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3 Things That Will Never Help Your Agoraphobia

The Agoraphobia Series (Pt.4)

By Annie KapurPublished 3 years ago 4 min read
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As you've probably seen on my channel, I have been covering things about agoraphobia as I reach the ten-year mark of being diagnosed with the mental illness. Over the years, I have tried and tested many things and methods, foods and everything under the sun. If you want to read about them in more detail, then click on the numbers and you can go back to the other parts of the series:

One

Two

Three

There's a number of tried and tested methods though, that alongside my medication, have worked in making things a little easier and now you're going to ask me: 'Hey Annie, why don't you talk to your family about this?' Well, my family have quite a backwards and limited view of what agoraphobia is and I don't blame them because the only way you can really know about a mental disorder is to experience it. For example: I could never really know about how depression feels because I don't have it so my view of it, though informed, is still limited.

We're going to explore three things that will never help your agoraphobia and be looking at how these things could actually damage your ways of thinking and possibly ruin your life in the long-run. These are methods that I have personally used to try and cope and they have not worked at all. I would not even suggest trying them and especially when it comes to the second one: please do not try that one at all, it can go so horribly wrong in all senses of the word.

3 Things That Will Never Help Your Agoraphobia

1. Alcohol

By Jack Ward on Unsplash

As someone who has been told many times that they have a bit of a drinking problem, I can honestly say that you should never use alcohol to medicate your agoraphobia or anxieties. Not only because it doesn't work and somewhere down the line you will regret it, but also because if you're taking medication (like me) it can be quite harmful. If you're on Zoloft and you're not yet twenty years' old then please do not drink alcohol with your medication because it can ensue social isolation and suicidal thoughts. If you're feeling any of these things please reach out now. Either call your doctor and tell them the truth, tell the Samaritans or you can always contact me on my email and I will talk to you. Please do not medicate with alcohol. If you're going to drink alcohol, make sure there's at least eight hours between taking your medication and drinking, you should be over twenty-one and you should definitely only drink a small amount.

2. Self-Medicating

By Halacious on Unsplash

Don't do this one. Ever.

If you're on Zoloft already then self-medicating can actually kill you. I've seen many people who say to me online, "I'm on Zoloft, but I'm also taking (insert painkiller here)..." this is not a good idea unless you've been prescribed this medication by you're doctor. A lot of people self-medicate for the reason of trying to kill the headaches that come along with having agoraphobia, because it gives you really bad tension headaches. I'm not going to lie to you when I say this: dealing with the headaches without self-medicating will cause a lot less headaches along the way. Taking painkillers when you're not prescribed them can lead to having massive headaches along the way because your body, like with all medications, gets used to them and expects them. Thus, your own body will give you really bad headaches in order to get more and more painkillers. On top of the Zoloft, this can be deadly. Please, do not even consider this. If you were considering this, I hope my little speech has turned you entirely the other way.

3. Suffering in Silence

By Emiliano Vittoriosi on Unsplash

Do not suffer in silence ever. Suffering in silence can lead to more and more problems because everything remains in your own head. Honestly, I write on Vocal to get some of my thoughts out. I also journal in my diary, I have a number of activities to get my mind off my own thoughts include learning languages, baking and others. But, if you feel like you cannot talk to anyone around you then there's always the following options open:

Samaritans

These people are great. Completely non-judgemental and you have no obligation to give them your identity unless you're in harms way. I texted them throughout university and it helped because every now and again I'd feel I was getting the better of myself. Simply texting someone like this can make you feel slightly more relaxed through the fact that someone knows how you feel

Me

I am Annie

I am completely non-judgemental, I won't charge you, I won't tell anyone anything ever because I don't have anyone to tell and I have no intention of revealing your feelings. One thing I am good at is getting someone out of their own head. I used to offer the service on social media and have spent entire nights talking people after they've just gone through an episode and I will always try my best with you. My email address is in the bio. Even if you want to tell someone how you feel with no intention of anything else, I am a listening ear.

Conclusion

By Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

To conclude, I hope you can deal with yourself without doing those three things we have listed. If you are currently doing any of these things then please seek out a doctor in the medical profession instead of your therapist because, in the long run, you could be in some real trouble. I honestly do hope that if you were thinking of any of these things that I have turned you away from them because they are incredibly harmful. Again, please don't do any of these three things, seek medical help if you are and seek your therapist if you're thinking about it.

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About the Creator

Annie Kapur

190K+ Reads on Vocal.

English Lecturer

🎓Literature & Writing (B.A)

🎓Film & Writing (M.A)

🎓Secondary English Education (PgDipEd)

📍Birmingham, UK

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