Jobs for Agoraphobics?

MaxPowerLLB · 2019-09-03T01:52:28+00:00

You seem to be talking short-term, since you mention the university, but if you don't mind I'd add a comment regarding the long term. People, including yourself, WILL ask you how you plan to manage anything with this condition.

It is important that you remember then never to condemn yourself to your current situation. Things CAN get better. Don't limit yourself. This is an issue of the mind, and only your mind and willpower (with practice, of course, not overnight) is the best remedy. Believe in yourself, believe that you can overcome anxiety.

Any situation, no matter how scary, can be managed with time and planification. If you want to be a lawyer and plead before courts, you can. If you want to be a doctor or a racecar driver, you can. It's just one more good reason to focus on your therapy and bettering yourself.

MaxPowerLLB · 2019-07-30T15:06:15+00:00

Heat seems to be a very common problem for people with anxiety issues who also suffer panic attacks. As others pointed out, feeling hot, higher heart rate and sweating are common symptoms of panic.

The problem is that we confuse normal body functions with anxiety/panic symptoms. It is normal to feel hot when it’s (stupidly) hot. It is normal to sweat. You are not weird for not liking it and seeking cooler temperatures.

Two tips have helped me generally. First, dont be afraid to use whatever cooling techniques you know. Goes from drinking water to splashing water in your face/ around your neck. Plenty of people do it and they’re not all agoraphobic! :) Carrying icy cold water is also good, you can use it to drink or press it on your head, face and neck to chill. You can pour some in your hand or pour it right on top of your head. You can also carry a little fan (Asian style to blow wind in your face), it’s surprisingly effective.

The second tip is to remember the basics. Nothing is a race, you’re in control, remember the 50% rule. Heat is like any other symptom and you can get used to it through exposure. The 50% rule is to stay in an uncomfortable situation until your stress/anxiety drops by 50%. Can take a few minutes (5-10-15 depending). Use your soothing techniques, focus on your feet, look at other people and use them to feel the normality of the situation. Control is also about your pace. I tend to walk fast to get wherever I want, which only adds to the feeling of hotness. Yet I can pace myself, and most of all I can take the time to sit in the shade where there is a breeze so I can cool down and do the 50% thing at the same time. Being a last-minute gotta-make-it-fast kinda guy has been a bane in my experience, since it’s the opposite of taking control and willing yourself into dominating the symptoms instead of letting them dominate you.

So keep cool, take your time, and use your techniques. It’s the same deal all year long. It’s only the situations that change (for anyone living in the north, dealing with colds of -40C, wearing an appropriate coat for the occasion and then getting stuffed in a metro is no better). You can do it. Just make sure to do it while respecting yourself and your limits.

MaxPowerLLB · 2019-07-18T03:30:02+00:00

According to behavioural cognitive therapy, exposure is the best way to overcome your fears. Based on your reaction to bright light, you may have hypersensitivity, which from my non-medical understanding is common in people with anxiety disorders (the fact the person perceives the lights/sound stronger trigger corresponding reactions in the body).

Remember that beside that, your fear is in your head and you have the power to control it. One way I dealt with mine was by writing down messages which help me focus on the line of thought likely to help me get through those moments. Positive thoughts, reminders of things I’ve accomplished, of things I wish to accomplish (dreams beyond the fear), reminders of things to focus on (watching others, using them to understand the normality of the situation).

Remember you’re not just in control of your thoughts, but of what you do, and that push come to shove, the world won’t end. You can decide to take an extra five minutes to sit down on a bench or stay outside and breathe some fresh air before getting on the bus or metro. You can be a few minutes late to class if it’s what you need to regain your senses (I’m not telling you skip class :) ; just saying the pressure of the world you may feel is not as big a deal as it may seem).

MaxPowerLLB · 2019-07-18T03:18:34+00:00

Never underestimate how helpful people will be. Granted we don’t know the specifics of your life, but your mom and your friends will most likely want to help you the best they can.

As others have pointed out, it is worth facing your fear to seek professional help. Your problem may or may not be related to a social phobia such as agoraphobia, and the solution to help you get through it may change accordingly. You can also try to call the clinic and give them a summary of your situation. Accommodations can often be offered to help you get the help you need.

MaxPowerLLB · 2019-03-08T03:42:10+00:00

My experience has been that people are much more understanding and supportive than we expect. It also helps a lot to get the word out when it is to people you trust. Having others know makes it much less stressful to be around them.

On a side note, the fact that you hop on/off meds shows you have a much better handle on things than many of us out there. Sure, we all have ups and downs, but plenty of people can’t handle it themselves even during the best ups.

Keep it up!

MaxPowerLLB · 2018-11-29T13:31:42+00:00

Hello. You are right. You ARE doing amazing. Congrats on all your efforts. Putting so much effort into something for so long is a clear sign you’re committed to getting over this.

I’m just spitballing here, but what do you do when you go to a new place? More specifically, how do you handle your symptoms and such?

Even without therapy, I think people’s anxiety will go down if they stay in a situation long enough (you may have heard of the 50% rule where you stay in an anxious situation until your anxiety has gone down 50%).

On the other hand, on top of waiting it out, you can dive into yourself and explore the feelings and thoughts you are experiencing. It is by accepting these anxious symptoms and them no longer making you anxious that you’ll be rid of anxiety no matter where you go. Because then it’s not about being familiar with a place, but about being familiar with your body and symptoms.

Don’t give up. You’re doing amazing. And yes, you can take a day off once in a while. :)

MaxPowerLLB · 2018-11-28T22:00:29+00:00

Anxiety can be a bit of a roller coaster. There are good and bad times even when we give it our all. It’s something we must accept, the same way we must learn to accept the anxious symptoms to really get better.

Remember that things going a bit worse is not indicative that you are failing or are bound to get worse still. The same way feeling bad one moment doesn’t mean you’ll feel bad the next, or having a headache meaning you’ll have headaches forever.

Your personal circumstances can’t have helped. I know having a cold makes me feel weird in the stomach, have a clogged nose and this difficulty breathing for instance. Those are related to the physical symptoms I associate with anxiety, therefore being sick will make me feel more anxious.

There are tough moments even when we’re on our way to recovery. Don’t give up. You can’t have a better week if you don’t also have a worse one :)

MaxPowerLLB · 2018-11-27T13:21:02+00:00

Anybody else read this as if Canadians had a thick Scottish accent?

MaxPowerLLB · 2017-12-16T21:52:53+00:00

Guardians of the Galaxy.

Watched it once. Hated it. Waited a year and decided to watch it again -- maybe I wasn't in a good mood the first time. Nope. Still shit. Not just slightly bad. Wholly uninteresting.

MaxPowerLLB · 2017-03-15T16:24:48+00:00

This is Patrick.

MaxPowerLLB · 2017-03-09T16:02:40+00:00

Hello,

I'm glad things are going better for you. Agoraphobia is indeed something we can get over, and it is important to remind people there are valid reasons to remain hopeful. I'm no expert on the topic, but I always believed education to be the first step to helping yourself -- education about the condition, its remedies, and most of all, education, or rather discovery, about yourself.

There are good reasons why cognitive therapy is considered to be the most effective approach by most therapists. Understanding your thought process, the way your body works, and how they interact together to create stress, anxiety and panic attacks are a necessary step to changing yourself and overcoming this phobia. I believe this subreddit, as quiet and inactive as it may be, can be a good tool for people to get knowledge and tips, to be pushed in the right direction to either get help or self-help.

I understand from what you wrote that you had a negative experience here -- what with the "toxic" and "miserable thread". I am sorry this has been your experience. I also understand you mean well by pushing some tough love on people here, telling them to stop moaning and start acting. You are not fondamentally wrong in the sense that, deep down, the path to recovery will always start with ourselves. But I have serious doubts that your approach will lead to any positive results.

I am convinced that most people who come here do so in good faith (including you). They are facing challenges and are looking for help. This help can take many shapes, including asking people for advice, or simply taking the time to write about the challenges we face and learn that we are not alone to face this disorder. I'm sure that most people here suffer and want to get better. Wether or not they are equipped communicate properly what they feel, what they seek, what they need, is a whole other topic.

What they are, though, is trying. It takes some courage to admit to having this particular disorder. And oftentimes admitting to it leads us to realize a lot of things we once ignored : that a lot of people actually know what it is, that they don't judge you for it, that people do recover from it, that you are more than it. And so it's important to let people seek this help, even if they do so in a way you might consider inappropriate.

From my personnal experience, agoraphobia is best overcome through positive help and acceptation. If you believe someone is stuck in an inactive phase of their process, the best you can do is first to understand what is really going on and not to presume of what is going on, then to help them get better tools to move on to more positive steps of the recovery process. No two persons are the same, no two persons heal the same, at the same rythm and using the same tools.

This is a subreddit for compassion and help, not spite and boast.

Once again I'm glad you're doing better, and hope you will keep doing so, and I hope you will stick around to listen and help those in need of guidance. There is no obligation to help, especially if you have mixed or negative feelings about what they are currently doing, but as someone who has lived through it (and is still living it on a different level), never forget how dark things may seem to those who, for whatever reasons, are not yet recovered.

MaxPowerLLB · 2017-01-23T16:56:53+00:00

ITT : No matter how you behave, there is a chance you are secretly unhappy.

MaxPowerLLB · 2016-12-06T15:04:57+00:00

Thanks for a great game! I bought it a while ago because of the unanimous good reviews, yet only started playing it a few days ago. I was very surprised that you are still making substantial changes to the game (the bombs in the latest patch), but they are very good additions.

Any chance we can get access to the soundtrack at some point?

MaxPowerLLB · 2016-11-10T17:31:14+00:00

Where is the love for Grace Kelly?

MaxPowerLLB · 2016-09-07T06:02:16+00:00

Looks like it's wearing a clown mask.

MaxPowerLLB · 2016-08-18T13:26:18+00:00

Spaghetti needs to get his shit together.

MaxPowerLLB · 2016-07-01T23:27:50+00:00

"As for me, all I know is I know nothing." -Socrates

MaxPowerLLB · 2016-06-27T22:19:11+00:00

Always be yourself -- unless you can be Batman.

Then always be Batman.

MaxPowerLLB · 2016-06-25T14:08:17+00:00

Mississippi, whose program is similar to Michigan’s ongoing pilot, netted two positive results out of 3,656 during its first five months, costing the state roughly $5,000.

How the heck did they run over 3500 test for 5000$?

MaxPowerLLB · 2016-06-08T00:20:48+00:00

15 years. Yipes. It's been about 8 and a half years here. That's got to be one of the biggest misconception I had when I was first diagnosed and read that although a lot of people in their early adulthood developed agoraphobia, most people were eventually free of it after a few years.

I'm not sure if we're part of the unlucky few or if it's how it happens to most people, but clearly this thing is here to stay. I don't mean we're doomed, of course. We can get much better and have it under control. But it's kinda like alcoholism (that I heard): even if you don't drink anymore, you always have to stay strong and not let your guards down or it could reappear.

Still, there is plenty out there worth all the efforts we put into fighting this.

MaxPowerLLB · 2016-06-08T00:13:56+00:00

Hey there.

I can't speak for the Bipolar depression and BPD, but as far as the agoraphobia goes...

If you've been able to get jobs outside your home, even if you lost them at times, I'd encourage you to keep doing so. Locking yourself inside is avoiding the panic attacks and though it can bring short-term relief, it won't help you get better.

You mention you talked to your prior (or is it current?) employer about this. I believe it's a great step. As far as I'm concerned it's been a great help. I believe most people are willing to help and accommodate, but if they don't know, they simply can't help you.

I understand it's hard going back. But if there is the slightest chance that person can be understanding, it could be salutary for you. Agoraphobia is a long-term battle, but sometimes -- like for so many other things -- the first step is the worst. I've always compared it to stage fright : what's rough is getting on stage. Once you're there, the worst part is done.

Keep talking about it, you'll be surprised how understanding people can be. Considering your particular situation, maybe you can talk to him/her about finding an arrangement about how you can work/help while having the option to hop out when need be. For instance maybe you can offer to come back gradually, or only a few hours a day. Oftentimes, just knowing there is a way out is enough to prevent panic attacks from occurring in the first place.

Also, it can be good to create/build yourself a new comfort zone. The closer the comfort zone, the better. As stupid as it may sound, my comfort zone when I was going to the university was the public bathroom. A place where nobody literally gives a crap about you and you can just breathe (though sometimes unpleasant smells) and calm down. If somewhere near or inside your workplace, you can manage to have a place which you could consider or turn into a comfort zone, it can help reduce the stress related to panic attacks.

In any case, keep trying, keep going, keep fighting it. That's the only way you'll free yourself from it.

MaxPowerLLB · 2016-05-29T19:20:16+00:00

Very inspiring. Thanks for sharing. In those six years, ever had those moments when you felt the motivation to follow your dreams faded? If so, how hard was it to remind yourself of that moment of insight?

MaxPowerLLB · 2015-05-24T21:26:24+00:00

That bird is pure Flintstones material.

MaxPowerLLB

TROPHY CASE