How do I know if I'm agoraphobic?

HexNoir

Well-known member
Just recently I've been diagnosed with social phobia, and I've found a new therapist that I'll be seeing tomorrow. Here's to hoping someone will respond to this in the meantime.

While it appears that agoraphobia is very distinct from social anxiety disorder (and then throwing a possible generalized anxiety disorder into the mix really screws things up), it would seem that agoraphobia is the fear of panic in unfamiliar situations; I would totally fall into this category some of the time, but I'm already pretty housebound as it is due to fears of unfamiliar situations aplenty. But again, this is almost a crossover territory that intersects with generalized anxiety.

Are generalized anxiety and agoraphobia linked? Can one become stuck in the house due to generalized anxiety disorder, or is that just called agoraphobia?

Thanks to any and all responses. I'm a self-medicator (alcohol) and I am feeling the withdrawal symptoms kicking in as I type this. I'm currently terrified I'm going to die from stopping alcohol so abruptly, but I hope that's just the anxiety and panic talking.
 

nina79

Member
Omgosh, I'm sorry you didn't have someone respond. How was your appointment? Were you able to quit drinking? Both are gigantic feats for us agoraphobics. I do think I've read that those three anxiety conditions intersect/crossover. I have fear of people too but mostly, I'm scared of the act of leaving.
 

wise_wind

Well-known member
I have read somewhere that people suffering from Agoraphobia will be afraid of open wide spaces (even when there are no people). As for people with SAD, they won't be afraid if there are no people.

I'm not sure if this is a correct difference though.
 

HexNoir

Well-known member
After seeing a few therapists, I got some neuropsycological testing done, and I do have both SAD and panic disorder (aka agoraphobia) amongst a slew of other things. Needless to say, I'd take regular SAD over agoraphobia any day of the week.

I have read somewhere that people suffering from Agoraphobia will be afraid of open wide spaces (even when there are no people). As for people with SAD, they won't be afraid if there are no people.

I'm not sure if this is a correct difference though.

I've heard that, too, and then I've heard that even so much as panicking while leaving the house alone / in unfamiliar territory is also agoraphobia. It seems like there are a hundred definitions, but panic disorder looks kind of identical to agoraphobia.
 

HexNoir

Well-known member
Omgosh, I'm sorry you didn't have someone respond. How was your appointment? Were you able to quit drinking? Both are gigantic feats for us agoraphobics. I do think I've read that those three anxiety conditions intersect/crossover. I have fear of people too but mostly, I'm scared of the act of leaving.

I actually don't remember which therapist I was seeing when I made that post (there have been so many), but honestly it went under the radar until I got further testing. I'm glad I know it's agoraphobia (if I want to be optimistic about it), but it's almost like a new demon aside from 50 other demons in my life (I'm sure a lot of us can relate, or maybe I'm just that bad off).

The crossover of SAD / GAD / PD is kind of a bad twist in someone's life, but it's not so weird to find out exactly why you've lived in isolation all your life. I wish this forum had a bigger agoraphobia section, and the internet seems to have a very small grasp on agoraphobia / PD itself, but it's good to know that there are a few of us here to share wisdom and stuff.
 

Sacrament

Well-known member
I feel anxiety when in new places, but that's 'just' the generaluzed anxiety speaking (or rather, my reaction to it). I doubt that I hae agoraphobia, since wide open spaces give me relief rather than discomfort.
 

ChibiChick

Member
I often question whether or not I have Social Anxiety or Agoraphobia as well.
I panic when I am around people and wide open spaces.
But, when I am by myself in wide open spaces, sometimes I am ok.
Overall, I definitely feel more relaxed if I am by myself in a small, closed off space, with no one around.
 
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