Hi my illness started when my husband died 2007, I was very depressed at the time (and still take antidepressants) I then had pannic attacks and would avoid certain situations and as a conciquence of that have had agoraphobia for about two years.
I have everything delivered from my food to my prescription and have a postal vote.
I hate the doorbell going because that is very stressful not knowing who is at the door ( I have a card in the window No Cold Callers but some people dont take any notice of it.
I am not totally housebound, if I need to post a letter (I can see the postbox from my lounge but) I cant go until it gets dark.
Same with my G.P. the surgery it is a three minute walk and I can only get there if I have a companion with me and it has to be an evening appointment.
The worse part of all this is the change in benefits system.
When they changed from incapacity to employment support the interviews which the thought of getting to them was very scarey I knew I wouldnt be able to go.
My G.P. wrote letters to the DWP and thankfully I didnt have to go to the interviews for the changeover.
However I have to have work focused interviews at my local job centre which would have been impossible for me to attend so once again my G.P. came to the rescue and I am going to have a home visit from the job centre on friday.
Any change in my daily routine starts off the anxiety.
I hope I havnt gone on too much but the good thing about all this is I am very happy at home and live alone.
Heather