I know that the clichéd movie/television depiction of agoraphobia is someone who struggles to step outside of where they live but how do these fit into the picture? (a) Having areas you feel comfortable travelling to and from on your own and being anxious of going outside those areas unless accompanied. There is a fear of getting lost and trapped not helped by a poor sense of direction (b) Anxiety and reluctance to being in certain buildings ie large ones with lots of rooms/corridors/passageways. Again fear of being lost and trapped and having a melt down.
sounds like anxiety mixed with agoraphobia. I’ve experienced all those things and it used to be debilitating for me but I learned to fight the fear with just saying “so what.?” if I have anxiety, it will pass. I’ve learned from experience that things aren’t as bad once I got to the destination rather than just imagining how bad it would be.
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Fear is meant to be conquered.
Haha,I agree I was having fear before going to a certain places…but as soon as I reach there it was not as fearful anymore
I would say just go to the place even if you had worry or fear,it won’t be as bad as you had imagine…
That said anxiety is very uncomfortable I don’t blame you for avoiding it. Nervousness is different as it arises from uncertainty. Anxiety stems from fear. It’s important to understand how to identify and cope with the two.
I have agoraphobia @firemonkey - I have to be accompanied to unfamiliar or to places outside of my safety zone (10 to 15 min area by my house)
What you have could very well be agoraphobia - it is pretty common with panic disorder and anxiety - both which I have also
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I certainly have anxiety and occasionally panic attacks . I have certain areas in my town I feel comfortable with but even nearby areas outside that zone I avoid unless accompanied. To get to a family gathering at my sister’s my brother has to come down from London to take me to my sister’s part of London .
I once tried it on my own and had a nightmare time with a cab driver who kept on deliberately or otherwise mishearing the address I had given him. After that I couldn’t face doing it on my own again.
Cities are a mess. Thank the good lord for gps.
Your alright firemonkey just do what your comfortable with.
Good luck out there man.
Heard elsewhere that using buses can be an issue. Unless accompanied I will only feel safe using the bus for two routes (1) to the hospital though i prefer to walk there(40 minutes walk at a moderate pace but ok because a very straightforward route ie very few turn left then turn right etc steps required ) and (2) the bus trip to where my mother lived as it is nearby to where I used to live and I am familiar with the town centre. Any other journey I can’t face on my own for fear of getting off at the wrong place and getting lost.
Sometimes you gotta live within your means. I’m don’t want to leave my town… Ever.
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Hey @firemonkey They diagnose agoraphobia with or without panic disorder - but I am almost certain chronic anxiety can lead to an agoraphobia diagnosis - I dont think I was ever officially diagnosed with agoraphobia `on paper, it always took a backseat to my bipolar/schizoaffective diagnosis, as is usually the case.
I have a history of panic disorder and anxiety, even as a child - this can lead to agoraphobia later on in life
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