I have agoraphobia and I am 15 years old. I eventually convinced my mother to home school me because school was pretty much hell for me. I'm scared to go outside- and my mother looks at me like I don't go outside because I'm lazy (but understands my situation somewhat). I also go to see counselors for depression, and my anxiety of leaving the house. I barely leave the house anymore, and I don't want to go to counselors anymore because it almost physically hurts even think about going outside- especially to see somebody. I tell me mom this, but she just threatens to send me back to school because "if your not mentally ill then theres no reason for you to be home schooled." This comment does hits me deep, and she tries constantly to push me to go outside- and makes me feel horrible about myself. I guess what my question comes down to is- is my mom doing the right thing after all? It hurts.. and It scares me to leave the house. I don't want to try anymore. People with this phobia can't force themselves to go outside if the phobia gets too bad, right? :confused: I'm also not sure what to do when my mom says she will send me back to school if I don't go. It's not only that I don't want to leave my home, but also because I don't see why it's nessary. I want to know the truth about the answer, but I'm also scared to hear you take my mothers side :cool:.. thanks for reading
-amanda

I can understand the phobia. But, you do need to go see a specialist. I would not force you to just go outside etc.. But the specialist is a MUST. Do some research maybe you can even find one that will come to your house. This can be cured, I'm sure of it!

The problem is that you will ruin your life if you give in to your fears and give up on life(which is outside your home).

High School is one of the worst social environments in a person's life unless one is a cheerleader, athlete, or one of the golden kids. Everyone knows this. There isn't much later in life that is as bad as high school.

If you can make it through hs... you learn so much social information that comes in handy later in life.

Who are you socially in high school?. are you an overweight kid, a nerd, what are you classified as?? One of the best things you can do is talk to a gym teacher with your parents and get into a sports program. That will help you immensely as you go through high school. Toughen you up!

Good luck to you, :)

Your mom is doing the right thing by 'forcing' you to go out... If it were up to you, you would never go out and then the phobia would just get worse and worse. The idea is to get better, and one of the best ways is to face it... It's called exposure therapy... it's real and it works. Look it up along with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

Best wishes

Phobia is a very frightening thing and hard for a person to understand if they have not had a panic attack.Your mother does not have a full understanding of what
Is going on in your mind. I was living in a hell with phobia for a long time until I got the
Truth about what was going on in my thinking. Our minds are very powerful and we must
Control our thoughts. When our mind is full of fears and anxiety it stresses our bodies to
A point of sickness and we become ashamed because we do not understand what is going
On within us. You must change your thinking pattern. There are many reasons for this to
Start in a person but there is a way out and to have peace of mind. We all live by making choices and that makes all the differences in the world in what we are and will become.
Our mind is the doer in life, when we think negative we bring negative, bad things into
Our lives, when we think positive, good thoughts we bring good and happiness into our
Life. Our mind is like a magnet drawing into us what we think, what we say. We have to
Change and choose to think and say the right things. We are what we think, do and say.
This is not a quick fix it will take time but it is up to you and what you do about changing
Your whole thinking pattern but this does work and will set you free of your phobia. I
Can give you more advice on how to do this just let me know. This set me free and I know
It can you. Bless you my dear. Maggie 3

I don't think having someone 'force' a phobia out of you is a very healthy idea. It could lead to further complications, or even make you fear it more. I would suggest seeing a specialist or a counciller however, for the extra help. Maybe one could visit you, until you start to build up the courage to make small trips into the outside world?

Baby steps, I would suggest. Go out, just for a little bit, near the house- and over a period, see if you can build up from there until you're free to explore the world out there.

There are two forces in our world that we work with to live and have our being.
They are good and evil and we must find out how they work to know how to live
Our life to the fullest. Evil starts with bad thoughts and ideas and will end up with
Not a good ending. It will bring destruction, and torment in a person life. An evil person
Is full of evil thoughts and brings it to pass with distraction that brings suffering of
The mind or body or both. We want to get all evil thoughts out of our mind. Fear,
Weary, hate, lying and unforgivness. This is just some of the things of evil but I
Think you can see what evil is. Good starts with thinking on making things better
In our life and the life of others. It builds up and does not tear down, it makes
Nice good things happen. We have a choice to make, are we going to be pulled both
Ways by thinking a little of both . We let evil into our life by doing and thinking the wrong things, let us change our thinking and clean house with what is good and do not let go of it. That is the war we are all in and will be till we depart from this world. This world is full of evil, do not be blinded by this, wake up to this war we fight every day. Do not think someone else is going to do this for you, we are in control of our lives and minds and we can turn things around. We start changing our thinking to what is good for everone not just me because we are all in this world together. Wake up to make up our mind and tell ourself I will be a better person and I will not let evil be a part of my mind or being.
God's word is full of good wise thought and a plan that can not go wrong. It is full of
Love and goodness and tells us what to think on and be and all about the evils of this
World and how to protect ourself . I wish you good health and good thinking with love.
Maggie 3

If you will not go to see the doctor on your own, yes you need to be forced. Also your mom needs to let the doctor know how serious this is, to help with proper medication needs.