At the end of 2024 I made a list of goals for myself going into the new year. Things I wanted to start, things I wanted to stop. I even made a list of places to go to or things to do and in that list was “try something new/finally get myself to a pottery class” and I checked it off. 🥹

Side note, another thing I’ve been doing is I started a photo album in my photo app for exposures and just labeled it getting my life back and I’ve been documenting everywhere I go! Even something as random or silly as going to the eye dr or getting back in the car for the first time and it’s been so nice and helpful to look back at the things I’m doing despite how hard it is to do it. I highly recommend 🫶🏼

First one in like 2 years. Absolutely terrified but we’ve been speaking for 3 months and get along really well! Fingers crossed I can make it there 🥹

I used to find so much solace in looking at pictures and videos of far-off places, enjoying the atmosphere of adventure stories and movies, taking in the magical locales I myself would likely not be able to visit even if I didn't have this humiliating problem. But over the past year it's gotten worse than before, to the point where instead of wistfully enjoying that sort of "vicarious exploration", most of the time I'm just clenching up imagining how badly I'd be freaking out if I was there right now. It's ridiculous and prevents me from the little escape and hope I used to make for myself. Not really much to add, that's all.

Winter break came to an end and tomorrow I have to go back to school. I'm dreading it so much. I have sensory issues, especially with lights and heat that trigger my agoraphobia. I skipped a lot of classes this school year, like over 50 and here they count it very strictly. I have 3 months of school yet so changing schools or online school isn't an option. I have spoken to the counsellor only for them to dismiss my agoraphobia and say it's "just social anxiety" which is not. Advice for handling these 3 months?

hello! as title says I’m 26F in the UK. I’d really like to get something together of a few people who want to help eachother? or even just a group that we can talk/natter. Doesn’t have to be solely UK based but think that it would be good to be able to pass some support around & kind of be eachothers advocates? I’ve had agoraphobia & GAD/Panic disorder since I started nursery so I’ve been through it all! (Or majority of) If you’d like to be involved, drop me a DM - thinking possibly WhatsApp? Ideas!! 💡

The weekly radio that spins just for us, the community of folks dealing with Agoraphobia

(Please use the streaming service of your choice to search the following song selections)

#Episode 23

Song/Track: “The Feast”

Artist: Art Blakey

The second selection is a live performance by The Dave Brubeck Quartet of “I’m In A Dancing Mood” performed on The Ed Sullivan Show…and can be found on The Ed Sullivan Show YouTube channel.

Have a lovely week, all❤️

Previous Episodes:

Ep 22. “Bonnie and Clyde” by Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot

Ep 21. “Ålesund” by Sun Kil Moon

Ep 20. “My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose” performed by Pat Boone in Journey To The Center Of The Earth

Ep 19. “Gymnopédie 1” —composed by Erik Satie, interpreted by Aldo Ciccolini

Ep 18. “Qwazars” by Mr. Fingers (aka Larry Heard)

Ep 17. “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)” by Nat King Cole

Ep 16. “Telepatía” by Kali Uchis

Ep 15. “ Cherry-Coloured Funk” by Cocteau Twins

Ep 14. “Hold Down” by The Kingstonians

Ep 13. “I Live in a Suitcase” by Thomas Dolby

Ep 12. “I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)” by Stevie Wonder

Ep 11. “Impossible Soul” by Sufjan Stevens

Ep 10. “Hatasiz Kul Olmaz” by Orhan Gencebay

Ep 9. “Dark All Day (featuring Tim Capello and Indiana)” by GUNSHIP

Ep 8. “Away from the Mire” by Billy Strings, live performances recommended

Ep 7. “Heads Above (Maceo Plex remix)” by Maceo Plex/WhoMadeWho

Ep 6. “Love Song 28 (feat. Bobby)” by Jullian Gomes

Ep 5. “Feel Flows” by The Beach Boys

Ep 4. “New York Groove” by Ace Frehley

Ep 3. “Leavin’” by Shelby Lynne, live performances recommended

Ep 2. “Only When It’s Dark, featuring Gunship” by Miami Nights 1984

Ep 1. “These Days” by Jackson Browne

I had a horrible experience with Social Work on Thursday.

I have been hoping to get assessed for self directed payments for help with physical and mental health. I started the process in April last year.

Last year the Social Worker assigned to my case came to the house with my old Advocacy worker.

Im at the point now where I have a real problem talking about why I need help; there are ten years of history to what not having help has done to me. Its all very interconnected and messy. Im well aware people are not sympathetic when I start talking about it I see them glaze over. Ive always felt a bit like it was my fault for somehow telling it wrong. So I had a friend come who was willing to tell the story for me. She did a good job covering it all at the meeting.

The only outcome from that meeting was that the Social Worker emailed my GP. Im assuming this was triggered by the fact they cant consult by email and I can no longer do phone calls with strangers or home visits without support as I expect people to be nasty to me.The GP then emailed me in a extremely vague way saying they would help me... prior to this they had been very very clear that they could not consult by email; I can email them but then Im expected to do the rest by phone, video chat or home visit (there is no wiggle room on this they say its unsafe to consult by email).So it was kind of baffling what they could do to help. It seemed like I was going to have to meet to just get to the bottom of what was being said. But then my Advocacy worker shared another email he had had from my GP surgery where they characterised an email I had sent to them saying I had no access to care as an example of the system that was currently in place working. This made me think the whole meet to discuss thing was a waste of time and I really needed to move GP.

I asked Advocacy to find out if that was possible as normally the other surgery like you to go in for an appointment when you join. It was therefore a reasonable adjustment request and Im useless at asking for these, I just confuse people, or make them angry, or both/ask in the wrong way/ dont ask enough times, its clearly something I cant do.

Anyway there has been no progress on that since July 2024.
My old advocacy worker left in Oct and was replaced. We eventually had a meeting in Nov and again my friend did most of the talking. Then nothing happened; I emailed for updates but got no response. In Jan 2025 I asked for a different caseworker. I have not yet got one. I told Social Work I was waiting for a new advocacy caseworker.

My Social Work assessment hasnt even been started yet, its unclear what the point was of that first appointment.

So what happened on Thursday you ask...
Well Social Worker and the advocacy worker I had asked to be replaced turn up on my doorstep without any notice and without ringing my friend. They tell me they are worried about me and with real misgivings I let them in.

The Social Worker then proceeds to tell me I can organise things myself as Im very competent; I tell her Im really not, she insists I am. I say Im not. Then she leans towards me and demands an explanation of why I cancelled the GP appointment (I had already told her this). So I got up and told them to leave the house.

It really freaked me out. I cannot understand why they thought it was a good idea, unless they expected to bully me into something if I was alone. Really not helped the fear of people or my issue with having people in the house.
I spent hours not knowing where to go as I didnt feel safe in the house. My friend rang Advocacy to get reassurance they were not going to turn up again.
It feels like the whole process is about grinding you, and any help you may have, down until you give up.

I did so much progress with my anxiety and agoraphobia, from being housebound not being able to leave home or do anything to now taking trains,buses, metros etc... visiting malls, shopping and all, I did all this with therapy and exposure and I made like 60-70% progress but my biggest challenge and like the main reason or trigger for my anxiety is being around people, i mean i can go anywhere and do alot alone but when its with people especially close ones (friends or people i know) I cannot do it at all, I cant do plans or even have people visit me at home, sometimes i did it because i had no other choice but it was so hard and it was not a really fun expericne for me ( i get so exhausted after it and anxious all the time), I cant go eat with friends in restaurants or even have a drink, its not mainly social anxiety its more the fear of getting anxious or panic attack around people ( nausea is my biggest symptoms), like even having video calls for work or professional meetings or anything like that is too much. Something to add is that I call my friends everyday in video calls and we are like on discord playing and chatting for most of the day but when it comes to going out with them or meet i just cant I lie and avoid. I lie to everyone and avoid its been months I didnt see most of my friends...
Anyone had a similar experience or advices to give me ? I really feel i did so much progress and this is like the last challenge for me before i get my life back and be able to start going out with friends, dating and working again.

My communication skills are degraded since Im agoraphobic i really want to find a way to improve it. I cant hold for long in conversation im losing my breath every time ( i dont rly talk too much with ppl) and having panic attacks... Can someone help ?

Hi, I really want to heart other people how they deal with agoraphobia. This week im some sick of this, my every day is same. I had a little progress 2 months ago I was able to go out without panic attacks but panic is back again... I have weding of my friend soon and he invited me to come i told him i will but I dont rly know if im gonna be able to go im feling scared a little I haven't been to the celebrations for a year and a half. I just feel like im tied up with heavy chains. I feel disgusting !

P.S sry if my English is bad im not native speaker and im stressed out a little

Anyone here suffer to do errands alone? Like you need a support person with u .. I mean when I needed to buy a sim card I had to wait in line and I waited almost an hour I think... And than he needed details etc so... I was proud of myself but I'm embarrassed because I need my mum to come with me to the dentist and to get my id done and I don't wanna get hate as I already am suicidal and I'm just sick of people judging ... And even having social anxiety problems like for me I am black or white thinking and I'm so traumatized by people that I can't cope.

I was second guessing if i should write it due to fear of judgment but honestly I am drowning in pain and lonliness. And I'm really angry as I don't have friends and I don't have a husband either. I'm completely alone

So, I am about to make the trip from Texas to Washington (2100 miles) and I am stressed. We have to move 4 animals (3 dogs and 1 cat) and have to move them at seperate times, so we're looking at 2 seperate, 2-3 day driving trips plus possible flights. I just don't know how I'm going to do it. One of the dogs hates the cat, or we'd move them all together.

Right now we are looking at 1 trip for household things (we are downsizing A LOT), 1 trip for dogs and cars, and then my wife has suggested she fly back just to pick up the cat. Ideally her company pays for movers and it's only the cars and pets trip, but that's still 2100 miles, 2 nights of camping, and 3 days of driving. Any tips or advice would be so appreciated. I just keep ruminating over it and it's eating me up.

Hi I’m not sure if this is the right place forgive me I’m really bad at putting how I feel into words I haven’t left my house in over 5 years. I guess it all started when I failed and dropped out off school when I was 18. At the time I had gained a lot of weight, had no idea where my future was heading and I really started hating then way I looked. Still I had quite a large friend group and got on well with people, a lot of my friends were gamers so I always had a group of people to socialise with online. They would always invite me to social events etc but I would always turn them down, I was good at making up excuses.

Slowly over time my friends grew out of gaming, the party chats got smaller, I would dissociate myself from plans in the group chats and stopped initiating text messages to friends and family. It’s got to the point where I’ve completely I’ve completely isolated myself from everyone bar my parents and sisters who I live with and haven’t spoken to anyone else in over a year. I avoid answering the door whenever possible, I hide in my room when there are guests or family round and stay there until they leave. Just the thought of anyone seeing me in this state brings me immense shame and embarrassment. I can’t even speak to people on the phone! my social anxiety has turned me into a shell of the person I used to be.

My days are this wake up, eat , workout , cook food for family, game / watch movies, sleep, repeat. Still I always had hope that i would fix myself I kept telling myself that I’m young and can turn it around and stop being such a failure of a son. That was 5 years ago I’m 24 now, no job, no friends, no aspirations, no girl nothing I’m lost. This is the first time I’ve ever mention this to anyone if there is anyone out there who can even somewhat relate I would appreciate all the help.

I have agoraphobia and Panic Disorder and I just can't travel, been in and out of therapy for 20 years, nothings helped. I dread every summer when my nearly all teenager girls want to go on holiday but I cant, I've tried everything and just can't. Can I hear from other parents who are in the same situation as me, I don't mean parents that feel anxious but do it anyway, I mean people that truly can not do it, I need to feel less alone and less like a crap mum. Thank you. X

I like exposure therapy, going outside is fun

However some days when I’m outside I can’t stop touching my face, hair, trousers etc.

Some days I can mask and be myself

It’s so embarrassing and it makes my face hurt, I can’t stop

Anyone similar?

Hi guys. Hope you doing well. Most people would advise that it is good to go outside even when you feel bad or feel the panic coming. Constant exposure is vital for recovery etc, I know. Or at least that is what everyone would say. So today was one of my worse days. I was feeling bad in general, physically and mentally. Last night I could not sleep well and I believe that trigger my panic disorder even more. I was feeling some internal tremors (like my body is vibrating from the inside) and that is a sign that my nervous system is not really in a good shape and a panic attack is coming. I was tired and feeling weak. Anyway, I thought "what the hell, a little walk is good for you, especially in this sunny day" and literally forced myself to go out. So I went for a short walk to one of the local shops. And guess what, I had a really strong panic attack infront of the shop (I felt it coming all the way). Don't think I've had such a panic attack in at least a month. Experienced the usual symptoms, but this time very strong - increased heart rate, blurry vision, nausea, shortness of breath, muscles went numb, jelly legs, felt like I can barely stand and going to pass out any moment, people around me started to look strange, felt heat waves all trough my body, had to remove my jacket and hat as it felt like I was burning from the inside. On the way back I started to feel a bit better, the panic attack wasn't entirely gone, but was more bearable. It eventually passed like 20-30 mins after I got home but left me extremely tired and discouraged too (as I mentioned I was feeling tired even before, so you can imagine). Everyone with a history of panic attacks have felt this. I have experienced this before and I know that I am not dying but that doesn't help even a little bit. It is still a very scary feeling after all those years. So I am wondering, how is it with you guys, is going outside when you feel really bad and panicky really helping you? Can you find anything good about going outside and experiencing a severe panic attack? I would avoid it if I staid home. Maybe I would still feel bad but a panic attack wouldn't be likely. I am trying to find any positives about what I experienced a few hours ago but I really can't, I don't want to feel this. People would say "you see that you are not dying so it's all fine, next time it will be better". No, this is now how it works in my case. Next time there's still a chance I experience this and it is still terrifying. Thanks for reading!

hey everyone i’ve been doing really well the past 2 weeks ive been outside everyday and have managed to go further each time i made a really big step last night by going out with just a friend and not my safe person it’s the furthest away from home ive been in ages but today im feeling really drained from it as i was quite anxious doing it i dont know if its okay to miss a day or not i dont want to push myself to hard incase i just have a burnout but i also fear losing my progress

Every year I go on this road trip to see snow, it's a 3h drive and I will be on top of a mountain, after that we'll stay in a small town for the night, next day we'll just visit some places and then go home.

But I'm so scared of anything happening to me during the trip and we'll be in the middle of nowhere, or I'll be on the top of the mountain and it takes 2h to get down and go to the nearest hospital, or during the night if I start feeling bad (my health anxiety is much worse during the night) and there is no hospital nearby.

I'm not even that scared of having a medical emergency, I'm scared of having an anxiety attack and THINKING I'm having a medical emergency.

Last week I had an actual medical emergency (hurt my back, couldn't walk, pain was so bad I almost threw up and thought I was gonna pass out) but I was chill abt it and didn't even wanna go to the hospital but my mom still took me there.

But if my head even slightly hurts for a nanosecond (I have tension headaches) I start panicking thinking I'm dying but I can calm myself down thinking that I have a hospital 15min away from me so I'm scared to start panicking on the road trip and not be able to calm down bc I don't have that though to reassure myself.

I'm just venting and wanting reassurance at the same time, if anyone has any tips for this I'll be grateful, also feel free to share your stories, I'd like to know that I'm not alone on this.

I have to go to the hospital to talk to a doctor and he's on the 7th floor.

Most of the times that I have to go to the doctor I take 1mg (not every time but most of the times) and It works. Although one day It didn't. It was super hot and I started panicking and the appointment was important but not that important so I ended up leaving because I tried to go back to the building and ended up running to get out of there.

This new appointment is REALLY important. I NEED to go and I WILL go, but I'm scared that if I take 1mg I will be too conscious about myself and my surroundings and I would have to always think about not panic until they say my name and I can get all done. The waiting before the appointment is awful.

I'm going to ask my doctor if I can take 1.5 or 2mg before, but I want to know if anyone has had experience with this and if It will work or will I just have another panic attack even if I increase the dose? Thanks ♥️

Starting to feel suffocating inside but I honestly can’t get myself out of the house even if i need to get my teeth checked for the dentist.. i gained a lot of weight, i mostly watch tv shows, and sleep too much up to a point that its unhealthy and i feel disconnected to the world now..

I (15F) have not left my house in 6 months and any time i try i have an episode. my bathroom has asbestos and people are coming to renovate it and we cannot be in the house when it happens for obvious reasons. i don't know what to do i am so terrified.

i increased my meds today and i have so so much anxiety about this. i hate medicine and taking new meds. i worry about it not being good for me and going manic or something bad like that happening... i feel like i get in my head about it too and feel like it's happening to me. i was feeling really good earlier but then i freaked out and was like is this what the manic side effect is ??? so now im scared to be anything but flat ... any advice ????

So back in late December, I got broken up with my boyfriend of 6 1/2 years due to my agoraphobia. Unfortunately I couldn’t move out immediately due to physical health issues but now I’m much better and in the process of moving out and I think I’m gonna go tomorrow or tonight, I haven’t figured it out exactly when. I’m going back to my mom‘s house thankfully the ride is about 10 minutes but I know it will be very nerve-racking for me and I do have Ativan that I can take to help me but I just worried about living at my mom’s but I know I’ll be okay. Thank you for anyone who has read this, I really appreciate you and I’m definitely going to need some words of encouragement.

Edit: I made it to my mom’s!

Anyone else? Has there been anything to get you out of this feeling? Anything you found that felt fresh to do?

I feel like I want to do something that makes it feel like I am doing something to improve my life while I slowly get better at driving until I can start working again.

I feel like I have either 2 options. Or I stay at home, feeling really depressed or I go outside feeling like I’ll lose my mind or I’ll die.

I feel so bored about my life. I haven’t had a good day in years.. I keep believing more and more that this is a sentence for life. I’ve been trying to heal myself for years. I did made some progress, but there is still so much I am so afraid of doing. I feel stuck:(. I feel really sad. I feel really lonely.

Hey there! im hosting a online zoom tonight for us strugling with Agoraphobia to connect and work together towards improving our quality of life.

I find that conneting with people helps so much and had not been able to find a online meetup for people to share on the topic so ive decided to put one together myself! I came across a thread on this sub asking for such a resource and they were left with no direct answer.

my goals for the group are

• Check ins.
• We will share tips with each other to help improve our current boundaries.
• We will share success stories and support each other in meeting incremental goals.
• We may do meditation techniques, and breathing exercises as a group
• Attendees can bring support persons to the meeting

Note: We do not have a licensed therapist in our meet up.

The first meeting of hopefully many will be tonight at 6:00 PM PST, you can find the Zoom link under the events tab on the Meetup page here - www.meetup.com/agoraphobia-support-group-2025

Feel free to join and attend! Hope to see you there <3

I made decision to move out of my parents house and 40 miles away to Pittsburgh with my friend. I’d be lying if I wasn’t anxious and slightly dreading it. But it’s something I need to do for me. I would love to hear any success stories or things that helped other people in a similar situation. My panic is particularly bad when driving or feeling stuck and I think the fear of screwing my friend over is making things worse.

I made a post on here about a week ish ago, and I wasn’t able to make it to the doctor or the dentist (I had a doctors appointment that I tried going to but failed as well), but I did end up making it to the ER. I have lower right lobe pneumonia. Honestly the pain is horrible and really makes my anxiety go absolutely haywire. But I did get antibiotics so that could potentially help with my dental abscess (for the time being). But that’s besides the point… I did make it. I had to push myself super hard. I had 3 panic attacks while I was in the hospital but I still tried to pull through. I have to follow up with my pcp in 5-7 days, so I have a new doctors appointment on February 5th. I hope it all goes well. Agoraphobia and anxiety is so hard to deal with… but you can do it. You have to tell yourself you can. Because you can. It’s all going to be okay. ❤️

I gave up my dream of working in tech today. I realised that I began my interest too late, the industry is too difficult to get into entry level roles anymore (didn't stop some of the men on my bootcamp despite every single woman failing to get tech jobs 🤷‍♀️).

It's hard knowing you were agoraphobic the entire time the economy was good and you're then spit out into "recovery" in the post COVID economic landscape where you're "lucky" to work miserably at minimum wage.

If feels like every single thing I do is too little too late. Like I'll spend my entire life playing catch up and failing, because everyone let me suffer alone in my disorder for over a decade. It feels like the dissapointment never ends.

I don't want to be let down anymore. I don't want to want anymore.

Recovery doesn't feel like recovery. I know that's not what a lot of you want to hear, but I can only tell the truth