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I'm terrified to leave my house, recently I've been being trera

Sent to Mental Health Experts December 21 2008 at 11:58 PM
   

I'm terrified to leave my house, recently I've been being trerated for being Bipolar because of anxiety and panic attacks.I cannot get out to get help.Where can I go?

 

Optional Information:
Age: 32; Male, Pennsylvania

Already Tried:
I have been to a few counselors and have tried various medications, including, but not limited to,

Effexor XR(250 mg. daily,no positive effects)
Buspar(side effects intolerable, no pos. effect)
Paxil(side effects intolerable, no pos. effect)
Abilify(am currently on 5 mg. per day but no good)
Xanax(currently taking 16 mg. at night before bed)
Benzodiazipine(not sure on the market name)
Seroquel(made me tired and sleep usually all day)

I CANNOT get out of my house anymore.I need help to come to me.I am desperate and not a day goes by that I do not think of suicide at least a few times.

Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Time Left: 733399 days and 23 hours   Status:  Awaiting Customer Action   Value:  $15
Answer
December 22 2008 at 1:19 AM (1 hour and 20 minutes and 49 seconds later)
         
Hello and thank you for using JustAnswer.com:

Your situation certainly sounds desperate and I believe you are now suffering from Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia in addition to the bioplar disorder. If you can't leave your home, you need to have someone come to you.

I would start by calling a large mental health agency or a county agency in your area and ask them about home services. Tell them you are not able to leave your home and are thinking about suicide. Most large cities have services to help you. You may also ask your doctor about any resources available to you.

There is help for your situation. Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia has been treated very successfully with behaivor modification and sometimes medication. You have taken just about every medication available, so I think the best option for you is to have home visits with behavior modification therapy.

If you are not feeling safe, call someone to come over to stay with you or call 911 and tell them you are not feeling safe and need someone to come to help you.

Please let me know if this has been helpful. If you have any questions or need clarification, please let me know. I wish you well.

Edited by Carol Kryder LMFT on December 22 2008 at 1:20 AM

If this has been helpful, please click on the "Accept" button. If you need clarification on anything I have said, please let me know. Of course a positive feedback comment is much appreciated. I wish you well. Take care.
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Carol Kryder LMFT -- Mental Health Professional -- 98% Positive Feedback on 247 Mental Health Accepts
18 years of licensed experience with individuals, families, couples, and children
Reply
December 22 2008 at 2:07 AM (48 minutes and 27 seconds later)
         
My problem is that I don't live near a large city, in fact I am out in the boonies.I've been through the local CMSU(a county medical clinic)and they cannot, or will not, find someone to come to me.

I'm scared to call 911 because I'm pretty sure they'll just commit me.In a backwater place like this I don't know that I'll even get any help besides 24/7 sedation.Add to that if I get commited I'll have to leave home and go to some place I am not comfortable in, I'm already bugging out just sitting here listening to the wind in my own bedroom.

I've been to a few counselors and one psychologist but they all tell me basically the same things.The psychologist at least helped with some more advanced relaxation techniques but that was all.The trips to the psychologist became steadily worse and worse until now I can barely go outside anymore.

I've asked my doctor about consulting with a pyschiatrist to come up with something between them but the doctor just says"They won't do that".I believe the doctor is letting her pride get in the way of my health here.My doctor has never mentioned any other resources other than what I call "dartboard therapy" with drugs.

By the way, I plan to accept your answer, but if I do does this mean I can no longer talk with you?
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Answer
December 22 2008 at 3:19 AM (1 hour and 12 minutes and 18 seconds later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark
Hello again, and thank you for accepting my answer. Yes, of course, you can continue discussing this question with me. I want you to be completely satisfied with the answer, so feel free to ask for clarification on anything I say.

It does sound like your doctor is not doing all she can for you. Can you call some psychiatrists and ask them for some assistance? In my private practice I work with psychiatrists all the time. In fact, for your particular diagnoses : bipolar and panic disorder, the standard of care is for you to heave medication as well as psychotherapy.

Since you live in the boonies, can you do some online shopping and get some relaxation CDs? I like the ones by Bernie Siegal MD and Andrew Weil, MD.   Louise Hay is good, too.   They should really help with the relaxation.

Let me know if you have any other questions.



If this has been helpful, please click on the "Accept" button. If you need clarification on anything I have said, please let me know. Of course a positive feedback comment is much appreciated. I wish you well. Take care.
Picture
Carol Kryder LMFT -- Mental Health Professional -- 98% Positive Feedback on 247 Mental Health Accepts
18 years of licensed experience with individuals, families, couples, and children
Reply
December 23 2008 at 11:12 PM (1 day and 19 hours later)
         
I've called out to another county crisis line and they've got noone that can come to me.Again this makes me scared to commit myself.But if I did get commited, would it do me any good and what could I expect?If they have drugs enough to stabilize me at an asylum, or wherever I would go, why wouldn't my doctor prescribe them for me?

Also since noone around here seems to have heard of a psychiatrist that makes housecalls, would there be any guarantee they could stabilize me once I got to who knows where they would take me?
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Answer
December 24 2008 at 1:39 AM (2 hours and 27 minutes and 22 seconds later)
         
Hello, again. A psychiatrist may not make house calls, but your Department of Human Services surely has a social worker or a visiting nurse who could make a house call. You will not be committed unless you are a danger to yourself or others. Hopefully, the nurse can come see you, do an evaluation, and call the doctor for a prescription. You would need to have someone pick up the meds for you or have them delivered. You need to be patient about the meds. They may need to do some trial and error until they find the right combination.

Please be persistent. Unfortunately, most public offices will be closing this week, but keep calling until you find help. Start with the Dept. of Human Services or possibly an agency that has a visiting nurse.



If this has been helpful, please click on the "Accept" button. If you need clarification on anything I have said, please let me know. Of course a positive feedback comment is much appreciated. I wish you well. Take care.
Picture
Carol Kryder LMFT -- Mental Health Professional -- 98% Positive Feedback on 247 Mental Health Accepts
18 years of licensed experience with individuals, families, couples, and children

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