r/Advice•
tml992

How Do I Stop Living This Nightmare?

First off, I want to say that over the years, I have been diagnosed with Panic Disorder, Agoraphobia, ADD, Depression, Anxiety, and Asperger's Syndrome (However I think the diagnosis with Asperger's was misdiagnosed). My therapist has also said to me that she is suspicious that I have PTSD. Ever since I was child growing up, I have always felt that there has been something wrong with me. I would observe other people my age (and still do to this day) and see how their behavior, freedom, and appearance would be different than mine. I always felt like the person that would finish last. For example, a good chunk of people my age have moved out, got married, have jobs, and so on while I still live with my parents, haven't got my degree yet, can't hold a job (I am 23), still rely on my parents driving me places and can’t be left alone from my parents in public. Growing up, I would feel very hypersensitive with all my 5 senses. For example, some people can't feel an ant crawling on their skin while with me, I can feel every tiny little leg perform movement on my skin. I also remember growing up that I would have extreme anger, anxiety, and depression. I remember how if a Lego piece didn't fit on the model that I was building, that toy would turn into missile flying across the room and explode into a million Lego pieces. I also remember that I would start crying from things that most children wouldn't find upsetting such as sad sounding music. I also remember that I would have severe panic attacks at just the thought of any sort of life threatening health condition that might occur (and still do to this day). I have also had a few head injuries growing up from running out of the bath tub at age 2 and slipping, having a shelf one time fall on top of my head, and running under playground equipment while not ducking down enough resulting in splitting my head. Surprisingly none of the doctors think none of the injuries have caused any set backs but of course I have never received an MRI brain scan to confirm their conclusions. My parents believe the reason I feel so shitty is because of the vaccines I received when I was younger. I'm not sure if that is the case but I feel that there is a possibility. I have also had a lot of traumatic experiences growing up from medical emergencies with me to bullying. Before my life really turned into a hell hole, It was the beginning of 2011 and I actually felt my life was going in the right direction. I had a super cute girlfriend, I was learning to drive, and had lots of great friends. I practically felt almost invincible. However, I did have the occasional panic attack which I attribute to both consuming a lot of caffeine back then and past trauma. I would sometimes have a coffee and a large water glass full of Dr. Pepper sometimes in the same day. I remember occasionally I would feel super tense but I thought it was normal. After all I was told when you are a teenager, you body changes and sometimes you might feel funny. I remember around February or March in 2011, that was when my life took a big hit. I remember had 3 really severe panic attacks on 3 different days. Once at home, at a Wal-Mart, and at my high school's basketball game. I remember after those 3 days I can say that was when I really began to have severe agoraphobia. I felt like I became afraid of everything. Being taxis, trains, elevators, big stores, being surrounded by crowds, etc. It also got so bad that the summer of 2011, I spent it inside of my home because I was so terrified to leave because every time I went out, I would get a really bad panic attack. Since then, I have received adjustments in medication, cognitive behavioral therapy and so on. I also got on and off episodes of really severe depersonalization. I had depersonalization sometimes growing up but back in 2011, I had it almost everyday. Due to how bad my agoraphobia was in 2011, I had to give up driving and wouldn't get my license until the end of 2014 (at age 20). Even though I now have my license, I terrified to even drive outside of my neighborhood and feel that my mind is too impulsive to drive safely. In 2012, I actually developed heart palpitations from the constant anxiety that I would have everyday. Thankfully my doctors said nothing was wrong, told me to take magnesium supplements, and the palpitations went away. I graduated high school in 2013 and started college but never finished. I dropped out of college in March 2015 (but went back in August 2016). I only took classes online because I was so terrified being on campus. Back then and now in college I would barely make C’s. I would try every thing from tutoring to Youtube videos to help me understand my classes and nothing worked. The only reason I haven’t ended up on academic probation is that I cheated every single class I took so I could pass. Some classes I can’t even take (such as pre algebra) because there aren’t any good websites online to help me cheat. Unfortunately I wouldn't get my first job until the end of 2015. Surprisingly after I got my first job, my anxiety started show some improvement. I was able to drive from home to my job (my job was a 3 minute drive) and I was able to be left alone places without my parents being close by. However in the beginning of 2016, I had a really severe panic attack on night driving home and almost got into a car crash at night (the person’s bumper was only 2 inches away from my passenger door!). Shortly after, someone got really sick at my job and the paramedics came while my verbally abusive store manager and a customer were both yelling at me for not working well during an excessively long line. Combined with the anxiety from the store manager, line, customer, and the paramedics (since I’m terrified of paramedics) I had a really severe panic attack. After that, I would have a panic attack everyday at my job and was scared every time I was behind the wheel. It got so bad, my mom would have to sit outside of my job the whole time until my shifts were over and she would have to drive me everywhere again. My psychiatrist gave propranolol and unfortunately did not make even the slightest difference with my anxiety. My heart palpitations came back and I developed really bad indegestion. It got so bad, I skipped meals because every time I ate, my symptoms got worse. I also couldn’t speak because my stomach would hurt so much. I also got constipation everyday. My parents told me I had to go to the doctor. because it was so bad. My doctor pretty much said it was due to work related stress and gave me famotidine. After a few days of taking the medication and not working, my symptoms went away. Once I went back to my job, all my symptoms came back in an instant. It was like I never took the medication! I remember one day, I had such a bad panic attack at my job, I felt some sort of rush shoot up my spine and then my heart felt funny, got tunnel vision and felt like I turned into the Incredible Hulk and Sonic The Hedgehog at the same time! It was scary! The final blow that made me quit my job was one day, I had such bad anxiety, my throat felt like it closed up for 5- 10 seconds. I couldn’t speak, or breath and my mouth would only let me make awkward movements. After I quit, my mom said to me how she was worried if I would be able to ever hold a job again. Once I quit in April 2017, my life since then and now felt like it has been during 2013 (after finishing high school) and 2014. Everyday I sit home by myself all day while my parents work. Every day feels the same. I only go for walks in the neighborhood when my parents are away when I leave the house since I too scared too leave the neighborhood without my parents. Thankfully I can go to stores and different places but my parents coming with me is a requirement. Now in 2018, I can say that my agoraphobia isn't as bad as it was 7 years ago. However, I feel that there is very little hope for me being able to live a normal life. I feel like someone with low functioning autism (not literally). They grow up having all these problems but when they're older (after receiving the right help of course) they have improved but will never be able take care for themselves, have a family, hold a job and so on. I had cognitive behavioral therapy from September 2011 to December 2013. I have stopped because it was making little to no change with my anxiety. I started take Somatic Experiencing therapy in January 2014 and still take it today and have also started Feldin Krais in October of 2014. All the different therapies treatments I have helped me to some degree but haven’t made any life impacting differences. All lot of people say that my biggest problem is that I have too many negative thoughts. Even though I do agree my thoughts are mostly negative. My issue goes much further than just thoughts. Everyone has negative thoughts at once everyday (at least that’s what I assume) and don’t go into really severe panic attacks out in public. My biggest issue in my opinion, is my body and mind’s sensitivity. I honestly don’t know how long I can continue living like this. I am getting older everyday while I’m watching everyone else my age pass me by in life while I just suffer with the same problems everyday. I feel like I have tried everything and nothing has worked. I really wish I could commit suicide but I’m also too scared to do that too. Every time I hear when a friend of mine moves out, gets engaged, etc. I just start to cry so much because I feel so far behind in life and feel like a gigantic loser. I’ve probably cried at least 2 times writing this. When friends want to do stuff with me, I always either invite them to my house or when they invite me some place, I make up an excuse not to go since I don’t want them to see my parents following me. I also haven't had a girlfriend for 7 years either. I also feel so intimidated around other girls now because I don't know how to get a girlfriend, what to say to them and I've been rejected a lot more times in life than have been accepted. I honestly believe that if someone were in my shoes, they would have committed suicide a long time ago. I don't know what needs to be done, but I can't continue to live life like this. My life it isn't a gift. It's a curse.

Posted Mar 12, 2018, 9:38 PM UTC

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