How to Stop Isolating

I used to have trouble leaving the house. I wasn't really agoraphobic, just had mental problems (and still do). I made as few appointments as possible and did not show up for family gatherings. The one appointment I had to attend was with my psychiatrist. I HAD to go there.

But there is a way out of this isolating behavior. First, I had to have my depression under control, and over the years the right medication combination was put into effect. Next, I had to stop drinking alcohol. Not only is alcohol a depressant, but I would not want to make appointments because I might be drunk or hung over. Not good.

For me, taking "baby steps" was the key. I would force myself to go out somewhere close and for a short time. After repeated successes, I would keep going out of the house for longer periods of time. The excuse of "there's nowhere to go" had to be smashed. I realized that there are always places to go, such as the library, the mall, an art gallery, the park, a swimming pool or perhaps a coffee shop. I just hadn't been interested in going to those places. Once I started doing it, I found that I had a pattern of interesting places I could go to fill my time.

Sitting in the easy chair and watching t.v. is always an option, but it is no longer my only choice. With depression under control, abstaining from alcohol and going out to one of my scheduled places works quite well.