Agoraphobia

[the_inbetween]

My fear of crowds has diminished to where I can be functional and not feel chest pain when going to the store. I feel happy to realize this after not dealing with the fear for a long time. About a year of exposure at a job helped with this. What is your experience with dealing with agoraphobia? Does it come back?

 

[Shakespear's Brother]

Exposure was really helpful for me, as well.

My agoraphobia has remained manageable. Really the only time I find it creeping back is during times when I isolate inside my apartment, which makes sense. As long as I continuously incorporate the exposure exercises into my daily routine, I feel okay.

 

[the_inbetween]

thanks dude, sounds like something I can keep at

 

[pole]

i think i have like moderate forms of agoraphobia. it isn't as bad as others and their battles with it. and honestly, it gets worse during different stretches of time in life.

the way i've honestly fought the problem is always forcing myself to be around people or in a social environment; and fight the urge to isolate myself and stay in my room. basically forcing myself out of my comfort zone. so through this, i forced myself to work retail downtown where it's always busy, which allowed me to literally ALWAYS be around people, be interactive and talking and meeting new people, and being in a social environment the majority of the time outside of school. and i can definitely say that stretch of time helped so much in battling my agoraphobia and it made me really happy. since then, i've resorted back to my isolation because of stuff, but i'm trying to fight through it again and get to that point in my life again.

everyone's different, so i'm not sure if it'll help you at all. but all of us on here plan to die relatively quicker than others in society. i think of it as, well we obviously don't have much time left and eternity, so what's the harm in trying to better ourselves, do things that were afraid of, one last time?. atleast we tried if it doesn't work out and it won't hurt us in the long run, cause we won't be here to see and feel that. and well, if it doesn't work out, atleast we end our lives they way we'd like, and went down fighting, and we can tell ourselves that we atleast tried and fought till the end? that's pretty much where i'm at right now.

hope things get better for you and hope you find peace. take care.

 

[Epsilon0]

I suffered from severe agoraphobia, but I was detemined to beat it. Therapy, gradual exposure and ssri helped me beat it, although it was a loooong and painful journey.

No, it has not come back in full force, but I feel it trying to rear its ugly head, if I stay indoors for too long.

 

[Final Escape]

My fear of crowds has diminished to where I can be functional and not feel chest pain when going to the store. I feel happy to realize this after not dealing with the fear for a long time. About a year of exposure at a job helped with this. What is your experience with dealing with agoraphobia? Does it come back?

Best thing I've found for agoraphobia was the virtual emdr program online. It seemed to reduce my panic attacks and anxiety. Processes trauma somehow. It's cheaper if u do the three month vs the one month of it.

 

[TimeToBiteTheDust]

I've got a little of this due to my physical condition. Prefer being at home than outside. No problem with lockdown. But it sucks. This is not the life I would want.

 

[so tired or manic]

the worst of my agoraphobia was caused by being on medication that didn't work for me. didn't exactly have it until then. the social anxiety was there, but the fear to leave didn't exist.

since then it comes and goes depending on how my life is progressing. being inside a lot with the pandemic and not having transportation means it's getting worse again.