Agoraphobia did not come into my life in one single form. It changed again and again, especially when I thought I was recovering. Below is how it affected me at different stages.
1. Fear of Heart Attack
- It started with a sudden increase in my heartbeat.
- My heart would race, and I felt intense fear.
- I became convinced that I was having a heart attack.
- Even when nothing serious was wrong, the fear felt real.
After some months, this fear slowly reduced, and I felt like I was healing.
2. Fear While Traveling and Eating
- A new fear appeared when I started traveling.
- I believed that if I didn’t eat anything while traveling, my BP would go down and I would die.
- Traveling stopped feeling normal or safe.
- Fear followed me everywhere, especially outside my comfort zone.
This fear appeared during:
- Traveling by train
- Traveling by airplane
- Traveling by car
- Going to malls
- Visiting mountains
- Even short trips away from home
Over time, I recovered from this fear as well.
3. Fear of Blood Pressure and Cholesterol
- After recovering again, agoraphobia returned in another way.
- I started focusing too much on my cholesterol and blood pressure.
- Every small body sensation made me feel like my BP was going high.
- Fear would increase instantly when I noticed these sensations.
4. Physical Sensations That Increased Fear
- I started feeling a burning sensation in my feet.
- This sensation scared me and made my anxiety worse.
- My fear and physical symptoms kept feeding each other.
What I Learned From This Journey
- Agoraphobia does not stay the same — it keeps changing its form.
- When one fear disappears, another may try to replace it.
- These fears feel real, even when there is no real danger.
- Healing is possible, even if it happens slowly.
Final Thoughts
Recovery is not a straight path. It comes with ups and downs.
Agoraphobia may attack in different ways, but it does not define who I am — and it does not control my future.
If you are going through something similar, know that you are not alone.
