This feels like one of the dumber things that makes me anxious but I think its related to my agoraphobia and anxiety. I don't know why it makes me anxious maybe I spend too much time indoors but I don't like being outside on bright days because it makes me anxious. Like I don't really feel anxious just being outside on my property if its night, or just cloudy its the very nice beautiful days that I am anxious outside on my property. Even just being in the shade makes it go away pretty much

using voice to text for this. so sorry if the grammar is kind of weird. I have an important endodontist appointment tomorrow that I won't be able to reschedule, probably until after the new year if I miss it. but this is the first time in years I've had to relapse this bad and in fact it's my first relapse at all so I don't really know what to do.

I keep trying to do the things I did that help me get over my first few years and listening to advice but I'm still sitting here on the bathroom floor trying not to throw up because my stomach hurts so bad and everything is just spinning with how bad my anxiety is for leaving the house on this 30-minute trip tomorrow. the appointment itself is probably going to be up to 3 hours.

I'm just so worried that the anxiety medication they gave me won't actually help the gut anxiety and that I'll just be in the car. feeling just as sick as I am now trying not to have a panic attack and turn around and miss this thing before I even have the chance to start the appointment. I really don't know how I'm supposed to last 3 hours in a chair without moving.

somebody else will be driving me because I can't drive myself on these medications but it's my mother and she always gets really upset at me when I start getting nervous and ask to pull over or go find a bathroom somewhere because I really struggle with gut agoraphobia, in fact, it's one of the main driving factors as to why I'm so anxious, which just makes me even more anxious which makes my stomach hurt even more.

I'm just really frustrated and scared. I don't know why this happened. everything has been going so well these last few years and even these last few months nothing really happened to set this off. I just hope it gets easier. I just hope it doesn't take as long as it did last time

Hi everyone! I'm a US-based therapist who works with agoraphobia, and I'm hoping to better understand people's experiences finding and accessing appropriate care.

I've noticed that relatively few therapists in my area specifically identify agoraphobia as a specialty, which got me wondering how people are searching for support.

If you've looked for a therapist, how did you go about finding one? Did you use Google, Psychology Today, referrals, or something else? Were there particular search terms you used?

I'm also curious about barriers you've encountered beyond simply finding someone with the right expertise. For example, have things like insurance coverage, cost, appointment availability, telehealth versus in-person sessions, or the expectation of attending appointments outside your home made treatment more difficult to access?

And if you've found a therapist who feels like a good fit, what helped you feel comfortable reaching out or getting started?

I'm not looking to promote my practice or solicit clients. I'm genuinely interested in understanding what makes finding and accessing therapy easier or harder for people living with agoraphobia.

Thanks to anyone who's comfortable sharing their experience!

Hey everyone, so a little context. My 18 year old daughter has agoraphobia and has for years. She’s getting counseling and therapy to help her and now that she’s an adult she wants a job. Her fear of the outside world is making it difficult and I can see the frustration in her eyes. She has a high school diploma after being homeschooled since the pandemic but nothing higher than that. Does anyone know of some things she can do? She’s a great artist and enjoys drawing any chance she gets but that’s about the only thing she enjoys aside from her pet pigs. Thank you for any and all help.

Sat in my dads car alone for 5 minutes. Scared asf but I fucking did it.

I haven’t been properly outside since July - I’m hoping to make this a daily thing.

Just wanted to share that with someone.

The loud noises and bright lights nearly made me pass out with anxiety but I managed to buy what I needed to buy and get out without having a full blown panic attack. I can't remember the last time I have been to a store...Its been literal months since I have went to the store and went that far by myself. I was shaking and anxious the entire time but the cashier looked like she couldn't care less and idk why but that calmed me down somewhat...My heart was pounding the entire time I was walking. But I'm glad I was able to do it. I am so happy but terrified I won't be able to do it again next time.

Most of my time is spent on my computer, working with AI or talking to it.

Social media has always been full of shit, to be fair, but now it's flooded with AI-generated content and people claiming AI can solve every problem in your life.

It used to give me hope, now it's just driving me insane.

I try to use AI as a creative tool, almost as a form of therapy, but I keep ending up with things that feel completely soulless. It kills creativity. And the more I try to fix them, the more I question whether these tools were ever really designed to help people in the first place.

It reminds me of social media. It was supposed to bring people together, but instead we ended up with algorithms designed to provoke reactions, keep people hooked, and encourage everyone to fight and insult each other.

I guess I'm just exhausted by the whole thing.

Just wanted to vent a little and see how you guys are dealing with this

Does anyone else randomly get anxious even being at home?

for context i have an amazing relationship with my family but lately i haven’t been able to successfully get out of my room even if im starving. (so im usually awake all night) It’s like my body refuses to get any social interaction at all even if it’s a good or safe one. It feels insane considering how good recovery was going but i be wondering how far it goes sometimes.

this lasts for a few days each month.

Hello everyone!

We made a support group discord server last week and I jusy wanted to leave the link here if anyone is interested!

Was made for those who want something a little more tight-knit from your support group on our road to recovery with positivity and healing. If you would like to meet new people who are also going through agoraphobia and anxiety, this is what it is for! :)

https://discord.gg/JY4rSzddQx

Idk this is hard to ask, but really want honest opinions. I'm trying to do my exposure therapy but everytime I leave the house I start thinking about what if I panic and do something stupid. Its really as simple as that I think. I don't know what could happen, I don't know how bad panic attacks can get. I don't want to jump out the car driving down the road or try to do a u-turn over the median or do something stupid trying to get back home asap. The physical symptoms don't even scare me tbh. So honestly how bad can one be? Am I just going to try to escape the car or run back home and possibly get myself hurt somehow one of these days or does that not happen? Have any of you guys ever done too much or went too far during exposure therapy

PTSD has made me have great fear of public. Since I started working from home It’s been really bad. Starting therapy soon, making that appointment wasn’t easy. Has anyone had a good outcome using EMDR?

Hi all,

I have severe agoraphobia. I have flown my entire life, but at 30, when my panic attacks started, I suddenly became afraid to fly. As most here know, it’s only the worry of being trapped in the sky and having a panic attack.

This is because of a complex trauma. When I was home bound, I would hyperventilate so badly my hands would seize up and one time I was admitted bc my heart rate was so high.

I got off of two flights, then with support from friends, successfully flew again. Was fine for a few years but recently it came back. I have gotten off my last two flights.

I have done SOAR, DARE, and tried benzos. I do not like the meds so usually don’t exceed a full low dose (.5mg being the strongest I’ve ever taken). The issue is, it makes me not care - but it makes me not care about getting off the plane lol. Rather than, “ok cool I don’t care about my panic attacks,” I think, “I don’t care what happens I’m not doing this.”

I know that doing this reinforces the behavior and inconveniences everyone involved on the other end of my trip. I am so ashamed and embarrassed but I know if I can get over this relapse I will be back in the sky.

My question: Benzos obviously don’t have the right effect. Should I try beta blockers? I was prescribed Propanolol but I have low blood pressure as is so was cautioned against it. I do well with Benadryl. Does anyone have experience with Benadryl?

I sound insane and this cycle of booking trips and bailing cannot continue. My thought is “I better get off before the doors close or I’m going to inconvenience everyone and have a medical emergency.”

Maybe I should just give up. Thoughts???

Hey guys. I’m just looking for some advice. I haven’t been able to go more than like 4 mins from my house since July. I want to return to campus in the spring for college. I’m honestly feeling at a loss. I can’t even get myself to do exposures. I panic and get anxious even thinking about it. I’m in a very small town. Like, we don’t even have a Walmart or anything. I’ve been to the gas station down the road. The closest town is 20 mins away. Across a bridge and down a secluded highway. I want to get out. I really do. I’m tired of being stuck here. I live with my parents at the moment but they work a lot and can’t really drive me around for exposures. I also have a bit of a control issue with that. But I’m also scared to drive myself as I get extremely dizzy when anxious/panicking. I wasted my summer and now have wasted a semester online just rotting at home. I registered for in person classes in the spring. I hope I can attend. It’s over an hour away and I would love on campus. I’m truly at a loss and need some encouragement and/or advice. We are trying to find the correct medication for my anxiety as well. It started when my old med backfired in July. I’ve been on this new med for a couple months but it’s constant dizziness so I’m going to try something else after my appointment on the 28th I think. I’m truly lost right now and don’t know what to do. I know the basics but I can’t even get myself to go any farther.

i'm not able to leave my house for most things but can go to work, gas stations, and curbside pickup for groceries. but i'm finding that if i have an appointment somewhere, i can get myself to go. like i have no problem getting my haircut or going to a doctor. so i'm curious if anyone knows of other places i can make an appointment at to get myself out of the house more

My agoraphobia began as a result of the pandemic. I have OCD and going outside was so scary for me because of it and that just gradually evolved into me not going outdoors. It is much better now- I am able to drive and run errands. Unfortunately it’s made college really hard I had to drop out.

How did you do it?

I’m at the stage where I panic easy even being the passenger so I really don’t see if I my general anxiety doesn’t get way down from that that I’ll ever be driving 😩

Im having a baby in less than a month (dad). My anxiety is so bad I haven't left the house in 4 months. I just really started doing exposure therapy and it sucks. Im at the point where I can ride as a passenger in a car for a little while. Any tips or help would be greatly appreciated as im scared im not gonna be there for my wife and baby.

Yesterday I went out to do an exposure for my agoraphobia, and I ended up going to 5 different places because I felt so good that I WANTED to keep going! I even got out of the car at a supermarket for the first time.

Now I'm wondering if this is actual progress or just the excitement of the moment. I only go out on Saturdays, but I'm even thinking about going somewhere tomorrow because there's a place I really miss. Nobody pressured me; I genuinely wanted to go.

I'm just scared of overdoing it and accidentally turning it into flooding. Has anyone else experienced this? Going from barely being able to go out to actually WANTING to go to more places? 😭

My agoraphobia is really tied to car travel, typically I’m fine when I am at a location but the traveling to and from is the part that is hard on me. The longer I have to be in a car the worse I feel.

I can drive about 5-10 minutes from my house on my own. I can do about 20-30 minutes with someone else on a regular basis. I will go places over an hour away but it makes me nervous and I have anxiety leading up to the plans.

October is a busy month and it means traveling over an hour away almost every weekend. I love the activities but I dread the anticipation of the anxiety. I’ve been stressed about it for weeks, but we went on a trip that was over an 1 and half each way one weekend and I was fine. We did trips about an hour away both days last weekend, and I was fine. This weekend I went to my local target which is only about 5 minutes away on the freeway and I had a panic attack on the way home, down the street from my house.

Even as it was happening I was so angry, like this doesn’t make any sense! These are the same streets I drive DAILY picking my son up from school. I do it just fine Monday through Friday but my anxiety can just randomly decide “no today it will feel like you’re going to die on this street because it’s too far from your house.”

It’s just so frustrating. I’m going to keep doing things, but I hate how the anxiety can just strike anywhere and anytime and it doesn’t have to make any sense. I wasn’t scared, I wasn’t expecting it. I had a panic attack at a theme park over the summer but at least that made sense to me, it was hot and crowded and I knew I was overwhelmed. It’s these panic attacks when I’m feeling fine and just trying to go about my normal day that really frustrate and scare me.

i have struggled with agoraphobia since i was 11 and i am now 17. i want to move out within the next year to move with my girlfriend and i need some sort of income. i can’t get a normal job as i get horrible panic attacks just by leaving my house not just being in public. even if i could go out and get a job i don’t have a drivers license or a car.

i just need anything i could do to make money even if its only a few hundred a month.

To start off this will be long and if you do make it to the end thank you! I have had etemophobia my entire life which has stopped me in a few ways but I still lived a normal life ( if I got into the logistics of how it affects me we would be here all night). In 2023 I was 21 in the police academy had a great job I loved, a girlfriend, everything I could ever want even a great car. During the academy it was hard mentally but nothing I couldn’t beat I ended up failing 2 push ups, lost my girlfriend, lost my car, lost my job and to top it all off my uncle who I hate moved in with us. After he moved in I was going back to the academy august 2024 but for some reason everytime I ran at bootcamp I felt so sick which triggers my anxiety and thought huh thats weird maybe its just because of how hot it is. Then driving to the academy brought me great stress and I also thought how weird I love driving and listening to music. Then class became horrendous and I felt so anxious and trapped. Also thought nothing of it since I’ve already been through it and just anticipating how boring class will be since a lot of it is just sitting at a desk. But then one day going to class my heart was racing really bad and I was really hot and thought well thats weird but about 10 mins arriving to school I felt so hot and dizzy and sick and had plans on where to run to throw up and thought oh my god today is the day ( I haven’t thrown up since 3rd grade) and was freaking out. I couldn’t leave class until the hour is up and once that hour was up I got up and talked to the commanders wife and said how sick I felt. She felt my head and said yeah I think you are sick you’re very hot. I went home and thought so hard about everything and how going out brought on so much stress. I went into school the next morning and talked to the commander and said I don’t think this is in the cards for me right now but I will never give up and I will be back to finish school. After that was just pure hell couldn’t eat, sleep, could barely go out of my room. I don’t remember how I got out of it but about a year of hard work id say august 2025- july 2026 I improved so much even went 2 hours away to pick up my puppy. I was going to the bar every night and going out living my life. Even had a job I loved. Until around july 7th I was really sick with a cold (doesn’t trigger my etemophobia) but I was at work and still felt sick but thought I am tired of being at home since I took almost a week off and texted my friend lets go out tonight. The bar we go to is 20 mins away and no biggie so I got through work it was rough but now time for fun. We had an air quality alert around maybe 400 that day and it was very thick heavy chemically smelling air so my lungs were not happy that day being sick on top of a vaper. Anyways at the bar its very hot and muggy of course the air is heavy im sick and I get out of the car and think oh my god I don’t feel right but I get anxious all the time and feel sick im just anxious. I walk into the bar and see my friend and meet up with her. I am dying inside and cannot calm down and think huh maybe I need to get some air. The bartender didn’t know me and I needed to get my id to show her im legal so perfect excuse to go get my id from the car. As soon as I step out into the parking lot I regurgitate. I feel it in the back of my throat and I think im going to throw up I freak out and go into an actual full blown panic attack and run to the car and drive home asap. My friend is pissed saying stop being dramatic get back here but I cannot calm down. I do not end up throwing up ever since that day I have been so freaked out. Going to work was so hard and everyday was a challenge and I developed a fear of driving home it brought full panic and I regurgitated never throw up every single time I go home. I couldn’t concentrate ever and never felt not anxious and freaked out. My eating became horrible again and ever since that day I cannot get better. I have been in therapy for 2 months and august was truly the first month i haven’t left the house july was on and off only for work going out but I completely stopped in august ( i also was fired august 3rd).I have been going on walks, trying grounding, driving down my road but I still am so scared of myself and the feeling of nausea, heavy feeling in the upper stomach, the acid reflux, the feeling of something in my throat and I try everyday but nothing is helping with the panic and I still haven’t gone more than 3 mins from my house and I’ve only been that far 1 time. I am lost and wonder if anyone else deals with agoraphobia from etemophobia and is there any trick that helped you overcome this. Again if you read this far thank you and hoping for all of us to heal and get our lives back!

I might have to go to a psychiatric hospital, and I have a few questions. What should I expect, and how can I prepare myself? What are some of the positive and negative aspects of being admitted to a psychiatric hospital? Is it really that different from a regular hospital?