What would happen if I took someone with agoraphobia out of their home?
I have been living with my boyfriend for the last four months and he is agoraphobic. I am about to go crazy myself. We have been dealing with this for two years now. What would happen if I took him an hour away to a mental hospital to get some help? He will drive with me some places but he can only go so far and we have to turn around and go home.
Would taking him to a mental hospital even help?
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He’s not a danger to himself or others, so unless your boyfriend willingly commits himself and there is even grounds for the hospital to use their space for someone like him (just being agoraphobic is not) he won’t be going to any mental hospital.
What would happen if you drove outside the limits? He’ll likely become very anxious perhaps have a panic attack and more than likely be really angry with you even to the point where that would be the end of your relationship.
Your boyfriend needs something called cognitive behavioural therapy with a trained professional, ideally a psychologist. He may also require medications which can be prescribed by either a GP or a psychiatirst.
take it step by step that’s all you can do it would be like
taking a gold fish out of their tiny bowl and putting them
into the ocean just ask him to walk around the block
or even just into the back garden and watch his confidence grow
it takes time and patience but eventually you should get their
If you want to get him to the hospital call an ambulance, these are trained people who can physically handle someone having an episode. Please don’t think you can control him long enough to get there, what would you do if he jumped out of the car while you were driving?
I also am agoraphobic, He will most likely have a horrible time, and you
must make sure that he wants to be hospitalized, if not he can just say I’m not staying.
being agoraphobic is not being a danger to yourself or to others and that is a must for a commitment.
When he does go out for a drive with you and then he needs you to turn around and go home, it’s because he is either out of his "comfort zone" or
the amount of time that he feels comfortable has run out.
Next time push it just a little, two more blocks or ten more minutes.
Make certain he gets outside everyday without fail, even if it is just standing outside the front door for at least 20 minutes.
If he is not in treatment call a mental health association hot line and speak to someone there.
Also try nami.org (national association for the mentally ill)
I know we are difficult to put up with but, the fear we feel is so overwhelming.
Please read up on this at http://www.webmd.com
Good Luck to the both of you.
I
Agoraphobics need to take it one step at a time. The fear he experiences when going outside of his comfort zone is genuine, and his body cannot differentiate between a real fear or an irrational one. His body reacts to driving too far from his house the same way yours would if you were being robbed at gunpoint. You need to understand that he is not going to be able to get up and just go. He has learned to fear certain situations, and that fear is very real! He does not need to go to a mental hospital. He just needs to find a good therapist, possibly consider medication, like Zoloft, and read some books on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Most of all, he needs to expose himself in little increments to his fear of going outside his comfort zone. I just started a blog on agoraphobia. It is going to be my online diary. Have him check it out. It may help to know that there are others out there.
http://panicmountain.blogspot.com/