Agoraphobia, Anxiety and Panic Attacks

Hi William!

To answer your first question…

A phobia is a fear of a fear; such as the fear of the clamminess, the heart palpitations, etc.  But mostly just a fear of a memory; something that happened in the past.  Usually people may remember the event that caused the phobia but they just don’t relate it to the cause or it as having significant effect.

As you alluded, phobics work to control the phobia, quite often, with coping techniques like desensitization techniques.

So, is agoraphobia a phobia or a fear?  Well, a phobia is a fear, so it's difficult to answer that question per se.  The key here is to realize that there are fears involved, yes, and they are usually immersed in the sub with emotions, so the CT is the best solution as you approach this type of issue.

Now, you also mentioned, “I related all those panic attacks to leaving the safety of my home where I tried hard to manage my anxiety withdrawals…”; there is a trigger in there somewhere and it behooves you to fine the cause… find the source of the conclusion by the sub that leaving the home is dangerous.  These are based upon memories… most likely experiences and so that's why we are usually looking for the memories that contribute to the issue.

Usually, a panic attack is a mutation of the phobia… not consciously connected to anything.  This is what makes dealing with PA's so difficult as you could say they are “more” hidden from our consciousness.

You mentioned suffering Agoraphobia after the introduction of the meds in 1985, but you did not talk about why you were prescribed meds in the first place.

You're second question…

I would begin with the PA's and work with the CT's as Tim prescribes and that means asking the questions:

• “When was the last PA I remember?”
• “When was the one before that… the one before that… etc.?”
• “When was the first time I remember having a PA?”

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Make a list and then begin using the CT on each and every one.  If you can associate a feeling with the memory of each one, be sure to focus during the CT on both the feelings and the memory.  Be sure to follow the instructions in the Panic Attack Special as a part of the free Basic Package.

The instructions state, “Work with memories, not JUST feelings.  Tim does NOT recommend that you work with only memories and no feelings.  There may not be feelings and that's ok, work on the memories,  But, if you can work with both, all the better.

Be sure to search around some of these periods or events in your memories: being prescribed med and event leading up to that diagnosis prior to 1985 and the withdrawal episodes when going off the meds (dying with hyperventilating and very frightening anxiety attacks).

Back to the agoraphobia… that would be a separate strategy as you work with that fear in the standard ways of using PSTEC.  In the case of a fear, there may be emotional as well as belief and behavior issues, in which case the use of PSTEC Positive would be the tool of the day.

This issue can be quite complex, so if you desire to work with someone, check the PSTEC Registry for someone that can help you.  Do not let geography get in the way as this work can be done, quite often, over the phone.

Aloha!

Jeff

Hey William,

Well, good job on allowing that info to come forth… writing is the doing part of thinking.

There are several memories and even imagined events for you to use with the CT, EEF and ATT.  So get to it my good man!  I segregated them as far as I can “see” them via this discussion… this is a little less specific because we are not working together on this, but if the memories and there, might as well neutralize them…

• Having served in the British Army during the 70s… there is a source of “non-JEEP” memories right there… I witnessed and had some not so good moments in the Army…
• I realised I was not going to just fall into the job… when did you realize this?  What moment do you remember this dawning upon you?
• …took anything whilst I searched … what are you memories of the search and how did you feel in taking something you, perhaps, didn't really want?
• I remember thinking I could see no end to this working in factories and dead-end jobs.
• I am a thinker – maybe that is part of my problem –  … this maybe more of a belief issue.
• I could never be a robot on doing the same thing day in, day out…although I was for 5 years… how does it feel to have been doing that?  How is that 5 years represented?  Maybe a recurring vision/image… also what were the worst experiences during this time?
• I had no one to turn to and was too proud to tell my then wife…
• …in my vulnerable state… what is the evidence of this… how is that represented in your mind?
• I do remember at the age of 13 having my first panic attack after thinking of my own mortality and soon forgot it…
• …the fact I was being bullied at school had much to do with that episode.
• … a traumatic birth with the chord around my neck and being pushed back up the birth canal with forceps … this may be an imagined event, that's ok, just go with your representation of it and the feelings they invoke…
• and my Mother telling me she thought she passed her fear onto me.

  This one is not an issue, but an answer to your statement… “I don't expect you to have all the answers”… no, I don't… ah, but you do… The Answer is all in there for you!

[/list]Plenty of grist for the PSTEC Mill there!

Aloha!

Jeff