Hey everyone,
I'm starting to think I might be agrophobic, I'm not entirely sure. I went out to the gym to get some excercise tonight and honestly pretty much everything about being outside put me on edge. I'm fine in my streets but it's linked to a busy main road full of bars and pubs, and lots of loud students. I'm pretty much set on heading back before I've even got there.
So I got to the gym and it was pretty busy, lots of people rushing in and out, it looked almost like peak hours. I finished my cigarette outside and sorta willed myself on to go in and do my excercise and workout but just couldn't do it. I didn't expect any harm to befall me or anything ridiculous, I just didn't want to be around that many people I dind't know. I think I felt a bit fat and not entirely comfortable even though I'm not really overweight that much.
Same thing happened on my birthday lately, just hated being out and about in clubs full of so many people and things going on put me on edge. It really burns me out, I'm exhausted when I get home from being so tense while I'm out. It's not just the gym, but being out in town, anywhere busy. It's sad because I didn't tell anyone I just came straight home, they'd think I was being weird; I just say I went and it was good.
It really creeps up on me, part of the reason I wasn't good with people in my old job; I'm really starting to think it's actually holding me back in life and I need to do something about it. I came home and just felt so dissapointed in myself, it should be the easiest thing just to mix and not be bothered by these things. Does this sound like Agrophobia to anyone? I'm familiar with paranoia and it's quite different...
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Hi Sil.
Quote:I've taken recreational drugs in the past and smoke pot for a lot of years.
Are you taking or smoking any now? If not then what is the cause unless your mind is finally reacting to the drugs, which can make you a bit paranoid. A long period of exposure to drugs can affect the brain and your thought processing can become warped, but in your case I think not unless the experts think it has.
Quote: I've been absolutely fine in social situations in the past. Same thing happened on my birthday lately, just hated being out and about in clubs full of so many people and things going on put me on edge. It really burns me out, I'm exhausted when I get home from being so tense while I'm out. It's not just the gym, but being out in town, anywhere busy.
Has this just happen this year or have you been aware of this over a longer period of time? Are you under any stress, at home or work? Do you want to be alone or are happy with friends around you? Try and discover what part of going out actually triggers this bouts of attacks, understanding what sets these off will help you overcome your fears. Getting some good friends to go with you and give you some support will hopefully give you the encouragement to conquer this feeling of argophobia. It is always wise to see a doctor on matters of health. Good luck m8.
(just had to correct about five typos and some misspellings, I think I should see one as well)
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thanks Rychard,
over the last 6 months or so because of my friends I've dabbled with some class A stuff, only once or twice, and nothing deadly... hope this is clear enough, don't want to incriminate myself.
and sadly yeah, I'm smoking weed on a pretty regular basis after abstaining for a long time. You may be right in that it's altered my perception of regular things, but somehow it doesn't feel like the lynchpin; I could be wrong. I wasn't keen to state it as I wanted to see some opinions without people thinking of that first.
It's happened in the last four or five years, since a really nasty breakup I had. There've been a couple of times when I've been attacked in the street, as it's a pretty rough area where I grew up; come to think of it I have been worse since these incidents. There are some stresses at the moment and worries but nothing directly linked, no more than an average person. I like having friends around me but I'm very selective, and increasingly happy in my own space, a little too much so. Most of my friends are back home so it's hard getting people to hang out with for day-to-day things.
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You won't like what I'm going to say m8, but I think I have to. Ditch the weed and stop using class A, this is only the beginning of a downward slope. You may not realise that any long term exposure to drugs will affect you, it does. It won't be easy, pretty dam hard to do it but you need to do it m8. Otherwise the argophobia or paranoia will increase and some day you might loose it altogether. Try and stay away from so called friends who would encourage you in the use of these drugs, hard words I know m8, but you have only one life, don't waste it.
Sil, Also which is very important, you do not know the condition of the drugs you buy, there is no testing or quality control done. Drug cartels don't give a shit what they sell and they don't give a shit who dies.
Sorry for the rant but I seen good people's lives destroyed by drugs. I really hope you can beat it and get back to happier times m8. Good luck.
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Sil, you may need to see a counsellor to talk about these feelings and about what happened to you when you were attacked. It's obviously left some psychological scars that, maybe, you feel you can treat with the herb... but it's not ultimately very healthy, as Rychard pointed out. Without wanting to sound patronising, what exactly is the point of going out to the gym to make yourself a better looking body if you're going to 'ruin' the brain that runs it?
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waoh you sound like me XD
seems like you have anxiety about crouds (i do too)
Pot can make it better or wost
since its used as a anti depression in medical uses.
(on topic)
thats mainly why i hate the gym is the crowds and it feels like everyones judging you  .
it helps if you go with a friend or two.
you could talk to your doctor about this and they might prescribe Anti Depressions
but not everything can be fixed with pills
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Yeah I uhh, share this agoraphobia, thing with you as well! I am so much more comfortable, at home, on-line than I am in large crowds. I also have great anxiety in work places. I am unemployed right now and I am not making any real effort to be cause it scares the shit out of me. I don't know how to relate to humans other than one on one. I have more balls in on-line anonymity, than I do in life. I am such a pussy! I think, I should try weed!! Lol.
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I think you should drop the weed idea, Aaycles, and get a mental coach... that's more likely to get you out in the open. Shyness is a trait you can do something about.
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princealbertofb Wrote:I think you should drop the weed idea, Aaycles, and get a mental coach... that's more likely to get you out in the open. Shyness is a trait you can do something about.
For sure... odd thing about weed is that it only relaxes you in certain ways; physical relaxation, whereas your mental state can be much more untethered and succeptible to outside events. i.e if something bad DOES happen it can often seem much worse, with the logical part of your brain being so laxadaisical. This imaginative influence can let you interpret things on a much more personal level. Only people I would recommend it to specifically would be those with too much testosterone or MS/Arthritis sufferers.
Based on some of the advice here, and the pleading of my hubby who can't abide the smell, I may make this my last lump. In the words of Danny Glover, I'm getting too old for this shit. 
Prince - I would like to see a counsellor or request therapy but I really don't know how to go about doing it. I saw a counsellor following my break-up and it was a mixed experience; while it was nice to talk openly about a closed subject we had very limited time (being a university service) and without any advice or opinion it was oddly more like confession. I would consider trying it again to talk about the more recent issues, but it's difficult knowing where to start. I feel you have a point and it may be worth looking into, but it seems trivial compared to what they might normally deal with?
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I don't consider being attacked trivial, and it's obviously left some deep marks. Get some help and backing from your hubby, I'm sure you could find a counsellor. Ask Marshlander how he got his and he may point you in some direction about this. Your new issues are probably just as important, but it is important too that you recognise the fact that your awareness of 'danger' is enhanced by the use of weed. Your hubby is probably right to want you to quit. Good luck if and when you do. It might be harder than you think. Here again, you can get medical help.
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Social phobias
