Can’t leave the house, what can help?

[taakitz]

What about UCAS testing?

UCAS tests are used as part of the application process for specific courses to universities (often advanced super hard courses)- at the moment i don’t have anywhere near enough qualifications or grades to think about university as i’d just be flat out rejected

 

[Ezra]

i have only been back to see my therapist once, since my diagnosis just over a month ago- she told me looking into medication is the next step so hopefully something should happen soon as i requested to be put on medication.

Hope that works out for you. The benzodiazepine I took worked well with no side effects I was aware of. But it was more of a patch than a fix. Eventually they put me on an SSRI which did have side effects that were difficult to deal with but smoothed out. Eventually it started working too good so they weaned me off it and I haven't needed any anxiety med since then except for an occasional benzo.

 

[Coupe]

Hi @taakitz ! I have anxiety about leaving my house too, and I hope that at least some of what I'm about to say will help:

If certain kinds of sensory input bother you when you are outside or away from home (bright lights, noises, loud music, crowds, people talking, etc, then wearing a pair of headphones (either noise cancelling/earmuffs or ones you listen to music through) and/or sunglasses might help make things more bearable (not make unwelcome sensations go away altogether, but just make them easier to endure than they otherwise would be). If you like to wear hoodies, they can help too - wearing the hood up can give one the feeling of sanctuary. Same thing with scarves and certain types of hats - I don't usually wear scarves or hats a lot myself, but I've heard from other people that they can help with anxiety and sensory overload in public settings.

In addition, are there any comfort items or objects/toys that you like to stim or fidget with that help you feel relaxed and calm? A stuffed animal or Beanie Baby, a tumbled stone, a soft piece of fabric, a favorite photograph, anything like that? If so, take them with you when you need to go outside or leave the house for a period of time - you deserve to be able to take that sense of comfort and well-being with you wherever you go! I never leave my house without an assortment of my favorite things - which currently include a small Dory plush, a textured Tangle toy, two tumbled stones (a rhodonite and a black tourmaline), two flocked plastic Disney Tsum Tsums, and a Funko Pop figurine. Having something familiar to hold can go a long way in helping with anxiety.

I hope some of this helps!

 

[Progster]

Sometimes, I need things spelled out for me.

What is CAMHS - CAMHS

Me, too
What is GED?

 

[the_tortoise]

Me, too
What is GED?

It stands for "General Education Diploma/Development". It is a high school equivalency certification. There are classes you can take for it, I believe, or you can just write the test and be done with it.