Agoraphobia

When someone says they suffer from agoraphobia, most images that come to mind is the pasty fleshed hairless man or overweight woman lurking in the depths of a parental basement.  In reality, most agoraphobic individuals are fairly active and enjoy time in specific "safe" zones outside of their homes.

For me, my car is a safe zone.  If I'm in my car, I generally feel in control and can go most places with no issues as long as I'm driving.  If I am not driving, I turn into a nervous wreck, grasping at handles, bracing on the dash, and snapping out orders to whoever was stupid enough to get behind the wheel when I'm a passenger.

Of course my home is an obvious safe place for me.  It's my home!  If I weren't comfortable there I think there'd be some issues.  I will admit that when I've lost control over the condition of my home, or have been away for a period of time due to work travels, a bit of that comfort level is diminished until I can regain the upper hand on the state of my house.

The workplace is a mixed bag.  There are elements of my job that are unpleasant, specifically certain coworkers who are infrequent visitors to my office.  If I am with certain coworkers or flying solo in the office, my productivity levels are at a premium and I'm very relaxed and confident.  However, once those uncertain entities enter my work sphere, I am on edge, production levels reduce, and I have to take frequent breaks to recenter myself through breathing exercises and mental reassurance.

Nature is another mixed bag.  As long as I'm relatively familiar with my surroundings or I have a companion (furry or otherwise) I generally feel confident in exploring new places or opportunities.  Unfortunately for me, I am often 100% solo on my excursions and am finding that while I enjoy hiking overall, I do not particularly enjoy hiking alone.  My anxiety is heightened because I'm constantly scanning for perceived threats and dangers to me.  Being a female gives me certain disadvantages in that I can become a victim, especially in isolated forests or trails.

For me, control over my surroundings and situation is key to controlling my agoraphobia.