whats this

[jjamie]

Hi Im fairly new here

I am fine walking in small villages ,countryside,going to shopping malls etc.....but I am a mess if I have to go into a big city or anywhere with tall buildings and busy roads I just freeze and get a tingling wave throughout my body,same with bridges......is this agorophobia,as I do go out uite normally but avoid these areas

[Cathy V]

Hi Jamie, this question has been debated many times...what is agoraphobia! Well obviously, the latin word itself literally means 'fear of the market place' but what ive learned on nmp is that its situational and not entirely the same for everyone. Some ppl cant go outside at all, while others can but avoid certain places. Agoraphobia and claustrophobia are very closely linked too, so you could have a bit of both. Its a feeling of not being able to escape easily and not wanting to be trapped or 'hemmed in'. But then im also nervous out in the countryside, in forests etc. places where i cant see any people, so cant get help if i need it.

Its a complex subject, and not an easy question to answer, but if you had those feeling when you were in the city then i would say its situational agoraphobia yes.

Best wishes
Cathy xxx

[jjamie]

Thanks for replying :)

so do you get agorophobia in cities too

[ladybird64]

Hiya. :)

I won't get into the dabate on what is agoraphobia and what isn't (too complex for me!) but I have been told that I'm agoraphobic and I have the same problems as you.
I don't feel comfortable on busy streets with lots of traffic and tall shops/buildings, I hate bridges and train/tube stations..not the actual train, just the station and in particular the platform.
I'm fairly certain there are a lot of us here that have the same symptoms so don't worry, you're not alone!
Funnily enough, I'm fine travelling over a bridge in a car or bus but am terrified at the thought of having to walk over the damn thing. :scared15:

[jjamie]

so how are you in other areas.....countryside ,small vilages etc

[noworriesnocries]

During my panic days, I was scared of being in a car, going outside the city... I worried if something happened, noone will be around... Yet, it never turned out to be agarophobia. My doc said I was so scared of my panic episodes, I was scared of being alone in the middle of nowhere. But most of my panic attacks occured in public spaces... I don't get them now for a while (6 months), but they may or may not come back in the future... And I was extremely scared of driving... But I can now... Learned it very late (28 years of age), but I did it...

[jjamie]

Thnaks :)

so whats the difference then...how did you feel in big cities and have you overcome it ?

[ladybird64]

so how are you in other areas.....countryside ,small vilages etc

Hmm, this is quite difficult to answer!
I don't get outside of the city that often but have had panics in the countryside, seaside and other places too numerous to mention.
In all honesty I can't remember when my panicky problems began, probably more than 20 years ago but I didn't actually try and do any research into what was wrong with me until a couple of years ago and only received a "diagnosis" last year.
What I have realised is that it can happen anywhere, in places I know well as well as places that I haven't been to before. I suppose I tend to comment on the roads/bridges/platforms as I live in London and these present more of a day to day problem.
Since I have been on this forum I have realised that the lines between agoraphobia, panic attacks, anxiety disorders etc are very blurred and more than a little confusing !:shrug:
I read on another post (can't remember where it was :blush: ) that the problem was the fear of losing control..I think that sums up the way I feel. Yes, the panic attacks are very scary but I think I'm more terrifed of doing something crazy in front of other people when I am panicking.
I haven't done it yet though..:winks:

[Cathy V]

Jamie, your posts about the city and tall buildings go back to 19th of may. Alot of people have answered...do you have a problem accepting what people say about this? weve all tried to be as honest as we can and given you alot of responses about agoraphobia in all of these posts...please accept this now ok?

[jjamie]

Thanks Ladybird :)

Yes Cathy just trying to comprehend the situation ,I didnt realise there was a time limit,but thanks for your germanic understanding :P

[Cathy V]

Hi jamie, im a scouser by the way so less of the germanic! and no theres no time limit, but reading back through your posts you seem to be asking the same question over and over for quite some time now but not accepting what ppl are saying to you. Even today, ppl are sending you replies...reasonable, understandable and helpful replies about agoraphobia, and no matter who seems to reply, you come back with the same question.

Jamie, you have situational agoraphobia. You have a fear of tall buildings and big cities and this is how agoraphobia manifests itself in you. People have already said that it can be different for different ppl. Now that you know it, lets try and help you cope with it ok? :p :p

Cathy xxxx

[jjamie]

Ok I will accept that from a german scouser :P....

Its just ive had it for years but never knew what it was until I found this site!...so how do I beat it

and if you cant excesssively post on an anxiety site where can you :)

[noworriesnocries]

Thnaks :)

so whats the difference then...how did you feel in big cities and have you overcome it ?

I grow up in big cities... So that was where I am comfortable... I enjoyed outdoor activities with my hubby, but I was scared to go out from the city, in the middle of mountains and stuff for hiking. I was scared if anything happened to me noone would be able to help. Well... I overcame my worry about something going to happen to me. I reassured myself that I have anxiety issues, they don't kill, I just gotta deal with them... As I got more comfortable and accepting of them, I got more comfortable with the feeling nothing bad will happen... Me driving... I was always scared. I learned it last year, while coping with anxiety, I pushed myself... And did it! Around 4th month of my diagnosis I did not want to even ride with someone, like something is gonna happen, and that I am not safe feeling... But it gradually went away... My hubby helped me alot. We did a lot of activities, I kept myself busy busy busy... Distracted myself from my own thoughts...

[jjamie]

well for me ist the opposite! Im great in mountains,countryside anywhere but a great big city...I remember going to NYC and literally hanging onto the buildings for support! :P

[noworriesnocries]

Jamie,

I was lucky; my panic attacks and anxiety disorder did not turn into agarophobia. I understand you though... It is difficult to deal with when you are so afraid of something... I was almost at that point, where I could easily become agorophobic (yet with mine, scared of open spaces outside the city)... I guess, I was diagnoised right within a month of my first panic attack, I got intervention right away... As I learned to cope with panic, I got less scared of it. And that helped me...
If you are seeking theraphy, discuss possible controlled environments that you can be introduced to city scapes or something. I heard it helps some people with their particular manifestations of agorophobia...

[Cathy V]

Ok, so...for example, out of the replies that you have had since you first asked this question back in may, which reply has given you hope? which reply has made you think that we understand what you are going through and wanted to help you? If you post continuously about the same thing, then this just tells the people who are taking the time to reply and give advice that you are not listening to them. Yes posting 'excessively' can be done on a forum like this, but only up to a point...before ppl start to think you're taking the p*ss. It has happened before believe me.

As for help, well it has to start with talking to the docs of course and then if meds are necessary then so be it :)

[jjamie]

I assure you Im not taking the ****
Im slowly trying to understand what Ive had for many years and Im sorry it hasnt sunk in as quick enough,if it had many years ago I may have got help earlier.All the replies thus far have given me food for thought,including your own boot up my backside :)

[noworriesnocries]

jamie,

have you talked about this with your family doctor? There are a lot of meds that can help, if you get panic attacks... S/he may refer you to a psychologist for behavioral and cognitive therapy... people can get healed, yes it takes time... but they do through these methods... it is also less stressful on you, since there is guidance, a hand to grab and follow the direction of.

[Cathy V]

Well, glad to be of help :noangel: and as you might have guessed im not exactly a 'huggy' kind of person sorry, but I do care, and as long as you have a genuine need for help, then if not me, loads of other members are only too happy to do that...as you can see from the replies, so keep posting.

Take care
Cathy

[jjamie]

Thanks Cathy,you all seem nice here and I believe Im getting some good advice...no hugs yet though :)

Will read through some other similiar threads for more info too ,Jamie