Now we know a little bit more.

Its not like Im terrified to leave my house 24/7.

Its the intense fear of being trapped for me.

A young woman with blonde hair sits on a hallway floor near a door, looking scared and holding her knees close to her chest

Using public transport could mean that I dont have the ability to flee a bad situation.

Letting someone else drive to dinner means I cant escape.

It makes no sense, most people do not understand it, and it makes me feel crazy."

A woman with her hands covering her face stands still as people blur around her, portraying a sense of overwhelm or anxiety in a crowded place

artistictoaster46

“I’ve been agoraphobic for four and a half years.

It’s a progressive mental illness that gets worse with time.

It’s not being afraid of the sun or the sky or open spaces.

A person sits on a chair in a room with closed doors, looking out a window to the right. The room is modestly furnished with a rug and a couch

It’s a deep fear of unknown situations.

It’s not a mental illness that resides alone.

It is fed by depression and anxiety.

Zac Efron smiles at an event, wearing a suit jacket over a T-shirt

It takes a lot of hard work to make the smallest amount of progress.

I feel literally paralyzed.

All I can do is sit in my head and think of all the things I should be doing.

Kim Kardashian stands with folded arms inside a modern building, wearing a sleeveless black top and styled hair. She appears to be focused and thoughtful

You life becomes a world of ‘shoulds’.

I hope I can edit this later to add more.

I have so much more to say.”

Or that I have it because of socializing but it’s really rooted in a fear of fear.

A fear of no easy escape.

A fear of experiencing the symptoms.

It’s so draining and I just hope it becomes less stigmatized."

For me it manifests as not being able to travel overnight.

I can travel any distance but I gotta be sure that I will be home in the evening.

And this is the ‘improved’ state.

I am not afraid anymore that it will break out because ‘that must not happen’.

I know it will happen, and I greet it ‘as a friend’.

mudda8139

“My agoraphobia manifests in situations where I feel I cant escape.

I didnt have agoraphobia prior to five years ago.

It was pure torture.

The biggest problem wasnt the experience of the incident itselfits how it affected me every day afterwards.

Everyday I would slip into this panic for no reasonthe same feeling I had while on the mushrooms.

Ive come a long way since.

I was on 10 different psych meds and now Im down to one.

Id love to hear others experiences of working through these fears.”

crispygoblin267

So, what does a day in the life of someone with agoraphobia actually look like?

Well, we know now that the answer is very different depending on who you ask.

A former BuzzFeed writer once outlined herday-in-the-life experience with agoraphobiaduring the time she was housebound with it.

These ‘spells’ were so severe that I’d frequently faint.

and agoraphobia, and signed me off work.

you’re free to read the full storyhere.

Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.