Showing symptoms would welcome your thoughts

[Pollypocket123]

Hi all this is my first post. I have hereditary depression and take citalopram for this. I also suffer from anxiety. Anxiety, depression and agoraphobia run in my mother's family. Over the past year I have become increasingly aware of agoraphobic symptoms. Now when I go out, even to familiar places, I feel a sense of detachment from myself, I am nervous, tense and feel people are looking at me or talking About me, I work full time and am worried that if the symptoms worsen I will be unable to continue in my role. Strangely I am generally ok at work as I 'play a role' and put on a persona. I don't know why but I am unable to do this in other places. My mum says the best thing to do is fight it by forcing myself to go out. I would be interested to know what you guys think. Many thanks.

[cheshirecatqee]

Forcing yourself to go out can work for some people as it's a way to prove to yourself there is nothing to fear but it doesn't work for everybody and you need to work out what the triggers are.

Saying that you feel people are looking or talking about you sounds like a self esteem/lack of confidence problem and a solution could be an assertiveness course as that will give you self confidence.