I Ended Up With Agoraphobia

[chris5219]

Hi,

I just wanted to say how being in a lot of debt affected my health. I ended up with agoraphobia, I've had this since 2000. It just came on one day in work, I had a panic attack, since then I've found it hard to get around. Getting to work was a nightmare, I couldn't cross roads, get on buses etc. Luckily my job at the time was local and if I went the long way round I didn't have to cross the large busy road. I got made redundant in December 2005 the company I worked for closed down. I tried to get another job but there didn't seem to be any local jobs. In the end I went to the doctor who confirmed I did have agoraphobia caused by anxiety. I have since had counseling and whilst I was having that I started to feel a bit better, after 3 months the counseling was finished. I don't feel as bad as I did when it first stated but I cant walk along the road alone I get panicky. I can get to the local shops with my 4 wheel shopping trolley its something to hold on to, but I cant walk around shops like some people can I just have to get what I have to get, then get home again where I feel safe.

I believe debt did this to me, I used to receive letters, phone calls at home and work, once my boss answered the phone and told me Capital One wanted to speak to me so embarrassing. Our mortgage was with GMAC who was charging an interest rate of around 9.8% variable. I just couldn't cope. It took a few years but now all our debts are with Payplan and we have remortgaged and our rate is now 5.9% fixed until November 2009. Some of the pressure is now off but I just wish I had done this years ago perhaps then this agoraphobia wouldn't have had such a hold on me and I would have been well now.

[Peepo]

Hello, I sympathise with you. I have been at my wits end with worry & have been subjected to constant harassment by debt collection agencies for nearly 2 years. Aswell as Benefit overpayment, council tax, phone bill & fines.

 

(EDIT)

 

I have no one to turn to or talk to and no way out of this mess.

[tomterm8]

The FIRST thing you do if you have depression or agorophobia is to go to your doctor, and get them to do a full set of blood tests & physical check up.

 

There are sometimes very basic medical conditions that can be treated relatively easily as an underlying route cause (for example, many people with anemia suffer from agoraphobia ).

 

Physical exercise, diet changes, gardening , medication and councelling all have their parts to play.

 

After that, if part of your route problems is a debt problem, you can have a look on the forum, and/or call up one of the free debt charities such as national debt line.

 

I can assure you, there is ALWAYS a way out of debt.

 

If you look to my signature, there is another site that can help too;)

[chris5219]

Thanks, tomterm8 and Peepo for your replies, I have been to the doctor and had a series of blood tests etc, didn't find anything wrong and the doctor confirmed I had agoraphobia which is brought on by stress and anxiety. I've had counseling too. I've got antidepressants that help me sleep. All this because of debt. Payplan have been dealing with the debt for 3 years now, before that we had Chiltern, but they were charging £80.00 per month to deal with it for us so after a year I started to deal with it myself but I think when the creditors realised this they started wanting more and more money, we had already remortgaged with GMAC to pay off some of the debt so the mortgage was high around £1500.00 per month because their interest rate was really high. Because of our poor credit history this was the only one we could get at the time. I think the only way to try to repair your credit history is to make sure you pay the mortgage put this before anything else once you have had no arrears for a year then you should be able to remortgage at a better rate which is what we did. I've had council tax arrears too but I've usually been able to reach an agreement with the council regarding repaying the arrears so I've been lucky and have not been harassed by bailiffs as some people have on this site. Once we got on a DMP the phone calls stopped I hardly get any now, and I've learned some things from this site, I've recently sent a CCA request to a DCA as it was a debt passed on to a new DCA and I agree in these times of identity fraud you should check they are intitled to collect the debt. I'm also going to sort out who owes us money ie: our old bank and some creditors who have charged excessively, including GMAC. Maybe if we just get even with these people it will be good therapy. Peepo don't you have anyone you can "take to the cleaners"? Don't let them have it all their way.

Good luck to everyone on this site, One day we'll all be debt free.

 

Cheers Chrissie

[Peepo]

No, I am trapped & they are all taking advantage of my ignorance to procedures in these matters. I am defenseless.

[ukaviator]

Peepo, have you contacted National Debtline, CCCS about your problems with finances?.

[sea-sidelady]

Peepo, as you will of read on here, so many people can help with some of the things you have going on.

 

Why don't you start a thread on some of the more worrying ones, and see if there are some answers for you.

 

It will also make you feel more empowered to see what you can actually achieve.

 

You are not alone in any of this.

[sosumi]

No, I am trapped & they are all taking advantage of my ignorance to procedures in these matters. I am defenseless.

Peepo, have you thought about changing your phone number, going ex-directory? It's very easy to do and it's also free, it was for us with BT. It's much easier to tell people you want to have your phone number what your new number is, than to let DCAs continue to harrass you. I know that's only one part of the problem, but changing numbers helped us a lot.

I keep trying to catch up with the forum but lose my way a lot these days! With depression (or agoraphobia, or anxiety etc) you beat yourself up a lot - and being in debt gives you an extra big stick. Then the DCAs - mean little b******s that they are, just see it as an extra way to hurt you. If you're hitting yourself with a big stick already, their aim is to make it hurt more. They don't care about the effects they cause, they're just looking for 'results' - money - their commission.

That's why this forum is so important. I know it's easily said, but what this site does is actually life-changing. It empowers you to fight back, and it makes you angry enough to fight. Fighting - in this sense - really matters. It stops you from being a victim - someone who takes all manner of c*** because you think you deserve it - and gives you back some self-respect.

I struggle with agoraphobia too Chrissie - some days worse than others. It's damn hard to live with. Last year it was a total nightmare, had other health problems too. I wish there was an easy answer, but CAG helped me get angry in the right way - challenging DCA's behaviour, not beating myself up all the time. You're absolutely right that getting even with these people is good therapy. It takes time - and sometimes more courage than I actually feel - but it is worth it. xx

[chris5219]

sosumi: I think it was the stress of all the debt, people calling me at home and work, nasty letters etc. that caused the agoraphobia. I ended up not opening any letters that looked like they came from DCA's. I also drank too much, most evenings when I got in from work I used to go straight to the vodka bottle and have a couple of drinks before I could even start to prepare the evening meal I shook so much, couldn't peel the potatoes until I had a drink. Now I'm starting to feel a bit better, I still get off days and I still can't get around properly by myself, but I feel I'm more in control of my debts. I've cut down on the drinking (I was worried I'd end up an alcoholic) I just drink wine at weekends usually with my husband and friends. This site has been a big help to me, I wont speak to DCA's on he phone anymore, I just say in writing please and put the phone down. In the past I would speak to them and usually ended up giving them more money than I could afford . I'm also going to start to sort out what my creditors owe me instead of the other way around. All the excessive charges they put on over the years. Now all the debt is with Payplan which is a free DMP service. The calls have stopped and in my experience they seem to chase you when it first gets passed over then once they realise they are not getting any more money then the money I send through Payplan they stop harassing me. But now each time the debts get passed to different DCA's I'm going to CCA them with luck it could write some of them off;)

I hope with the help of this site you will soon start to feel better.

 

Peepo: Maybe Payplan can help you, they are very good, you can speak to them on phone about your problems you can also e-mail them, which ever is best for you. They will sort your debts out for you, they go through your income with you, prioritize your debts so that you pay your rent/mortgage, gas, electricity, council tax and secured loans etc. and whatever is left over is for your creditors. If you like you can also list birthdays, clothes etc, so that you have some money spare each month, although they do advise not too much as the creditors may start to ask questions when they see your financial statement. But you would have to list public transport or petrol as you need this to get to work. So not all your "spare" cash so to speak goes to the creditors as you have to have a life too. As your circumstances change you can update your financial statement which is on their Justabank site. Another free DMP service is CCCS but I don't know too much about them.

Hope this helps.

 

Chrissie:)

[sosumi]

I do feel much much better with the help of CAG I'm also going to take the battle to the creditors, but for now I'm just enjoying the peace of not being hassled! I know what you mean about alcohol too - I didn't dare have a drink for most of the last year as I knew how much I'd want another - and another and another. I think the worst thing about debt and mental illness is that the DCAs feed into the illness. If you're scared about going outside, your home feels like the only safe place, so the letters (and phone calls if you have them) are seriously unnerving (understatement!). So then it becomes a vicious circle - the DCAs make you scared to leave the house, and the less you leave the house the worse you feel about going outside at all. Then you feel angry with yourself for not being able to get outside which just makes it worse, you feel worse and it escalates.

I was in Payplan, but we left them last year to challenge the DCAs. But I think you're right... Peepo, they might be able to help you by taking the worry off your hands for now?

[chris5219]

My problem was my legs felt so shaky and weak I used to feel they couldn't hold me up, I also felt dizzy and faint sometimes and felt panicky when I got too far away from home. I ended up not wanting to go out so I stayed in where I felt safe. Now I have a 4 wheel shopping trolley that goes everywhere with me its something to hold on to, and although I still don't like going out at least I can get to the local shops.

I will probably stay with Payplan any money I get back from creditors will be paid towards that debt I don't consider it my money it will just come off the debt and bring the amount I owe down. The only money I feel is ours is the money we may get back from our old mortgage company, as all the charges were paid off when we re-mortgaged. I don't get so many phone calls now, but going back a couple of years I did, the phone used to make me jump sometimes I even unplugged the phone just so I didn't have to speak to anyone. I just plugged the phone in every now and then and dialed 1471 to see if anyone I wanted to speak to had called, then called them back. I used to tell my son to answer the phone sometimes and if it was a DCA he used to them I wasn't in. Unfortunately he's now left home to live with his girlfriend but I don't get so many now and if I do I just say put it in writing please and hang up.

I'm glad you feel better now, perhaps with the help of this site you will be completely well one day.

 

Chrissie

[sea-sidelady]

You should use this letter to stop the calls.

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/bank-templates-library/37006-harassment-telephone-response-letter.html

[chris5219]

Thanks for that Sea-Side unfortunately at the time I was getting these calls I didn't know about this site, if only I'd found it sooner.

 

All the best

Chrissie:)

[sea-sidelady]

Your welcome.

 

The main thing is you found us now, and things will hopefully start to improve for you.

 

 

I can fully understand your agoraphobia, i had it for 2 years when i was little (about 8 years old).

 

No idea how it stopped, my mum used to say, i just got up 1 day and was ok. And it never bothered me again. I hope you get there soon with yours. x

[chris5219]

My agoraphobia came on suddenly at work one afternoon, I had a panic attack which frightened me, after that I was afraid to go out. My counselor said one day it will just go. I'm glad you are well now.

 

Chrissie:)

[empowered]

My agoraphobia came on suddenly at work one afternoon, I had a panic attack which frightened me, after that I was afraid to go out. My counselor said one day it will just go. I'm glad you are well now.

 

Chrissie:)

 

Hi Chrissie

 

I too had agoraphobia about 20 years ago and can still remember how devastating and frightening it was - then, it wasn't recognised as a stress related illness and I had to fight it myself. One thing I learned was "the fear of the fear itself" - once you accept that is what is happening at each panic attack, it does slowly improve. I would worry about social occasions and "what if" scenarios - the way round that one was to image the scenario first of all, so when it happened it wasn't so scary. I know it sounds easy now for me to say, but the other way to help yourself is when you are actually having an attack, try and get involved in something else - it could be a conversation with someone, suddenly reading something slowly and taking it in - it takes the attention away from yourself and your physical feelings and really does help.!

Debs

[Peepo]

I have no money left over from wages, and that is just from paying essentials like utilities, work travel & food. I have to live on tins of soup.

Debt collectors & other people wanting money seem to think it unbelieveable that someone could have no money left over out of wages. But surely there are lots of people in same situation as me, people who earn enough to just exist & nothing more. I live in my work clothes, my daughter has tatty clothes that are 2 sizes too small. I dont know how I have ended up this way, its very embarassing.

[chris5219]

Thanks for that empowered, the panic attacks are getting less now so hopefully I'm getting better. It must have been awful for you not getting the help you need. I remember the first doctor I saw didn't think I had agoraphobia and I struggled on with it myself. I then decided to see another doctor at my group practice and she believed me and got me counceling. I'm glad you are better now.

 

Peepo: Payplan will get your creditors to accept token £1.00 payments until you get back on your feet they did for us and although the creditors didn't like it at first they agreed it was better than no payments at all. This will get them off your back. Once you submit your financial statement to them and they see whats left they will advise you as to what you can pay creditors, If there's nothing left you pay nothing you can't get blood from a stone. You have to pay your priority bills and food first. Payplan will advise you what to do I received a lot of help from them, they phoned creditors for me too, they will send you slips for your creditors and you can authorize Payplan to speak to your creditors on your behalf if you want to. Check also if you are receiving all the benefits you are entitled to, you have a child so you should be able to get tax credits and help with council tax etc.

 

There is always a way out of any financial mess, although it does sometimes take time.

 

Chrissie:)

[sea-sidelady]

Peepo you should really start your own thread, as a lot more people will see it, and will be able to help you more.

 

In the meantime, take a look at this link im giving you. I think it will help.

 

National Debtline England & Wales, for FREE CONFIDENTIAL and INDEPENDENT ADVICE call 0808 808 4000

[BankChargeSlave]

wow I didn't know that debt can have such a strong affect all on aspects of life. I mean I understand that money is pretty important for many things but that type of stress is extreme. sorry to hear about that