u/dustBowlJake

I have been suffering from agoraphobia for a very long time, and it has prevented me from realizing myself as a normal person, meaning , being in a relationship, basic freedom of movement or a career.

The kind of agoraphobia I have does not involve any fear of people at all, it is exclusively related to spatial dimensions. A long time ago, I was even unable to leave my home for an entire year.

Later, I forced myself to go farther and farther away from home, but I was always close to my limit, and only thanks to good friends was I able, for example, to make it to a nearby park with them. A simple walk felt as terrifying as stepping out of a spacecraft in a spacesuit, even more so at night when stars were visible.

A small breakthrough came when I entered a day clinic. At first, I was almost paralyzed, but the kindness and human warmth of the other patients had a positive influence on me, and my range of movement gradually expanded.

But during all this time, I have never personally met another person with agoraphobia. In the day clinic, most of the patients were people with borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or depression.