Agoraphobia Definition: How to define agoraphobia and not let it define you

Webster’s online dictionary says the definition of agoraphobia is, “the abnormal fear of being helpless in an embarrassing or inescapable situation that is characterized especially by the avoidance of open or public places”. The old-school agoraphobia definition says, “The fear of the marketplace”. The word “agoraphobia” is actually Greek for “fear of the marketplace”, as this is where most people would often experience the symptoms commonly associated with agoraphobia.

I remember in my early twenties being overly preoccupied with activities that entertained me, without the inclusion of others. Often, I would come home from work, hit the sofa and play video games, or surf the net, or read books. I wouldn’t call people up, I wouldn’t go to people’s houses and they wouldn’t come to mine.

Sure, I was always the shy type of guy. I would only speak when spoken to and I’d mind my own business. After graduating from high school, forced cooperation with peers came to a screeching halt. I can’t pin-point exactly when after graduation, but it wasn’t long thereafter, I became more and more like a hermit. I would do the daily grind at work, come home and do my own thing. Anything that would break me out of this routine would leave me extremely frustrated. People from work would sometimes try to get me to go out with them after the shift ended, and I would always decline, saying I was busy with something. This, of course, was a lie but it felt that I desperately needed to stick to this unwritten routine.

I was more or less stuck in a rut, but I didn’t mind it at first. Years went by before I started to see my life passing before my eyes. Did I really want to be that 50 year old single guy that’s never been married, had minimal intimate relationships, never experienced the joy of fatherhood, had zero friends, still having panic attacks, hyperventilation symptoms, agoraphobia…etc.

I decided that I deserved better. I found the greatest anxiety resource available. I read it front to back several times over. I started applying the techniques, and soon found my way out of my own self-imposed rut. I will never go back to my old life, as my new one has so much to offer myself and everyone around me.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.