CALIFORNIA HERE I COME!

Hello Everyone, another week over. I am not going to talk about the Forex this week I know your tired of hearing about that.
Lets talk about Agoraphobia instead. Guess what!  I am flying to California on Wed..

Now most Agoraphobics can not do that! I couldn't either until about four years ago.The reason I can now fly is  because  I had prisms put into my glasses and lost 80% of my symptoms. The big symptom was being dizzy. I would have been too dizzy to walk through the airport to even get on the plane.

If you read my story you know how I lived my life before and how I live it now. I am on a one man campaign to bring this cure to all the Agoraphobics and anxiety people out there. One person at a time. Even if they don't want it and feel they don't need it.

By now if you have read my story and posts you should have been at the optometrists.  Even if it's hard to get out the door. Just go to the nearest eye doctor. Maybe Pearl Vision, or any of the walk right in places. Ask them to test for hyperphoria. If you are just one diaopter off it will effect your life in some manner. After that  send me a comment and we will work together to get you well.
If you could get 80% of your old life back wouldn't that be good? This condition runs in family and is inherited.

Talk to you next week or sooner.

Yolanda

I would like to correct this statement about going to a place like Pearl Vision.  They probably won't be able to test you for hyperphoria. Their methods are so crude that you will not get a right reading. Sorry! You really have to go to  www.vsofm.com and talk to Dr. Debbie or someone there. They are really nice so don't be afraid, tell them Yolanda sent you.

FOR ALL OF YOU WHO NEED A HUG

FOR ALL OF YOU WHO NEED A HUG.

AGORAPHOBIA AND EXCUSES

Hi everyone another
Fri. and almost another month.
Neck troubles are under some control but a long term fix is really needed.

What have you all been up to this last week? I need some feedback.

I thought I would bring up the subject of personality. Did you know that being Agoraphobic changes your personality? I know it did mine. I viewed the world and people out of my Agoraphobic eyes. I saw the world and people according to how disabled I was.

 My conversations might go something like this. I don't go to movies because they are full of four letter words. Or they are full of sex scenes. All of this might be true but the real reason was I couldn't leave my house to go to a movie and if for some strange reason I did I had to sit in the back row or I would panic and wouldn't enjoy the movie anyhow.

Or maybe it is restaurants. The reason would be the food isn't any good or I would rather eat healthy at home. Agoraphobia was always speaking for me, I had no other voice.

I never felt like part of the group in a conversation, I felt like a listener. After loosing 80% of my symptoms things started to change. I became really interested in what people were saying because now I was not concentrating on my symptoms. I could sit and listen and enjoy what I was listening to.

I had an interesting thing happen to me tonight. I was invited to a girl get together tonight. The invitation came last week. My first thought was I am not going.! I still have trouble driving and I would have to drive at night. In my mind I had two good reason for not going. Not only that but I felt I was justified in not going because of these reasons. I spend the whole week saying " I am not going" and then I would say "well maybe I should go anyway" as it turned out I went. I didn't like driving in the dark but I was glad I made the effort. Also it has been about 7 months since the last time I drove. My husband and I go everywhere together so I don't have to. Even thought I had a legitimate reason for not going, sometimes we have to challenge ourselves. The drive was about 3 miles but that can feel like ten to an Agoraphobic. I think driving is like riding a bicycle you never forget.
That is it for this week, I will be back with another I hope interesting topic. I am getting tired of talking about me let's talk about you. Where are you in your Agoraphobic journey? Let's talk.

Remember it's not in your head but in your eyes!
Yolanda                                                                                      

ON A SEROTONIN HUNT

 My neck  pain persists will have to go to the chiropractor until my appointment in Michigan.

Went to the block party last Sat. We had a good time. Met a lot of new people and they were very nice. The big thing was I went. Happy with myself because I did that.

What do you think of the chemical imbalance in the brain theory for our agoraphobia? This was brought up in a conversation today and it really got me to thinking. They say that it somehow interferes with the serotonin levels.

This was what I was told and read forty years ago. I found out of course this wasn't true. Have you ever had your serotonin levels checked? I never did. Yours truly is  going on a big search to see what this is all about. I will get back to you with my findings. I have a feeling it is just as bogus as everything else we have been told about agoraphobia.

Will talk to you soon. Remember it's in the eyes.

Yolanda

SLEEP APNEA

Neck pain persists.

I  am getting used to my sleep apnea machine, but it's not easy. I keep having to tape my mouth shut so that I don't get dry mouth. I can't find the right tape. I am thinking of getting a full face mask, but I am sleeping better and feel more rested in the morning
.
Went shopping with my girlfriend (hubby) last week. I had a good time buying clothes (my most favorite thing to do) at Ross's. Took 3/4 of a Xanax a little more than I usually do. I really felt relaxed and in the normal mood.

Since I have dropped a lot of my symptoms, a new thing I have noticed is that I am more out going and friendly. I now view people as if I am one of them and not different. We moved about a year ago and last Sat. we went to a party at our old neighborhood. It was really enjoyable. There was no dizzy feelings, no panic, no anxiety. I took my usual 1/2 of a .05 Xanax before I went
.
Also had a couple over on Tues. friends from over 40 years ago. We talked and went to a restaurant for lunch same thing very comfortable and don't really think about having agoraphobia anymore. I am seeing myself as not being agoraphobic rather as having agoraphobia.

 This afternoon we are going to a neighborhood block party with neighbor's we have never met before.  We just moved here a year ago. Will let you know how that goes.

But my biggie, going out and driving somewhere didn't happen. MY excuse for this is always the same the Forex. As I told you it is a 24 hour market and I am always involved in it. But since my new strategy I have more free time. I need to get a different mind set. I have been trading the market for 5 years now so I have to change some of the things I do. It's hard to make yourself do things you feel uncomfortable doing. Remember life should not be uncomfortable. Sometimes in certain situations it has to be but don't make this the norm. It's not like I really have to drive to be able to live. You know how I totally disagree with retraining your brain to do things that you will never be able to do. (Read my story)

I hope you all have by now read some of my postings and have been to the eye doctor or at least checked it out on the net.

 I belong to a group on the net called MD Junction. The people that post on there are the nicest people! I have tried to tell them my story but no one is buying it. Except 1 person. She is getting the help she needs with prism glasses. Waiting on results. The postings on there are so sad and funny I go between crying and laughing.

That's all for this week will talk to you again next week. Remember it's all in your eyes.

Yolanda

HAVEN'T DRIVEN SINCE NOVEMBER!

Hi , I am in the process of trying to get used to my new cpap sleeping machine. I am sleeping better but there are still glitches to get over. My neck is still hurting but I can't get into Vision Specialists until the 4th of Nov. I hope I make it, also hoping for someone to cancel and I can get in early.
My husband and I took my grandson to get his driving license last Fri.. I was talking about how I had to take a driving test in three years. He asked me when the last time I drove. That really set me to thinking and I realized I hadn't been driving since last Nov. We have one car and my husband and I go every where and do everything together so I have to do something about this. New challenge, so I will keep you informed when I get out on my own. Talk to you later. Yolanda

Back to Michigan

Hi everyone, I have made an appointment at Vision Specialists of Michigan for Nov. 4th. I am hoping to get in sooner if they have a cancellation. I will find out then if my neck pain is due to my vertical hyperphoria. I will keep you posted. Not looking forward to the long 6 hour drive, but I wouldn't go anywhere else. Hubby will drive.Maybe with another correction I can do the driving! Stay tuned.
Yolanda