Does anyone suffer from agoraphobia?

I have a very very mild form, it used to be worse. I did feel like a burden to my husband when it was bad, now it's a lot better and it's to the point where I can force myself to leave the house when I don't really feel like it. I am not in any kind of treatment anymore, but when I was, my therapist recommended starting very very slowly, thinking of the things that made me nervous at first, and then trying something that would make me only a tiny bit nervous, and working my way up from there.

Katie, agoraphobia is caused by the "fight or flight" reaction that everyone has when they are scared. agoraphobia is caused by the person scarring themselves. Adrenaline is the substance in your body that causes those panic feelings you have at the thought of leaving safety. When you tell yourself you are not safe (like in leaving the house) You are causing more adrenaline to be released. Practice little by little to feel safe with leaving home. A little everyday. Tell yourself that even if you have the panic, you will stop, wait and then keep trying. No one has ever gone crazy or died from panic itself. If you are otherwise healthy, you can get yourself through this. I did. The adrenaline reaction will last about 1-2 minutes and then start to subside IF YOU STOP TELLING YOURSELF THAT YOU ARE NOT SAFE. Instead, tell yourself that you are safe no matter how you feel, it is only a feeling and it will pass. Practice this and relaxation techniques at just thinking about being in the situation you fear and with time and patience, a lttle bit everyday, you will over come this response. You can do it. Good luck and practice, practice, practice.

If I had to deal with this subject in my own life, I would find a friend who I would ask to help me work it out. You know, help me open the door and take two steps out onto the porch. Take me to the car and drive me down the street and back, maybe. Go outside and walk ahead of me say, fifty feet, and then I would make myself walk to where he was standing, &c. I don't happen to have this problem, but Susie does. What I picked up from her was she doesn't really want to try to extend her domain quite yet, but if she ever does, I could go outside with her, let's say, and walk ahead down as far as the Methodist Church about 1/8th of a mile down the road and just stand there, and she could slowly come and join me. If trust is strong enough you can base it to overcome your fear. Next step would be to find someone you really trust that much. When Susie is ready, I am here. I would stop everything and work with her if it were 11 PM and black as pitch outside. I hope you find someone who will not rush you that you can lean into, to completely conquer this issue. You are going to feel so good inside when you have flooded this terror so many times it just gives up and leaves you alone... I send you courage and strength to trust someone. - G. in South Portland, Maine, U.S.A.

No. I depend on noone. The only person you can ultimitely depend on in the end is yourself. Sure, people may do things for you for a little while, but those people won't be around forever, so you have to learn to take care of you. If I felt like everyone was sick of doing for me, I'd do whatever it takes to turn my life around so I wasn't "burdening" these people anymore.

Is that the fear of going outside or socializing or something like that?

I don't have it but sometimes I get panic attacks (mild...nothing major) if I have to go somewhere I've never been or around large groups of people that I don't really know.

But it's not severe, so I don't worry about it too much.

go to this site and do some reading panicsurvivor.com