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Daver
04-04-2013, 08:09 PM
New to this forum but have been battling anxiety issues for as long as I can remember and I'm 50+ Never been on meds and have entire months without problems - until recently. I have had panic attacks and some OCD (checker) and recently some agoraphobia. Panic attacks while driving = not fun. Only in the last 15 years or so did I know they were panic attacks and they seemed to have arrived more after I was diagnosed with MVP. Thinking back, what I used to think was shyness as youngster was actually panic attacks especially with public speaking. It's not my favorite thing to do but I can speak in front of a crowd without a panic attack so that and other little victories have been made over the years.

The until recently part. I've had times where big wide open spaces weird me out and make me dizzy and result in a full blown panic attack. Places like beaches, stadiums, etc. Is that agoraphobia? Isn't it just a panic attack that's specific to a certain place? Anyway they come and go once in a blue moon but lately they've been more common and worse. Might finally see a doc and see if there's any vitamin deficencies, MVP connection, etc. that can result in an easy fix. The chances of that are slim to none but it's worth a shot.

alankay
04-05-2013, 07:12 AM
It would be agoraphobia only if this sets up a pattern phobic avoidance. If you just have anxiety that you tolerate and it doesn't effect functioning or behavior that would be just that. If one starts to avoid such places/situations because the anxiety distresses one that much(and it becomes even more distressing) it would be agoraphobia....or more like it. Alankay

locksey
04-05-2013, 07:41 AM
I am not keen on big open spaces as there is no escape or no hideaway / safe spot.... I still go to these type ov places but wont go to far from my car and "yes" I've avoided certain places after having an attack there

Daver
04-05-2013, 06:30 PM
I still go to football games once or twice a year and go to the beach maybe once a year. I figure I just have to fight it, i'm not going to let it win. Sometimes it doesn't bother me at all and then other times, it can be bad. For whatever reason I've found that reducing my view of the big wide open via a hat helps in a small way.