Agoraphobia

[chrissie42]

Most people think Agorophobia is a fear of "open spaces" whenever I tell people I have Agoraphobia they say "Oh you are afraid to go out"

I wish it were that simple huh !

I try to explain to them that Agoraphobia is actually a FEAR of FEAR.

That most agoraphobics want to Avoid the fear In panic and this is what keeps it going...fear feeds fear as we all know and "feeling" fear Day in day out is something we want to avoid, so we develop agoraphobia which covers a wide spectrum of problems.

As someone who has suffered Panic/Anxiety Disorder for 21 yrs I know only to well the complex web this disorder weaves into our lives and how one thing can lead to another etc.

When I developed Agoraphobia I thought I would never be well again and spent two yrs almost completely housebound...CBT helped me a lot and taught me about positive thinking and changing habitual thinking and how in a moment of panic we can regain control - letting go and telling ourselves - "do your worst" it does work and although its hard work I have practised this many times - practise makes perfect - YES?

Chrissie.[8D]



chrissie

[benoo5]

chrissie,

i read a guys life story,not so long ago..he would feel a panic come on,and he would shout aloud,no matter where he was..come on you bastarx,do your worse,and he would take it on head first..he hasent had an attack for five years now..and sometimes he does things to try and bring an attack on,just so he can prove hes the boss,but it doesnt happen....hes beaten it..your attitude is right,well done,be positive...best wishes..bryan.

[nomorepanic]

The way I explain agoraphobia to people is that it is a fear of being away from your safety zone. I can make my safety zone my house or my place of work (for the usual Mon-Fri routine) but if I am away from home for too long I do get a bit anxious.

Nicola

[Laurie28]

I must admit I thought agorophobia was a fear of open spaces.

I like your friends attitude Brian, but I would probably get arrested - lol

Love
lucky

[twister]

agrophobia is both a fear of open spaces and a fear of enclosed spaces, or situations you can't escape from - confusing or what?

Emily

[Rennie1989]

I usually cant go to school coz thats my DANGER zone. i always get my panic attacks there. I usuallly find it hard just to step out of my home, my safty

Agoraphobia is a fear of big open spaces like a hall or a field or shopping. It also means that you are not in a safe place like home or somewhere formiluar.

Jade[]

[Vicky]

Brian, I like the shouting out aloud idea! He was so brave to do that, he must have had loads of people staring at him, but he did it anyway! Good for him.

Jade, school is my number 1. scary place too. How do you manage? I have cut my lessons right down to just one subject, Art, and I go in when I can, so say once a week. My parents have to sit in the carpark for me to go in just for the hours lesson. They have been brilliant.

[Rennie1989]

Vicky

I dont want my parents to get involved. I always think to my self ''I can do this. Nothibg is gonna stop me'' i just do possitive thinking

Jade

[mico]

I read somewhere once that agorophobia (the word, not the illness) comes from ancient greece, and that 'Agoro' actually means 'market place' in th ancient greek language. So really you could call it market place phobia, although I suppose the meaning of words can change over time can't they, and 2000 years or so is a long time!

So make of that what you will, just think it's an interesting point that's all.

[Buby]

yes mico.....it is interesting.

wouldn't it be great to live 2000 years ago. well in a way. but i couldn't imagine using all them different words, i prefer our words, don't you?

any other words you find that are related in some way with us people you let me know, id love to hear about it, even though im taking geography not history for GCSE's. but id still love to know.

hugs to you.
from ratchit aka rachel