How do you handle your Agoraphobia?

As a sufferer of agoraphobia for the past 30 years... I do feel for you. It is only in the last six weeks that I have seen some doctors about it. The doctors cannot really help you with it. They sent me home with a box of pills. It is something that is mental and we can only fix it ourselve by changing our way of thinking. The important thing I have discovered last week... was what did trigger agoraphobia. And the answer is "too much anxiety". If you had some major problems which you had a hard time coping with at the time your agoraphobia started... you can be sure that those problems were the trigger. And once you have agoraphobia... you are in a vicious circle as you get the fear of fear of having a panic attack. The way I did cope with it all these years was to avoid as much as possible to put myself in a situation which would create a panic attack. But at the same time... I did not let it dominate my life. I kept taking care of business by forcing myself to go to work and do whatever I had to do. The only thing which I sacrified was my social life. You cannot afford to stop doing things and give in to your agoraphobia. If you do that... it will come a stage where you won't be able to get out of your front door. You have to keep fighting back. I have put two questions on this site about agoraphobia and one on the Efexor the doctor gave me. I suggest you read them to learn more.

now, i am learning to cope with this situation. it is very difficult to be going through something like this from time to time. i suggest to you go into the pages of the field of your interest which is panic and anxiety. you will encounter plenty of discussions which shall prove to be very helpful for you. i just went through a discussion about anxiety meditation and another type called biofeedback meditation. these are very helpful tips which can really relieve us of the tension within our body and spare us of the unnecessary stresses.

i used to be just fine going shopping and to parties years ago. but for the last 8 years or so ive become more and more scared to go outside. and like someone above said..its because of an extremely stressful and emotionally turbulent time a number of years back. ive never seen a doctor, dont want pills and dont want to hear its all in my head..i know that already lol! i will go out in the back yard during the day only if the next door neighbors (one side has chainlink fence the other you cant see over) are not at home or not in their backyard to see me. i dont go to the mailbox. i leave the house to go shopping perhaps once every 2 months..and only because someone else in the household needs to go and there is no one else available to take them. i do leave the house 5 days a week long enough to pick up my 12yrd old from school, but i dont get out of the car and we never stop anywhere, just straight home. i hate going out, i get extremly nervous and end up sweating like a pig..which of course makes it worse cause im afraid that people are noticing how sweaty and flushed im getting..so theres a circle. ugh.