Is this agoraphibia?

[lottietucker]

Hi all

I suffer from GAD and depression. I basically feel very uncomfortable anywhere but my bedroom. I have a young son (6) and I take him to and from school and manage just about to look after him but all the time I want to retreat to my room. I only go out when absolutely necessary and I suffer huge anxiety for hours before I know I have to go out. My life is a living hell like this but don't know if it's true agoraphobia because I do eventually go out if I have to.

[Buttercup]

It sounds like agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is different for different people but the premise is the same, anxiety in certain places that make you feel ill at ease and unable to "escape" from. Here's what it says on wiki: "characterized by anxiety in situations where the sufferer perceives the environment to be difficult or embarrassing to escape. These situations include, but are not limited to, wide-open spaces, as well as uncontrollable social situations such as may be met in shopping malls, airports, and on bridges. Agoraphobia is defined within the DSM-IV TR as a subset of panic disorder, involving the fear of incurring a panic attack in those environments. The sufferer may go to great lengths to avoid those situations, in severe cases becoming unable to leave their home or safe haven."
Looking at that I would say most people on here have or have suffered from it at some point, I know I have. But whatever it is it is an issue for you and one that needs to be addressed because you can't live in fear like this. Have you had help for this? tried meds or seen a therapist?