Monophobia - how to improve?

Hi everyone

I'm now about 3 months out and overall much improved from jump, but still not functional on so many levels. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with dealing with monophobia or fear of being alone? I have been with family literally 24/7 since jump and just last month I lost sight of them while being in a grocery store which set off unbearable panicanxiety (even though my rational mind knew that all i had to do was walk a few aislesor around the store And I would find them). Should I let time heal this or should I expose myself in situations slowly where I would need to be independent? Obviously I am not working and staying at home doing what I can with distraction. May be im just getting ahead of myself and should just focus on distraction for now. Any thoughts appreciated thank you!

when you are healed you will return to your natural Baseline. If you were able to be alone before, then you will be able to do it again

 

I live by myself, and I had to have my mother come stay with me for 2 months because of my monophobia!  now that I am nearly six months off,  I'm back to normal.  living on my own. In fact,  I'm taking a solo road trip up to Big Sur!

 

healing does happen

this is insane!! i am so happy i found this. i have had the same symptom not only since benzos, but a few months before after my brain injury because of panic attacks from the injury. i have not been able to be alone for a year now. it is awful and so humiliating.

 

before my car accident, tbi, and benzo troubles, i went to school every day, work all week, stayed out with friends very late, even took a trip by myself to the desert for three days. i was very independent.

 

after this last year, my brain just.... works differently now. i feel like i'm in a bad dream i have yet to wake up from. at first i couldn't leave my room, and i would cry when i was alone in my room and have horrible derealisation and panic. slowly over 6 months i could go into the kitchen alone, and eventually be in the whole house alone. then i started to hit tolerance on my klonopin, so i started to go backwards. currently i am back where i was a year ago. it's awful!

 

all i want is to be back the way i was before. i know something has been horribly wrong for a year now. i had to stop driving as well. i think it is really the benzos that do this. please message me if you want to talk!! i am glad i found someone else who finally has this symptom.

 

Oh yes, monophobia... one of the most crippling symptoms during this ordeal. I hate it with a passion.

 

It has gotten a lot better over the course of the last few months. I'm almost 21 months off cold turkey. I hope it will continue to improve and go away completely.

Thanks for replying everyone and for giving me hope! I'm now 5 months off, still can't be alone. Well, I take that back. I can be alone in my house for a short period, but can't go out at all without being with someone. I sure hope it will go away!

Miracle...Everyone's situation is so different.  Time did help with this but I also used exposure therapy early on.  Meaning, I stayed alone or went somewhere alone on purpose.  I practiced training my brain to calm down and convinced it nothing bad was going to happen.  My brain was not rational and I couldn't sit there and let this fear have it's way.  I started small and increased time and place.  I think it helped me.  I was angry at the irrationality of it all and couldn't just wait it out.  I don't have the issue now at all.  I cherish my time alone.  It may have resolved itself...but at least I was doing something.

 

Everyone is at a different mental place and should do what feels right.