Opposite of Agoraphobia anyone??

after reading angelas post, i wanted to see if anyone had just the opposite of agoraphobia, which is what i have. its definitly not the greatest feeling either!

 i dont know if there is a name for it but i have the fear of constantly being away from other people and public places. its hard because a lot of times i feel like i always have to be so dependant on other people around me to make me feel good.

This was one of the things that stuck out as weird for me when the dr told me i have anxiety.

 i then decided that the reason i do this is because being around other people eases my anxiety in the sense that it takes my mind off the horrrible thoughts that rack the brain. i even find my self falling asleep with the tv on so my thoughts can carry on whatever is on the tv.

what are everyone elses thoughts of this?? do you feel this way ever??

Hey...just to throw this in I have a online CBT coarse and if you or anyone else wants I will forward the coarse as I get it and everything I already have. I don't know if I am allowed to post my e-mail address or not though????

you can put your email address in your contact info for your HW profile

I am the same Sis I like having my loved ones around but I also like my space as well but have to hav the TV on even when I am going to bed I need that noise in background ....Howie has been here last couple of nights cuz he has been worried and I am glad he has been here .....I am thinking maybe a reconciliation in the works..........gotta work on it though ya know ......Anyways DAISY yep put that CBT course in your email ....or I do an online free one Moodgyms Training Program which I found has helped me out greatly........
Take care all and be well
Lyn/ Sista / Mom 1 .........

I found your post extremely interesting.. so I just had to google it!! Technically, most would think the opposite of agoraphobia would be claustrophobia, but really that's not what it is...
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"When most people think of agoraphobia, they think of "fear of open spaces" (about the opposite of claustrophobia). However, in psychological terms, that is not what agoraphobia is. It is a complicated disorder, often very crippling.

Agoraphobia is basically the fear of leaving one's "safe place". A safe place could be their house, their home town, or even just their room.

This anxiety disorder is classified as "agoraphobia with panic disorder" and "agoraphobia without panic disorder". The first is probably most common, as people fear having a panic attack in public, then they fear that being in public will trigger one, then they fear having one even more, and so on in a vicious cycle. Agoraphobia, untreated, has a tendency to get worse and worse..."

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It sounds like your "safe place" is in public.. so it's kind of like you kind of have agoraphobia, but that your safe place is around a large group rather than being alone.. I'm no psych., but it seemed really interesting to me. My agoraphobia pretty much started out with my only "safe place" being in my bedroom. I've gotten a LOT better with meds and therapy, but it is still there. Now I get out and work, although it's a struggle. It's funny that one of my safe places is my doc's office (and therapist's as well)... I almost feel safer there than anywhere else, and I'm sure that doc's offices make most of us with this panic... although the waiting rooms have the complete opposite effect on me.

Very interesting thread and concept... our minds are so complex.... [img]/community/emoticons/smile.gif[/img]

Bear