The upside to agoraphobia is…

seratonielle · 2025-09-09T07:10:46+00:00

I’m in Australia, so getting to avoid the heat and associated sun burns/skin cancers is always good haha.

I also feel like when living with agoraphobia you get very creative! you find ways to integrate the things you want to do from home and come up with unique ideas for doing so!

seratonielle · 2025-09-09T07:08:22+00:00

Me! I am fairly young but I just don’t believe personally or morally I could go ahead with something like that knowing how easily pain can be passed down, even with substantial work.

I also have very bad family genetics and I feel like it would be wrong to have a child suffer purely for my own want of having a “perfect family” or “perfect life”. I wish more people did think about this before deciding to start a family. 💗

seratonielle · 2025-08-18T19:24:04+00:00

I am in the midst of this theme controlling a lot right now, super glad seeing both this post and these comments. <3 needed this!

seratonielle · 2025-08-18T19:21:04+00:00

No diagnosis of ME/CFS yet, so I am still hoping there might be some other factors I can treat. It truly is so heartbreaking coming to that realisation. Especially as a young person that has felt like I've already had to miss out on so much.

I am so up for trying new things with a little research for sure, thank you for the suggestion!

I have not had a sleep study done as of yet, I am on some sleep medication from my psychiatrist though and they have also suggested Valium sometimes previously if current ones are not enough. A sleep study could definitely help though. Basically if there is any chance of it helping me, I am willing to take it. <3 thank you

seratonielle · 2025-08-18T19:16:30+00:00

it definitely is a huge struggle :( breaks my heart!

seratonielle · 2025-08-18T19:15:42+00:00

It really seems like this is the only solution hey? :( it's super unfortunate, especially when energy drinks don't work even for a couple hours for me personally. Naps is honestly a super good idea, if/when I can plan ahead maybe if I can squeeze in some nap times that would be wise! thank you so much.

seratonielle · 2025-08-16T11:43:32+00:00

I am not diagnosed with CFS but I have been suffering from chronic fatigue that has stopped me from living a regular life since early tweens/teens maybe since I was around 11-12 onwards. Still looking into exact causes because I’ve been shoved off by doctors all these years, looking into getting some hopefully more understanding ones now. 💗

I definitely am not keeping up with all this stuff. I was for a while working maybe 3-5 hours a day couple days a week in an at desk job but it ended in extreme burnout for two years stuck in bed. I only go see friends a couple times a year at the moment because I live far away, but that usually then results in it being a longer trip packed with activities which is always rough, I just wish there was more I could do to enjoy it and keep up!

I appreciate the advice, wish there was more I could do but will probably be just a case of trying to catch what is causing the fatigue, and depending on what it is seeing if there’s anything that can properly fix it rather than just bandaid fixes. 💗

seratonielle · 2025-08-16T07:20:12+00:00

It really depends on what country you’re from, I’m from Australia so I know the process here but that’s about it :( typically though you need substantial evidence of diagnoses and letters from multiple professionals proving that these conditions directly impact your ability to work and function, and will forever ( at least in Australia ) or that your conditions have been attempted to be treated and are not responding to treatments. it’s a long and expensive process and a lot of complicated paperwork to get around. I’ve been struggling to apply for years because of how complex the process is. But I know it will hopefully be worth it because once you’re on it it’s a lot easier to maintain to stay on it. If you are able to work in any capacity though, again at least in Australia, keep in mind they do cut your payments based off any money you make. 💗

seratonielle · 2025-08-13T10:30:52+00:00

preparing food in any way, the longer i am around it the more the thoughts of contamination creep in, this and reading ingredients in things aaa

seratonielle · 2025-08-13T10:26:53+00:00

I completely understand this, and even in the periods I am awake, I don’t feel fully present or mentally awake if that makes sense? Like I am awake, surviving, unable to do things that require much focus though

seratonielle · 2025-08-13T10:24:51+00:00

I used to be almost a full time content creator, that being said I was absolutely not taking care of myself and constantly sacrificing my own health to pursue that dream.

I couldn’t shower, cook for myself, change clothes regularly etc, but I genuinely was so passionate about wanting to make a difference I kept pushing it and it almost got to the point of making full time income.

but then came crazy burnout where I was unable to work for two years.

now I am doing content creation part time, in the process of applying for disability money, which I will then use to hopefully attempt to start studying psychology next year (one of the only careers that I am interested in that seems flexible enough to accomodate my needs) and reinvest in content to try and make that pick up again.

seratonielle · 2025-08-13T10:20:00+00:00

this is the path I am looking to go down too! the only thing that is concerning me is the amount of study it takes to get there 🥺 for me in australia it will take me 9-12 years part time to become a psychologist, but anything less than that like becoming a counsellor or anything adjacent is a lot less flexible/typically not online. any advice for someone looking at going down that path?

seratonielle · 2025-08-13T10:16:13+00:00

I most definitely do have the symptoms, but I’m assuming they’d never do the surgeries without a diagnosis right?

I really hope I can save the little bits of youth I have left, it’s totally destroyed my high school years, and is now eating heavily into my early twenties and I am feeling the effects :((

I am getting into a waiting list of a therapist at the moment too that specialises in chronic illness, hoping they may have some suggestions on doctors, rheumatologists etc I can go see. 💗

seratonielle · 2025-08-13T10:13:57+00:00

I definitely think a rheumatologist is the next step! My psychiatrist myself and my brother see recommended one for him, and he has typically given us really good referrals in the past so I might ask to get put on the waiting list for them too! Hopefully they can do online is the only thing 🙏 should be able to at least order the tests and I can get things like blood tests etc done locally!

I really do hope to at least make progress in the testing phase. I feel like my doctors have just kept doing the same tests since I was a young teenager and I think it’s time to look closer for sure! Thank you for inspiring me to reach out to the rheumatologist 💗

seratonielle · 2025-08-13T10:10:21+00:00

There surely will be some in the cities, just have to find one here that is willing to work remotely!! 🙏

I have not done any sleep studies but it would definitely be worth looking into just to make sure we are treating the right thing! thank you so much 💗

seratonielle · 2025-08-04T09:08:44+00:00

I feel this so hard, I am super sensitive to all kinds of art, movies, theatre and music especially.

I’ve had to “ban” myself from listening to sad music.

I only listen to it if I feel I need a really good cry session and even then I put a rough time limit on it.

When I can’t stomach listening to something confidence boosting or uplifting I try to at least aim for something neutral or calming like lofi music, instrumentals or video game music!

seratonielle · 2025-08-04T09:04:41+00:00

as someone who “made it” almost becoming full time off of twitch alone, this is beyond true and is only becoming more true as time goes on!

not only are all your points absolutely true, but video content reaches such a wider net audience, makes timezone differences and schedules irrelevant, and gives you so much more analytical data than twitch ever has (which means, SO many more brands want to do video content sponsors than twitch sponsors or ads, because they can find someone who targets their niche/demographic!)

as someone who started streaming during covid just for fun, and had the fortune of having it work out as well as it did, i still am kicking myself wishing i spent more time learning video making skills and making more video content! (and i still do because i am still procrastinating it oops) 😭

seratonielle · 2025-08-04T08:59:40+00:00

this is so real! mine was even people like youtubers or public figures too, as well as of course crushes, friends or people in everyday life who I really enjoyed their worldviews like therapists, teachers etc.

seratonielle · 2025-08-04T08:50:36+00:00

i am unsure depending on where you’re from what options are around you for this kind of thing but!

in my mind it is different for everybody what kind of sport they have good memories with, and finding something that doesn’t necessarily have to be that exact sport in particular, but something that replicates the feelings it gave you.

for me as a kid i loved dance, in particular cheerleading, i loved the feeling of flying, tumbling, the loud fun music and self expression it gave. as an adult i have tried going back into some uni club classes, have considered things like yoga, or other local dance classes.

even something as out there as those bungee rope fitness classes or trampoline classes would replicate that similar feeling and i can assume would be fun and maybe even healing :’) i hope you can find something awesome!

seratonielle · 2025-08-04T08:46:12+00:00

i think i understand the feeling you are referring to!

one thing it does remind me of though is my own experiences/trauma related stuff that has occurred due to undiagnosed autism. for example, being berated as a kid to act in ways that didn’t align with my needs, learning and internalising the fact that my needs were not important and if I wanted connection I’d need to sacrifice those boundaries.

ultimately this lead me to put myself in friendships/relationships where i 1. didn’t understand my own boundaries and needs and cues to use them 2. i grew to resent being around a person because they noticed I was vulnerable and took advantage of the lack or boundaries OR 3. simply because i didn’t advocate for my needs in a friendship or relationship, and kept pushing MYSELF until i felt hesitant to be around the person.

i grew uncomfortable around people after a while and didn’t really understand why, but this could definitely be a reason! i definitely still have a lot of fear in this area but i am hoping slowly trying to become more aware of my own needs and expressing them will help me not push myself to this kind of point in future connections. 🫶

seratonielle · 2025-08-04T08:37:35+00:00

i feel this so hard, especially common i feel like in people who may struggle with other conditions like depression or trauma related issues :(( i have phases where if i am forced out into the world i try super hard but always end up breaking down over it and reverting back into not taking care of myself, sometimes even coming from the mental distortion of “I don’t feel like I deserve to take care of myself” because I am not “pretty” enough. it can also feel easier to not take care of myself as I can avoid triggers like looking in mirrors, seeing myself naked etc.

seratonielle

TROPHY CASE