Anyone struggle with agoraphobia?

[Guest guest]

I'm finally realizing that I am agoraphobic. I think I suspected it for a while

but didn't want to admit it or face it.

* I'm afraid to drive to places I'm not familiar with

* I'm terrified of the highways/freeways/bridges

* I'm afraid of going out with people I don't know that well to places I don't

know my way back from

* I don't like going out after it's dark

* If I am forced to do any of these things, my body responds like it's under a

great stress: heart racing, sweating...I put on the act that everything's ok,

but I don't enjoy the experience and become all business, just frantic and eager

to go home

And on and on. I hate to blame everything down to the corns on my toes on my

mother but...it's her fault. Seriously, I was not allowed to go out for

anything that I might have enjoyed. I couldn't go to my prom because something

bad might happen. I couldn't go to sleepovers because I'd turn into a lesbian

(please don't be offended anyone; truly, that was her reasoning). I grew up in

a major city and am terrified of trying to find my way around it.

Sigh. I hate depending on my husband and other people to cart me around.

I'd appreciate any insight from others who've been/are going through this. It's

affecting my social life and life in general.

Fiona