Feelings of agoraphobia during the coronavirus outbreak

[helia]

Has anyone started to experience a bit of agoraphobia during the coronavirus outbreak?

I've been working from home throughout and don't have many family or friends locally. This means I've not been able to travel to see them due to travel restrictions where I live. I've also had all of my shopping delivered or done click & collects. I've basically been cut off from everyone apart from my household since March. The rules are relaxing now so I can travel to see my much missed family and friends, and I feel scared.

I've been to three shops since lockdown. But today I had my first meal I've not cooked since March - a McDonald's drive-through. I'm ridiculously joyful about having done that - it's done me some good, as I had been avoiding takeaways because I thought they were really risky. I was a bit worried about my takeaway coffee cup lid but managed to drink it anyway.

I want to nip this in the bud by continuing to do things that were once normal that now make me feel a bit worried, and I wondered if anyone else has been feeling like me and wants to share the ordinary things they are doing too.

I've done a bit of reading on Google and the key thing seems to be to keep going out.

I've never had any feelings of agoraphobia before so this is all new to me. It's fair to say that I'm a bit of a worrier generally but nothing that's got in the way of living a normal life.

I've seen some posts on this section from some anxiousd people so I suspect I'm not alone in this. Please let me know how you're coping and if you have any tips.

Thanks very much.

I feel similar and I think you absolutely have the correct approach. Well done for getting out a little bit recently, as you say you’ll have to keep pushing yourself a little bit to overcome this. If you feel like you are able to step out of your comfort zone a little each time you’ll absolutely overcome it. Obviously, if you don’t find your feeling improving then definitely see your GP (or call them at least) but it sounds like you’re approaching this the right way, keep going.

Posted too soon.
For me I find going on a walk every day so important. If I miss a walk then those feelings of anxiety creep in and I struggle to go out. Also talking about how I feel with my friends in real life helped as a few of them feel like me. So we were able to meet up (socially distanced) and go for a walk - or even just sitting in one of our homes - and having someone to join me really made me feel more at ease with being out in the world, if that makes sense?