Good to know :)

Mental Health Eating Disorders & Body Dysmorphia
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Agoraphobia is a form of anxiety disorder. It generally causes sufferers to experience severe worry and fear in situations or circumstances where it would be difficult or embarrassing to escape.

Many people mistakenly believe that agoraphobia is a fear of open spaces, and although agoraphobics can go on to develop a fear of open spaces, this is not strictly what agoraphobia is.

Agoraphobia is a fear of being caught in situations where escape is desired but cannot be achieved. Because of this, many people with agoraphobia stop doing anything in their lives where this desire to escape occurs.

The result, for many sufferers, is to stick to a small comfort zone where safety is guaranteed. This is how agoraphobics become housebound, and it is also the reason that many people believe that agoraphobia is simply a fear of leaving the house.

This is wrong. It’s better to see the fear of leaving the house as a symptom of agoraphobia, and not as agoraphobia itself.

What Is Agoraphobia: Symptoms

The symptoms of agoraphobia will be different for all sufferers. Some people may experience all of the potential symptoms, while others may experience just one or two.

And some people will experience symptoms that are unique to them.

There are, however, several common agoraphobia symptoms, and if you have agoraphobia you will almost certainly experience several of these symptoms at some point.

Common agoraphobia symptoms fall into 3 categories: fears, physical, and behavioral.

Fears
fear of having a panic attack
fear that a panic attack will cause you harm
fear of being unable to escape during a panic attack
fear of losing your mind or going insane
fear of losing control in public
fear of being stared at or examined in public

Physical
palpitations (a rapid or unsteady heartbeat)
hyperventilation (rapid or uncontrolled breathing)
excessive sweating
feeling hot for no reason
nausea or an upset stomach
pain or discomfort in the chest
diarrhea (or irregular bowel movements)
tinnitus (ringing and other noises in the ears)
dizziness or feeling faint

Behavioral
obsessive behaviors
compulsive behaviors
mood swings (bouts of depression)
becoming housebound (or sticking to an ever smaller “safety zone”)
being unable to go places on your own
avoidance of situations that may cause you anxiety.

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you just described me
i would like to add agoraphobia is also irrational
it is hard to explain, or impossible
i have fought all my life for others, this is the toughest fight i have ever been in
you are correct about agoraphobia being a personal thing
i cant talk on phone, but i can txt
noone comes inside my home
i worry over every interaction with others
i am still trying
thank you for sharing this info also
m

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Thank you for sharing. I myself have been living with this for many years. I have the exact same problems. I can relate to the phone calls. My whole body shuts down when I have to make one. My kids and family just don’t understand why I can not do it.And like you I can text anyone. same for emailing.
thank you for making me feel like I am not the only one suffering
P

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oh dear, may i ask you if you r single or you have love life?how does it look like?good calm or ...?

With practising you will become better,take care ;)

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i have an outstanding wife, 2 kids who accept me
i am ok
:)
m

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Finally someone get it right. I have lived with Agoraphobia for many years and I have tried to tell people about it but they kept trying to tell me the one who has been going thru it. You put into words what I have been telling people for all these years.But because it was in black and white they believed it. Not the one person who goes thru it every day of their live but because it was on paper.

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For Mike iam very happy for you, for Pamela, accept your self and do not push it too hard :)

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thank you
:)
pamela how can i help?
:)
m

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I have family but I still feel alone. No one understands what it is like living with Agoraphobia. I feel like it it my fault for having it. They think I should just deal with it. No matter what I say or do they just walk away like I have have some kind of untreatable illness that will go away if they do. They don't want to hear it.So I went searching for some kind of support. Something to make me feel like I am not alone and not feel like I am being forced out on my own. How can get my kids to understand about it?

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hi
well i don't try to get them to understand
they have seen it, and are helpful, but my kids were babies and grew up with me like this
i also was suffering memory loss, and other health issues, still am
like you i will never get better, i have accepted this, as has my family
i was injured in the line of duty while in the us army, so my family was prepared to a degree for me to be hurt or dead
this is good, i am alive, i get to be with my family even if i forget they don't
i also am starting to not be in control of my emotions, this is new and a bit of challenge for me
the unfortunate thing is agoraphobia is hard for even my family to fully understand, it has few outward signs that others can understand
personally i think a bunch of agoraphobic on a farm would be happy, among friendly people who understand, but how to get everyone together is the problem, :(, lol:)
you are not alone, and while it is not the same i am here for you
my phone is unlimited txt, my wifi is limited. i am willing to be txt safe person if you want
verizon, usa
i hope i answered your question, and that it helps
i am really sorry those closest to you are so difficult for you
maybe explain it like you are in a prison in your mind
also i believe that agoraphobia is a human race survival mechanism
if enough people are isolated everywhere then there is a better chance we won't all die off if something bad happens
peace be with you
:)
m

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try to make new activities even if you fell u do not wanna start you will be better with time ;)

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i think a bunch of agoraphobic on a farm would be happy, among friendly people who understand, but how to get everyone together is the problem, :(, lol:)

haha,i hear ya. I struggle with this too to some degree. Today I need to bicycle to my therapists office and just could not do it. Couldn't drive there today, and cars aren't a problem because each one is like a mini-safe place. but a bike? nope, didn't work.

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Reham you are so nice
i was asked to explain agoraphobia so i send here
how are you? very tired?
:)
m

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Reham, it is hard to accept myself,I am good at hiding things. not to many people know I have Agoraphobia. My family is about all that know. I keep it all to myself. I haven't had anyone to talk to about it in over 20 years.I avoid anything that makes me feel that fear. I have good days and bad days. Some days I can go out and get my mail and than other days, I can't leave my bed.
It is nice to know that there are people out there who are struggling with the same things I am. I would always say to myself, "am I the only one who has this thing."
Glad there is support out there. I feel like I can open up a little with someone who is going thru the same thing I am.

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Hello everyone!
I am new to this forum but unfortunately not new to the ravages of anxiety/panic disorder. I have suffered with this for over 30 years. There is not a methodology I have not tried inclusive of but not limited to: CBT, medication, group therapy( do not recommend to anyone who is in the height of anxiety due to being highly sensitized to others), visualization, every book that is out there on this horrible issue,etc. The core of all panic disorder, I believe, is the cycle we all get in and can not get off. It is the fight or flight syndrome that is triggered by just about anything. I often and repeatedly have thought and still believe that there has to be a cure for this. I have heard stories , like we all have, of people miraculously "cured" and I am beyond skeptical. Over the years, I have found quick fixes that absolutely do help. I will share my tried and true methods with you.
1- Drink water!!! Most of us suffer from dehydration. I know it sounds too simple but signs of dehydration mimic attacks. If you can, and I know its hard, promise yourself to drink at least 8 ounces of water BEFORE you get out of bed. Continue to drink throughout the day. It is not an instant bullet but it does help. If you can, in the middle of a stage 6 attack, sip water through a straw. It can help regulate yor breathing.
2- On your cell phone, when an attack is at its onset, set your timer on phone for 20 minutes. Believe it or not, an anxiety attack lasts only for that time. Start tracking when you feel is starting to decreasing (usually at the 12 minute mark) and start to see your progress.
3- Make yourself stand up straight or sit up straight.Walk, walk, walk even if it is within the confines of your home. It helps.
4- Reassure yourself that you have been through worse and came out the other side. If. like me, the fear of dying, losing control. going insane, the fear you are going to cause a scene is the train of thought you can not get off, repeat to yourself that you have been through this before and will get past it.
5- Get busy doing ANYTHING that diverts your thinking and keeps you focused. For the ladies out there, in the onset of an attack, I would redo my closet and try clothes on. There is something about grounding yourself, looking in a mirror that helps.
6- Reward yourself when you get to the other side. This is the time that you need to rebuild your self-esteem. All of sufferers out there beat the hell out of ourselves for everything we can not do. I believe what we face on a daily basis is sheer hell and those who do not suffer have no clue. We are sentenced to this prison with what feels like no escape. But there is....even if its a slight shift and from there you can build.
I hope this helps and thanks for letting me share.

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i agree
m

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i've tried all those things Suze. Those things helped for a while but not all the time. I have tried everything out there. I have lived with this for most of my life. Everyone has always known me as "the shy girl" Of course it doesn't help that no one around me understands.I've always heard just leave her alone, she'll get over it or People have always just walked away. I have just told myself it is something that I have to live with. I do feel like there is no escape from it.I feel at a loss. After almost 40 years of this, I sometimes feel like giving up.

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For Mikeandksuci oh dear iam working 5 days per week 14 hiurs :)have 2 days off iam working in Vodafone Germany here in cairo so iam dealing with german complains for 9 hours and and the other 5 hours in the bus to my way to work or back :) actually i do not have a lot of time to struggle with my emotions and ideas i think this was my therapy to be always BUSY :) you r so sweet and gentle too and iam very happy that u r alive happily living with ur kids and family sometimes being busy solve all our problems ;)

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@ Pamela, i know how hard it can be when u r hiding and suffering alone,but just take astep back nd ask your self if i love a person and he is suffering or can not feel happy would i engage and help him to be better or not?same goes for your fmily, thy care alot but they do not support you because u r hiding.

And i tried many things only 3 things worked for me, sport, having no free time and talking to my beloved person about how i feel.

Reagarding accepting your self, bring a paper and imagine that your are describing your charachter to some one else what will you write?then check this paper is this person's qualities that mentioned on this paper worth to be loved and respected for or not?

kindly be calm and kind to your self ;)

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For all :) : first of all its important not to shy away from doing things if possible, the basics are that a part of you brain is over reacting to fear when it shouldnt, this can be for various reasons, without going into your personal history it might be that your brain is remembering an incident where you felt scared in an inclosed public place or something along those lines, there are many things you can try, cbt therapy, hypnotherepy, counciling, drugs, emotional freedom technique and more, you can check them out on the net, i find exercise always helps with generally feeling happier, but everyone is diffrent you just have to open yourself to the possibilities and know there are many others with the same problems. hope that is some help ;))