# Agoraphobia??



## lilames (May 29, 2007)

Has DP/DR made anyone else scared to go outside and do things? Like even if someone else is driving a car when I'm in it, I still feel uncomfortable because everything just feels so fake and I almost feel like I'm going to disappear. I do not like going outside anymore, and I don't like going into stores or anything. I also am scared of open spaces now. It sucks. I guess I will go places if I have to, but I feel really uncomfortable doing so. But I haven't drove my car in a while now. I really need to start driving again, but I just hate the feeling I get when driving now. Anyone else experience this?


----------



## stanD'infamy (Nov 27, 2006)

hey there,

no exactly what you mean on this one, i suffer from derealisation mainly....
it has kind of given me an agoraphobia of sorts.... and it's blatently because it reminds me of how fucked my brain is..... so annoying I hate it.

Do you notice yours indoors? because I really don't that much.... it completely ruins nice sunnys days too..... they never seem to 'hit home' like they use to!


----------



## lilames (May 29, 2007)

Yeah, i don't notice the DP/DR as much in doors as I do outside, but I do notice it somewhat in doors. I mostly have been staying in so far this summer because I hate bright sunny days too. It makes it so much worse. My parents keep bugging me everyday about why I don't go out, but I just feel like I can't. I only go out if I absolutely have to. Otherwise, I just feel so uncomfortable. I just hope I can get better soon because I have to go back to school in September.


----------



## stanD'infamy (Nov 27, 2006)

yeah,

you no what we should do.....all turn into 'Bono's, and wear dark sunglasses all the time :!:

I've notice a lot of famous rock stars do this..... maybe they have DP/DR too lol !

but yeah the brightness is a f***ing pain, espiecally supermarkets, It has made me feel at times whether half of this condition is actually hypersensitivity to light? I just try and ignore as impossible as that is!


----------



## lilames (May 29, 2007)

I know what you mean...when I'm in supermarkets, the bright lights are make me feel so much worse. I almost feel like I'm going to pass out or disappear or something. It's the scariest feeling, and I can never wait to get out. It's horrible having to feel this way all the time. I used to be fine my whole life up until now. I wish it would just go away.


----------



## invisible.ink (Feb 2, 2007)

The first couple of weeks I wouldn't leave my house AT ALL. DP turned me into a hermit. Then, one day I had no choice but to drive myself somewhere and I was scared shitless. It felt like I was in a video game. lol
But the more I went out the better things got. You just have to force yourself to face your fears.


----------



## SilentChaos (Jul 11, 2007)

yep... been agoraphobic off and on for many years... also, the light or sun is a major problem for me! I usually go out only at night or in the early evening... I always try to make my appointments and things I have to do later in the day as I am much more likely to be able to do them. Interesting to know others have this light sensitivity problem as well.


----------



## bricoleur (Jul 15, 2007)

I've slowly become this way as well. They opened up a supermarket in my town that has darker lighting and I prefer to go to that store. I usually refuse to go inside a place like walmart--white floors, white walls, and bright lights 24/7.


----------



## Chris84 (Aug 14, 2007)

I've been semi-agoraphbic since the dp-dr began. You must force yourself to go outside anyway. Face the fear! I love the sun it's only artificial lights that annoy me, like supermarkets. It's obviously healthy to get out and that is the goal to get healthy or feel better. It isn't scary the whole time, just try to enjoy what you can. I'm off to a very PT job that I hate, but always feel better after going and making an effort to talk to people etc; I'm new to this board but not depersonaliztion  . Chris


----------



## ColinGibs (Nov 1, 2007)

Yea stangely enough I feel this... When Im in my dorm room every time before I have to go out (even just for the bathroom) it takes me like 5 minutes at least to get the courage to.. Im peeking out the hole, pacing, whatever.. Sometimes it gets so bad that I relieve my bladder in empty bottles and then hide them in the garbage as so my roommate doesnt see how fucked up I am. And I dont have to go outside.

Althought when it is a nice day and there arent many people around I do enjoy being outside, so idk how agoaphobic that is


----------



## ed (Sep 27, 2007)

I have this problem with fear of open spaces which has developed over the years. Maybe because I happened to feel very derealised and therefore panicky in such a situation on a number of occasions, and in a wide open space there is no "safe" place to go, so I learned to be afraid in open spaces.

The book "Overcoming Depersonalization and Feelings of Unreality" through Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, may help some people with this.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Overcoming-Depe ... 1845295544

I am also light sensitive - which is a common feature of DP, mentioned in Daphne Simeon's book. It even extends to sometimes feeling worse on sunny days.

I wonder if it is because there is sometimes a connection between light sensitivity and epilepsy and DP may be connected.

Do a google for depersonalisation epilepsy

depersonalisation temporal lobe

panic disorder epilepsy

panic disorder temporal lobe

I know this may not apply to everyone, but research papers can be viewed which link the two.

e.g. http://www.springerlink.com/content/51kcntmv75vew25a/


----------



## Andy_oh (Nov 5, 2007)

One of my worst DP attacks came on a sunny day, i was the passenger in my dads car driving to a football game, the sun was beaming in the car almost all the way, it was also beaming up from the tarmac, when i got to the car park i had to ask my dad to take us home because i felt so weird, ive not been back since , it felt like i was disappearing, the worst feeling i have ever had in my whole life bar none.

To answer the post title, yes ive suffered from agorophobia, mainly because most DP attacks have happened outside or in a vehicle, i can go outside as long as it's not to far from my home and i know i'm in control of where i go, so i usually go out alone so if i feel weird i can just come home, which can be quite a miserable existence at times.


----------



## amphibians (Feb 10, 2008)

Actually, I'm *really really terrified *of drugs.
Because I know that if I take any, my DP will be even worse, and stuff.
I've never taken drugs, and i never will either. Never ever.

But I am so, so afraid of "accidentally" take drugs. Some of my friends are drugusers, and they've asked me a few times if I wanted to try. Of course I just said no and walked away every single time, but what if.. What if I maybe one day I feel so unreal, someday when my DP is so strong, and everything feels like a dream.. What if someone asks me to try drugs, and I don't know what I'm doing, and.. I almost get a panic attack just thinking about it.

So, I'm a little afraid of going out.


----------

