Your advice taken

I spoke to the psychiatrist, he telephoned me. I explained fully, he said well leaving your house, crossing the bridge coming to X X ward in the hospital will be an excellent start to recovery .

There would be sod all else to recover from.

And I cannot believe in 2018 with the supposed understanding of mental health problems anyone would ask an agoraphobic ‘ what are you afraid of ‘

Baggs, I have no idea why they treat under 65’s in the town but over 65’s in the hospital ten miles away, they just do.

Thank you all again for you kindness x

Stupid, stupid man! Are you sure he’s a psychiatrist? Are they sending a car and someone to help you leave the house? If not how the hell are you expected to get there? If they can be persuaded to send a SW or such to help you get out of the house, they’ll be able to see that you can’t!

I do think it’s time to contact your local Labour Party, councillors, Priest, Pastor, MP, Jeremy Hunt, newspaper, BBC (You and Yours) or anyone you can think of who may be able to kick up a bit of a stink. How many others are there like you who’re being pushed to one side and forgotten?

He sounds a lazy, good for nothing toe-rag taking money for doing as little as possible. So many people can’t get out for one reason or another and need home visits. I just don’t believe it!

You are going to have to be strong and find a coping mechanism because it seems unlikely that they will change their routines to accommodate you.
Good luck.

I had a run in with him last year, haven’t the energy for another . Little wonder the suicide rate is high.

Powys is a large county, we only have one mental health ward for the county. Think twenty beds. That’s 10 miles away, We have x x ward here in the small hospital, the local mental health team have a house here for the under 65’s

If in need of a hospital for physical health we have to go to one of two hospitals, one in Glamorganshire and one in Momouthshire. People in the north of the county have to go to Shropshire, so a mess really.

Well I tried ? I will work out my own recovery programme, I was involved with the drop in centre for people with mental health problems for years untill it closed in 2017.

The psychiatrist obviously believes in ‘flooding’ not gradual exposure treatment.

Imagine a phobia of spiders, flooding would mean putting you in direct contact with them , gradual exposure would start with photographs and working from there.

Anyway. Thank you for the kind words X

I think your problem is that you’re an articulate, intelligent woman. And you probably do know as well - if not better by the sound of it - how to get over it. I think he’s afraid of you!

Methinks ‘flooding’ is not for you. Can you go out into the front garden?

Nfk, you are right, flooding is not for me, it does at times work but when it fails it causes more problems. In the drop in centre I supported several agoraphobics. In fairness to the NHS they cannot give the support for gradual exposure, it is time consuming.

Going into the garden has now become difficult, the big problem with this illness is it moves forward whilst the sufferer moves back, if this makes sense? It has to be fought and it hit me when I was in deep grief and didn’t have the energy to fight back, because of ‘the bridge’ and fear of meeting one of my sisters I retreated into the house, suddenly I was phobic. Now fear opening the front door!

So I have worked out my own gradual exposure plan, I need to boost my self confidence which has been squashed following my darling daughters sucide. I need a goal ?.

Sitting just into the garden in the sun with a book and a dog? And a big hat. A big hat always helps I’m told!

It's fairly clear from your account of the phone call with the psychiatrist that he is not going to do you any good. You don't trust him and that would be a bad start. You obviously have an insight into your own situation and your plan for gradual exposure is far more likely to be effective than the tunnel vision of that psychiatrist who seems more likely to treat you as a 'case' than as a person. Is there a possibility of your seeing a well qualified counsellor or therapist? It might be worthwhile asking your GP if such help exists. Good luck with your plan.

Got several big hats because of prickly heat.

No therapist here available on the NHS, can’t afford private.

Let’s laugh at this, my plan ?

Step 1. Do not wait for darkness to put milk bottles outside front door, do it early evening .

Step 2. Sit just inside front door, with door open ! as soon as it’s comfortable place chair just outside front door .

Step 3. Place garden pot containing Rock Rose closer to back door, my darling daughter bought it for me , water and feed it myself, do not allow the gardener to touch it, have to venture into garden to tend it.

these will be done within the week. ?

Yes sad I know !

Not sad annie, sensible. If something seems too hard in the event look at it as information gained and try to find an alternative, it’s not failure if it’s an experiment. Best to repeat each individual step until it’s truly easy before moving on. Good luck. Be good to hear how it works out.

It's good to have a plan Annie

Annie good luck and please keep posted so we support you all the way.

Annie I think that's a really good plan
Now, I know you dislike swearing, so I will have to ask you to forgive me, but I have to say that psychiatrist is a total arse

Annie, a young friend of mine is going through a not dissimilar situation to yours, with the added complication that she has a young family to care for single-handed. She is also battling agoraphobia although she has to go out to work, as the only breadwinner.

She has spoken of 'pushing back the walls' that threaten to close in on her with a plan to gradually reintegrate herself back into life. Your plan sounds similar, you've got a clear view of what you need to do to remedy the situation and maybe we can hand-hold you through cyberspace to overcome this obstacle.

Imagine a phobia of spiders, flooding would mean putting you in direct contact with them , gradual exposure would start with photographs and working from there
I've not heard of that approach to dealing with a phobia - the man is an idiot.

I think your own approach sounds much more sensible Anniebach

Flooding can work but when it fails it causes even more problems. I feel a bit thick having supported several through the same problem not taking the advice I dished out!

Sue, your young friend is right, I use to advise phobics, it does at times seem like swimming against the tide but the tide always turns.

Thank you all so much, I am so grateful . X

Yes NanaK, you are so right, I don’t like swearing and he is a total arse ?

Good luck Annie. Hope to hear you’re tending that rose by Friday, then you have the weekend to consolidate. The big hat idea apparently helps as its like having your own roof with you with invisible defence walls. This was from an agrophobic I knew from work. I never met her but we had long phone talks.

He's not fit for purpose.

Surely he is too professional to be annoyed with the disagreement I had with him in January, yes?

I would have thought so, he does sound rather intransigent which is surely not a good trait in a psychiatrist?

Could you see a therapist or psychologist as another poster suggested?

therapy by skype?

No point in seeing a therapist, if I had suddenly been hit with anxiety and didn’t know why then yes, but I chose at first not to leave the house so no reason to look for a cause , I know why I didn’t want to leave and it was not being phobic , thank you though x

I like your plan, annie. It sounds like a very good one to me. Sending supportive vibes ?

Thank you Baggs.

A good start yesterday, put milk bottles out early evening, was so anxious about doing it before dark I forgot - milkman doesn’t deliver on Wednesday