Nope - I can't leave the house at all. (Well, except to a tree which is all of ten or so steps away from the front gate lol) So I do nothing, I spend my day exercising, reading, listening to music and browsing the internet... Rolling Eyes

I really am a complete waste of air and space at the moment lol. Rolling Eyes

Which is why I started the thread, I was hoping someone might be able to offer advice on the dizziness, which is the cause of my agoraphobia - I know I could go out if I wasn't dizzy lol. Though I'd still feel self conscious outside, it would be bareable.

_________________
The blazing beauty of a tree
The magnificent calm of the sky
Our treasures...

Amiyumi · Newbie User Joined: Mar 14, 2007 Posts: 78

I just read this post, so sorry for not replying sooner.

Have you had any help yet, since you were told it was psychological?

I left school at 15, but I finished most of my exams cause I was ahead a year, but still missed alot. I was seeing the school psych too, so when I left they refered me to a psychologist. If you aren't getting any help, then you should see the doctor about getting a cpn at least. They should be doing something. You will get your life back, they helped me get out and start college again. They're used to dealing with this kind of thing. Smile

Social work servicies can help too, they can refer you to places and get you a befriender. But try to get a cpn first (comunity psychiatric nurse), they'll help with the panic attacks and sp, but they can be a little pushy, some of them are, but you don't have to do what you don't want to.

I don't have the dizzyness anymore. It sounds like panic attacks cause of sp? I only took 2 panic attacks like that, and they've never come back. I just let them come, I was relaxed, but one was at home, I guess it'd be worse if I had them that bad at school. I've never dreaded or feared them happening, so they never got hold of me, manifested into a big thing. I don't know if what I had was the same though. I used to get blurry vision and my head would spin after going out after 3 years, but it stopped after I stood at the door and ajusted to the fresh air. Maybe you could try and go out at night with someone, when it's quiet. That helped me get out, now I can go out at daytime by myself. Sorry I can't offer much advice on it.

And doctors.. grr.. Evil or Very Mad

Mine made me cry, he told me not to diagnose myself when I was sent to him for a refferal, what a jerk!

I still can't face him, he won't even come to the house in an emergency, he dosen't take agoraphobia or sp very seriously, but another doc there does, so I should switch to her.

Rescue remedy calms me down, but makes me laugh and not all there lol. I don't know if it'd do any good with dizzyness though. But be careful with medication if you're offered it, look up the effects first like if its addictive they can be addictive etc. Good luck to you.

Starry · Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 10:14 pm Post subject:

rado31 · Expert User Joined: Sep 15, 2006 Posts: 691

How ingenious of your doctor to say to you that dizziness is psychological.
I was told that for my constant high temperature when i did tests during the school. Superb. We all think that it is coming from our butt, what a revelation.

I have no soultion for dizziness, though. I m not having it frequently though, but i know how embarassing it is. Last time i had it , i was running to my house with flashes and blurred vision , when my neighbour poped out of nothing and asked my how was i . I hope that he will not tell anybody since i screamed that i m about to drop uncouncis (i couldnt really lie or fake it at the moment).