Ask Dr. Bob Bob: Agoraphobia, Mental Health Issues & Depression

By Chato B. Stewart

Agoraphobia? Secret Mental Health Issues? GET to the POINT! These are the “taboo” topics Dr. Bob Bob tackles today!!

Perhaps you or a loved one can personally relate to these serious issues that may go unaddressed. Many factors contribute to our over-all Good Mental Health!! Identifying and changing habits that may “negatively” affect us is crucial. Are you or a loved one hiding at home? From time to time, it is “productive” to examine our daily habits? How much time do we spend with objects vs. people we love? Hopefully, Dr. Bob Bob will open some honest self-examination & positive dialog…share Dr. Bob Bob with family and friends as a conversation starter!! A shared laugh breaks silence!!

Although I don’t recommend following his advice!!!

Question:

How do I leave My House? I have to get out the door but can’t? I need to go to work…but I can’t go. I can’t get up and away from the computer, or T.V. or bed. I seem to find some “legitimate” reason to stay put. Is this normal?

Signed: Hiding @ Home

Answer:

Dear Hiding @Home, What you have is “Stay-Put-Phobia”. You obviously are addicted to your computer and T.V. that is the key symptom to this phobia. I find that people like you are helped best in my pyromania group. Seems like every time people with this stay-put-phobia come to the group they never want to go home again. Especially, since the buddy program was established. The group meets on Fridays, and is a NON-Smoking group.

Question:

Dear Dr. Bob Bob, I hate life. I am sick of being sick! I feel like I have to keep my Mental Disorder a secret. My husband won’t talk to me and my family thinks I’m a joke. I can’t work, and I just want to die! No one sees the real pain I’m in and I want to die! No one sees the real pain I’m in and I want it all to end.

Signed: Stop My Pain.

Answer:

Dear Stop My Pain, I, I, I, that’s all you say, I this and I that, you need to think and remember that there is no “I” in Team. Life is good, you just have to find the goodness. Make peace with your husband and try to understand your family. They have seen you time and again go from balanced and crazy, over, under and over again. Give them time. I’m sure you’re just making a mountain out of a Mole hill. Go for a walk, that always helps me.

Question:

Dr. Bob Bob, I’ve always been a serious person. Just get to the point and move on type of guy. Today after weeks of periods of high emotions and very low moods. I was diagnosed with Depression. Come on, this is a chic illness! Men don’t get depressed, right? If I’m wrong then I am a huge failure!

signed: Mr. Melancholy

Answer:

Dr. Mr. Melancholy, Cheer up Bucko, Depression is nothing new. It’s not a chic illness neither, it’s just women have the sense to get help. Guys still try to fix it themselves or just suffer in silence. As for you being a failure that may be true, but Depression didn’t hold back good, old Abraham Lincoln. I think he did a few good things even though he felt that he was “the most miserable man living.”

Send you questions for DR. Bob Bob to answer