Watch Me Overcome My Agoraphobia | DAY 1-4

From severe agoraphobic to recovery with Claire Weekes' theory of gradual desensitization / ERP therapy! Agoraphobia is the fear of being in a situation where escape or getting help might be difficult. Being far away from home, being outside alone, taking public transport, going to movies, the grocery store, meetings, cinemas.. or anything else that's fun. It's a debilitating anxiety disorder often accompanied by panic disorder and depression.
Claire Weekes explains anxiety symptoms as merely normal symptoms of stress in a sensitized body. She defines sensitization as a state in which nerves are conditioned to react to stress in an exaggerated way; "that is, they bring unusually intense feelings when under stress, and at times with alarming swiftness." Severe sensitization produces the symptoms of anxiety: pounding heart, churning stomach, sweaty palms, pressure headaches and so forth. The more you worry about your symptoms, the more stress you put your mind and body under: and in turn it creates more illness.

[@ChickenAlliance]

I’m sobbing with you, because I see myself with you. It’s SO agonizing. It’s living hell. Panic attacks is living through the pain of death. My panic disorder lies in car rides. Watching you ride that bus is inspiring me. ❤

[@thebigscreentheory]

Spot-on! 😭 You really get it. That's exactly what it is. At one point I was like "there is no way this pain/fear is worse than death itself, so why not rather die? I hope it kills me." Thank you for your kind words ❤️ Sending you so much love

[@ChickenAlliance]

@@thebigscreentheory you gave me so much courage and hope watching your vlogs! I have since gone on my first four car rides in a year thanks to you a Claire Weekes! 🫶🏻💕

[@thebigscreentheory]

Omg! Thank you, and I am so proud of you 🥺❤️

[@jaddison1112]

Your gradual exposure "therapy" is what started from being afraid to leave my house. Give yourself Permission to feel you must do a certain thing today. There is always tomorrow. The more times you do something, gradually you have less anxiety. Journaling is great as you can later read and see progress. I started have serious panic in 1968 attacks in college. For me anxiety and depression got worse for years after that. Fast forward a number of years, I slowly got better with years of exposures. I gradually was a substitute teacher for 30 years! Sometimes anxiety still lurks, but I can move on, I've also taken new meds not invented in 1968, that helped much. I'm now 73 years old. ~ Don't judge yourself or beat yourself up. Celebrate every success.

[@alexandermatthewsmusic]

Very well done! Most people have no comprehension on how hard it is having anxiety on that level... I have some idea with the problems I have and have had in the past so again we'll done... I hope your recovery blooms 😊

[@thebigscreentheory]

People can only begin to imagine, ahaha! Agoraphobia is so REAL. Like a psychical wall. Thank you!

[@CandacePandaceYT]

Crying because it's like I'm watching myself everytime you are having anxiety and panic in the video 😭 Thank you so much for being vulnerable and sharing this part of your life because this feels so isolating. Seeing other people who know exactly what I'm feeling and watching them overcome it little by little is so encouraging! I feel like I'm never going to get out of this 😭

[@thebigscreentheory]

Omg, sending you so much love

[@Bekahhhxo]

I also have agoraphobia and have been doing exposure therapy.. Its the HARDEST thing :( I have a concert tomorrow night and i keep having panic attacks and its not even happening yet. Just want to feel normal again >.< Im so proud of you for pushing through it all

[@thebigscreentheory]

Exposure therapy and recovering from severe agoraphobia/panic is the hardest thing we ever have to do. But it works like magic! Eventually things get easier, the body feels better and more relaxed. The mind is the moment again, in a state of flow. The difference is like night and day. Wow, a concert! How exciting! It's gonna be really nice, imagine the live music. Hopefully by a artist you really like? We've got this!

[@Kane6676]

I have pretty bad anxiety before any concert but once I’m there and the band starts, I’m fine. Oddly I never learn, will have the pre concert anxiety every time

[@thebigscreentheory]

Ohh that's understandable. I am the same with rehearsals. I'll be so anxious before we get started, but I am almost always fine by the time we get started

[@danielacanto613]

Hi there. Congratulations on taking big steps in taking the bus 👏👏 that's awesome. I hope I can overcome 13 years of going nowhere. I used to love going to the beach,work, movie cenamas. I want to achieve my goals In life. My medicine didn't work but I want to try exposure therapy. I have tried before but could not even get on. I'm working on gaining some confidence. I miss my independence. I'm 40 years old . And had not had a life In a long while.

[@thebigscreentheory]

Hi, thank you so much. I really hope the best for you too. You'll get your life back, just keep going steadily onwards. Consistency is better than giant leaps. Medication didn't work on me neither. Maybe this video can help: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZfWaph6j5x-hpY ?

[@danielacanto613]

@@thebigscreentheory thank you Soo much. ♥️🙏

[@JenniferJess]

I relate to you so much. I just read Claire Weekes book and it truly was life changing. I have to keep reminding myself to go out and do things. We got this, but man is it hard 😅

[@pjprevite3021]

How's it going

[@thebigscreentheory]

We got this!!

[@thebigscreentheory]

I am doing so much better at least :)

[@JenniferJess]

@@pjprevite3021 I’m doing SO much better. I’ve done a bunch of research on anxiety and found many sources that have helped me. It definitely all started with the Claire weekes book. I just remind myself that healing is not linear and it’s okay to still have anxious days. But the anxious days I have now are much more mild. 💜

[@JenniferJess]

@@thebigscreentheory I’m so glad!

[@azuulinggg]

I'm 17 years old and struggle with agoraphobia severely. It's so hard for me, to watch all my peers get a life when i can hardly walk outside the house. im really going to get better, i cant stand it anymore.

[@thebigscreentheory]

I get it, it's isolating and frustrating. I relapsed when I was 17, and didn't understand how to get better. I really tried, but with the wrong approach. This time it helped. Agoraphobia is not forever!

[@momad8233]

Omg. I was searching youtube and im so glad i came across tiur videos. Ive been dealing with anxiety and agoraphonia the oast 4 years. Was doing soo well the laat 6 months, then all.of a sudden everything came back with a bang, and feel like im back to square one, relearning everything. I can feel your pain as if im right there, cause i know exactly how it is. I cant for walks anymore, used to love them. I need to take my car. Forget the bus cause theres no way im taking a bus anywhere. Forcing myself to get back to the gym, my happy place, but its soo difficult. Just wanted to say im grateful to have come across your story and just finished day 1-4. Im hoping i can get over this finally and feel at oeace with myself and hoy and happiness and content instead of fear, resentment, avoidance, angry, exhausted, tired. Thank you

[@thebigscreentheory]

I am so sorry you have to go through this. Relapses are so devastating and agoraphobia is so incredibly debilitating. Sending you so much love. I struggled for two decades and this method helped me, so please keep believing in a better future

[@jaddison1112]

I hope you are much better, but getting over anxiety if you had panic for a long time takes gradual exposure. At 18 years old my panic and depression started. Then I was housebound for a number of years. I slowly used real life exposure to get better. I'm retired now at 73. Later in life became a public-school substitute teacher for 30 years. All that recovery from a point where I was afraid to leave my house, or sometimes my bedroom. Later on, meds (Paxil) helped me too. None of those kinds of drugs were "invented" in 1968, they came later, and helped me much. The point is to keep trying and give yourself grace if every exposure is not "perfect". Tomorrow is another day to try again.

[@thebigscreentheory]

Thank you so much!

[@bloopagaloota3961]

I'm just finding these videos. I've been agoraphobic since 14 and am now 34. I dealt with it just fine until i got into an emotionally abusive relationship then it got really bad!! Except i got a double whammy in that i can't be alone either. I'm really hoping for recovery because i can't live like this. I have not ridden out a panic attack by myself before and i think that's the biggest thing stopping me.

[@thebigscreentheory]

Hi! I am so glad you're coming across these videos. I have also had severe agoraphobia for almost two decades, and it's NOT a life. I bet you became traumatized from that relationship, and so the trauma bond created even worse symptoms in the agoraphobia and co-dependency. I relate so much. Yes, the absolute clue here is to ride it out by yourself. Don't call anyone, message anyone, make escape plans.. just sit in it. I recommend you check out Claire Weekes on Audiable: Hope & Help for your nerves Freedom from Nervous Suffering and I also talk a lot about it in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZfWaph6j5x-hpY Sending you so much love and strength

[@bloopagaloota3961]

@@thebigscreentheory thank you so so much!!

[@curtisbemis6640]

I have this issue , anytime I leave my house ans my dog I can't stop thinking about the worst things happening. . And it's there till I get home . Just panic ridden I hate leaving my comfort zone it's something I am not use to being . I use to fly from one country to the other on a whim

[@thebigscreentheory]

It's not gonna be like that forever. Sending you lots of strength!

[@Janellemarieadams678]

Great job! You didn’t let it get the best of you. Keep up the progress and attitude and you’ll be on your way to 100% recovery. I’m taking a plane in two days and I’m having some anticipatory anxiety, but it’ll be okay.

[@thebigscreentheory]

Thank you so much

[@barbaraadams4751]

I was like this young girl I shook like a jelly when I shut my front door and I read Claire weeks boothey got me going outside and shopping and leading a normal life thank Got,

[@seanr521]

Thats great. great inspiration for others to see someone tackling a problem step by step. Keep going ❤

[@ailithic5448]

Mhh Still struggling everyday myself... so, inspiration and ideas for ways to help are extremely appreciated. Honestly though I feel EVEN WORSE thinking about the people at the begging of this journey, because without help and someone who knows something.. its going to take them years, and that breaks my heart. ❤❤

[@thebigscreentheory]

That breaks my heart too! Imagine no one ever commented on my video and told me about Claire Weekes. There was no one who could help me, and then all I needed was just the voice of this lovely woman!

[@jamieperham3444]

Well done. Its differently very difficult at the beginning. But all that hard work pays off 💪

[@thebigscreentheory]

Thank you. It really pays off after a while :)

[@jamieperham3444]

I was really bad last year, I couldn't leave the house but a year on I'm back in work etc. Still having ups and down especially after stressful periods but I'm so great full to be where I am at the moment. I tried everything and nothing worked until I found Dr claire weekes method 🙏🙏

[@thebigscreentheory]

I am so so proud of you!

[@dissuade81]

Yay! Your growth is giving me life!

[@thebigscreentheory]

Thank you!!

[@marcelalbrecht1711]

You re doing good👍 keep on going

[@AndrewBerry-so3jw]

You're doing really well Keep going

[@thebigscreentheory]

Thank you so much

[@charles-antoinebedard]

You give me hope, thank you for doing this.

[@thebigscreentheory]

Thank you so much, that is what I wish with these videos

[@sonydesrosiers]

I have been agoraphobic for 43 years. Can you imagine?

[@Montana646]

Have you tried any treatment? I’m hoping you can make your 44th birthday the year you go out!! We got this 💞

[@thebigscreentheory]

I was agoraphobic for two decades, so I can only imagine four! I am so sorry you have to go through this. Have you listened to Claire Weekes audiobooks?

[@brandonwilson7429]

Im like trying to make it to my mailbox but good ol agoraphobia..

[@jaddison1112]

I was there years ago. Exposure therapy does work. There is no shame in this condition, be kind to yourself, but make small goals, break a task into baby steps. Sometimes just try to relax and imagine every step it will take to get to your goal. Trying things slowly and gradually is the best method. Don't put pressure on yourself or beat yourself up either. Give yourself permission to retreat to a safer place if anxiety gets too high. But then, try again at a time of your choosing. Small goals will eventually lead to bigger steps. But always take your time and make the exposure steps small at first. Also remember, anticipation of something bad happening is usually worse than what you imagine in your head. ~ Peace and grace to you.

[@michellebradley63]

What did you listen to?

[@macyraeleonard2601]

What is the pack you put on your chest? Is it a warm or cold pack?

[@thebigscreentheory]

It's cold, frozen. I used frozen bags of peas before, but a friend got me the watermelon instead so I can re-freeze as much as I want to. It's to regulate the Vagus Nerve

[@nmash6835]

What about when you have nerve pain that are uncomfortable

[@thebigscreentheory]

Do you struggle with that?

[@riyadulley4798]

Can you provide us all the audio record of claire weekes plzzz

[@thebigscreentheory]

I can only provide it in limited clips due to copyright :( But they are both available on Audible and if you're smart you can get them for free by testing out their their trial subscription. Hope you figure it out

[@Ohkeh640]

Are you on meds I have anxiety during the day at home and insomnia so getting meds sorted

[@thebigscreentheory]

In this video I am not on anything other than antipsychotics and melatonin for sleep, but I had come off 2 antidepressants and tranquilizers. Sending you lots of good vibes!

[@Cshaira]

i am crying... experiencing the same but im a mom.

[@thebigscreentheory]

I am sending you so much love

[@emilycambell5505]

I am the same I am also a 31 year old mum.The mum guilt is crazy

[@thebigscreentheory]

Sending you lots of love

[@pjprevite3021]

how you doing now

[@thebigscreentheory]

SO much better

[@SUZUKI-ym4wd]

👍

[@Thecamposoltrue]

But you looks like you walk very good in the street….

[@thebigscreentheory]

I was struggling, I am masking for my dear life..

[@Thecamposoltrue]

@@thebigscreentheory I can not walk like you in big cities so I don’t understand how you can do it…what did you do?

[@danielacanto613]

Hi there. Congratulations on taking big steps in taking the bus 👏👏 that's awesome. I hope I can overcome 13 years of going nowhere. I used to love going to the beach,work, movie cenamas. I want to achieve my goals In life. My medicine didn't work but I want to try exposure therapy. I have tried before but could not even get on. I'm working on gaining some confidence. I miss my independence. I'm 40 years old . And had not had a life In a long while.