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Does anyone feel weird in open spaces?

Posted , 73 users are following.

Moo88
Moo88

So ive been complaining about this for so long but with little support or answers to what it is i just get told its all anxiety. Anyway when im in any open spaces mainly in supermarkets or shopping centres and even in my house, i feel panicked in open spaces like i feel detached from my body and numb and loss of control so i feel on edge because i feel like i need to hold on to something. The strange thing is if im pushin a trolley, or the pram or holding on to someone i feel fine. I just feel like i cant feel my body when im walking unaided in open spaces. Does anyone get this? I cant remember the last time ive went to town on my own because of this feeling, its almost a feeling of unbalance like i feel like i could fall x

11 likes, 173 replies

173 Replies

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  • stephx
    stephx Moo88

    Edited

    i dont get the detached feeling but i get so dizzy when i walk into a shop to buy clothes ect i just can not concentrate i cant go shopping alone and if the person walks off it kind of feels like it would if you was watching a film and the camera zoomed in and is all wobbly i know it sounds mental .

    but it happens i hate going in really crowded places i cant even eat in a restraunt if its packed because i feel so dizzy and ill 

    • Wendl
      Wendl stephx

      Posted

      Me too,but because I have no one to go with I  hardly go out any longer.
    • natasha5
      natasha5 Wendl

      Posted

      Me aswell, i avoid shopping centres completely now. My 2nd panic attack happened in one and havent had the courage to go back to one yet. Im new to anxiety and have only been suffering for a short peroid of time but in that time i have found so many places i cant go! I feel dizzy and feel like crying! Its actually a really weird sensastion but i feel like everything is amplified, and then my brain cant cope with it and i feel like im going mad! 
    • stephanie41360
      stephanie41360 stephx

      Edited

      I just think people like us need to get together. Create a support group and help eachother. I feel like other people don't understand. They look at you like, nothing is wrong with you, I hate that!

  • 337amys
    337amys Moo88

    Posted

    Hi Moo88,

    I have a height phobia and wide open space phobia. The wide open space phobia is called agorophobia. I experience the same body sensations for both heights and wide open spaces.

    • sameer74357
      sameer74357 337amys

      Posted

      Hi amys, i think agrophobia is like when you feel afraid to go out or you feel like something would happen if you go out because my brother had it anyway , in my case I don't get scared to go out but as i go out I after sometime i start to feel weird
  • sameer74357
    sameer74357 Moo88

    Posted

    Yeaaaah i exactly feel the same even last night when i went to the mall as i was walking i was feeling numb , confused i was wondering why this happen to me only when i go out to malls or open areas bcoz when i am at home I don't feel that way anxiety is horrible thing
  • Arya287
    Arya287 Moo88

    Posted

    What you've described is Argraphobia. Whenever I go out I always feel detached, sick, heart races and unbalanced too, its a horrible feeling isn't it?

    The only advice I can give you is whenever you feel like this, is to close your eyes for a second (don't worry what other people think) and breathe slowly and try and think of something or someone that makes you happy or listen too music, its hard but it usually works for me.

    Hope that helps smile x

    • nbw70
      nbw70 Arya287

      Posted

      hi, ill try this and prey it helps me

  • Beady
    Beady Moo88

    Posted

    Hiya I feel exactly the same and always think I am the only one who feels dizzy.  I hate open spaces in case I get stranded really dizzy and fall over making a fool of myself.  When shopping I always stay close to walls or railings etc and have to really push myself to cross an open space and sometimes try to grab onto things but then I worry that I look stupid or even worse drunk!  I am fine pushing a trolley as well and also weirdly walking on grass or sand is fine too.  I know that when I am uncomfortable or crossing that open space I do hold my breath it is trying to remember to breathe but that is very hard.  And my worse thing is crossing roads hate it get really panicky and dizzy then worry about getting run over......I will not cross at zebra or pedestrian crossings hate people waiting and watching me cross that sets of panic so I try and wait for it to be really quiet with no traffic that I can see......this can make crossing the road take a very long time!
    • rubie1981
      rubie1981 Beady

      Posted

      Yes i get exactly the same feel dizzy an like I'm going to fall over its really werid. But fine with pram trolley people etc

      Have you found anything to help u through this yet?

      Thanks

    • Beady
      Beady rubie1981

      Posted

      That is weird coz I am the same I even bought a rug sack recently that has a wheel attachment so if I feel unsteady I can wheel it as I am fine pushing or pulling something I have also taken an umbrella with me a long one that I can use like a walking stick!  Just got an iPod that may help if I try to distract myself but not found anything that helps I just have to stop myself and say breathe as I tend to hold my breathe but that is easier said then done.  Until I joined this forum thought I was the only one with these dizzy spells 
    • pinkcatfairy
      pinkcatfairy Beady

      Posted

      I do that too with an umberella!! I suffer too with the open space thing, sometimes i feel really scared at the thought of crossing an open area!
    • roslyn78288
      roslyn78288 Beady

      Posted

      I thought it was just me I have exactly what you discribe and would love to know to cure it.
    • 62short
      62short roslyn78288

      Posted

      If you find a cure please let me know. I have had doctors suggest physical therapy but I figure they would just get me comfortable with walking in their surroundings. I want to walk up my street on the sidewalk. I dont want to use a walker if no one is there to hold my hand. I work in retail so I just use a grocery cart there.Im tired of people asking me how Im feeling. I was never feeling bad! I just tell people Im crazy.
    • madonn95250
      madonn95250 Beady

      Posted

      Hi Beady, I just found this web site while searching in web browser.  I read your text and couldn't believe how similar our symptoms are and ongoing.   My symptoms started nearly 6 years ago and came on suddenly.  Naturally, I had any physical reason ruled out by neurologist, radiologist, physical therapist, and attending physicians at a major U.S.teaching hospital as well as experts on "dizzy" @ Mayo Clinics in USA.   The only thing they could come up with after thousands of dollars in tests is that it is psychosomatic response to an old traumatic memory, like PTSS.  It is all in your head?   B/C there is no physical reason for the symptoms.  

      The therapy of choice is EMDR and of course a trial of anti-depressants or anti-anxiety prescriptions.   I opted out on the prescription and am trying the EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) for treating an un-conscience  trauma. Of course nearly anyone can look back at childhood and find something that may have had a negative impact emotionally, right?

         So,  the verdict is still out.   I am not cured (after recent weekly visits to a qualified health care counselor)  nor wonder if anyone really knows how to cure this mysterious syndrome shared by everyone posting on this site.  It just seems so strange, doesn't it, very mysterious at the least.   Shouldn't someone have found   a cure by now, something that really works!   

      Meditation, nutritional supplements, hypnosis?  Anything?

    • madonn95250
      madonn95250 62short

      Posted

       I just found this web site while searching in web browser.  I read your text and couldn't believe how similar our symptoms are and ongoing.   My symptoms started nearly 6 years ago and came on suddenly.  Naturally, I had any physical reason ruled out by neurologist, radiologist, physical therapist, and attending physicians at a major U.S.teaching hospital as well as experts on "dizzy" @ Mayo Clinics in USA.   The only thing they could come up with after thousands of dollars in tests is that it is psychosomatic response to an old traumatic memory, like PTSS.  It is all in your head?   B/C there is no physical reason for the symptoms.  

      The therapy of choice is EMDR and of course a trial of anti-depressants or anti-anxiety prescriptions.   I opted out on the prescription and am trying the EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) for treating an un-conscience  trauma. Of course nearly anyone can look back at childhood and find something that may have had a negative impact emotionally, right? 

         So,  the verdict is still out.   I am not cured (after recent weekly visits to a qualified health care counselor)  nor wonder if anyone really knows how to cure this mysterious syndrome shared by everyone posting on this site.  It just seems so strange, doesn't it, very mysterious at the least.   Shouldn't someone have found   a cure by now, something that really works!   

      Meditation, nutritional supplements, hypnosis?  Anything?

    • madonn95250
      madonn95250 pinkcatfairy

      Posted

      Hi Beady, I just found this web site while searching in web browser.  I read your text and couldn't believe how similar our symptoms are and ongoing.   My symptoms started nearly 6 years ago and came on suddenly.  Naturally, I had any physical reason ruled out by neurologist, radiologist, physical therapist, and attending physicians at a major U.S.teaching hospital as well as experts on "dizzy" @ Mayo Clinics in USA.   The only thing they could come up with after thousands of dollars in tests is that it is psychosomatic response to an old traumatic memory, like PTSS.  It is all in your head?   B/C there is no physical reason for the symptoms.  

      The therapy of choice is EMDR and of course a trial of anti-depressants or anti-anxiety prescriptions.   I opted out on the prescription and am trying the EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) for treating an un-conscience  trauma. Of course nearly anyone can look back at childhood and find something that may have had a negative impact emotionally, right? 

         So,  the verdict is still out.   I am not cured (after recent weekly visits to a qualified health care counselor)  nor wonder if anyone really knows how to cure this mysterious syndrome shared by everyone posting on this site.  It just seems so strange, doesn't it, very mysterious at the least.   Shouldn't someone have found   a cure by now, something that really works!   

      Meditation, nutritional supplements, hypnosis?  Anything?

    • Peg52
      Peg52 62short

      Posted

      I am starting CBD oil next week. The one without THC. I'm at my wits end.

    • amanda51463
      amanda51463 rubie1981

      Posted

      Omg I have the same problem! But I also use a walking stick to help me cross the road but sometimes it doesn't help and I instantly start panicing. I'm 28 years old now and I'm still feeling this way. I still live with her and I have to have her take me to work each day and it's like I feel bad cause I just want to try to do it myself, but I just get scared to cross the road by myself. Unless if there is a whole bunch of people crossing the road with me, I would be okay, but then that would have to be during our busy hours and I don't really work a whole lot of days like that. I just wish that it would end! I feel like I'm cheating myself too and it's making it worse.

    • amanda51463
      amanda51463

      Posted

      I'm still living with my mom Is what I wanted to put. I don't know how I missed that

    • nbw70
      nbw70 madonn95250

      Posted

      with me it all started about 24 Years ago when i became afraid to go out when it was windy ( ibwas fine going out alone when it wasnt windy) but then around 1 and a half years ago i just seemed to have become scared to go outside alone, im ok alone if im walking next to something like a car or a wall and for some reason im absolutely fine on grassbut if its a large open space with nothing next to me then im petrified and feel as though ill fall over, its embarresing as people look at me and think im either drunk or on drugs or crazy. its affected my life a great deal, i cant work and hsve to get a taxi to the local supermarket, iv had a course of CBT but it didnt help and iv had two sessions of hypnotherapy at £140 per two hour session and that didnt help either iv got cbt oil and its not working, i cant afford top treatment so pleeeease help me anyone

    • madonn95250
      madonn95250 nbw70

      Posted

      Dear nbw70,

      I am using this device called, BAUD.I tried it last year with a therapist (in Florida) and it worked after only 2 sessions @ the therapist rate $150. It uses sound waves to re-set a brain pattern that is causing fear to trigger symptom & control your life. Long story short, then I had a relapse 2 weeks post treatment when I had to go thru a health care trauma (a real life threating fear) which I think is what re-triggered symptoms. But after a year passed and trying yet another approach, accupuncture and NLP etc. but only getting worse on my feet (all the same you described) I decided purchased my own BAUD, for self administered home treatments. So now I no longer have to pay a "therapist rate" to get treatments.THis is a machine cleared by FDA and have helped 100's of people with similiar problems like ours.

      You can look up the BAUD and all the details if you google it. TMI?

      I am feeling some relief and hope everyday that passes "I may soon say, I used to have ...."

      SIncerely, Madonna

    • nbw70
      nbw70 madonn95250

      Posted

      hi, is the Baud easy to use at home and would it be best for me to have a session before purchasing one myself, Xx

    • francis52869
      francis52869 pinkcatfairy

      Posted

      HI EVERYBODY. I JUST DISCOVERED YOUR FORUM. I AM 72 AND HAVE A FEAR OF OPEN SPACES SINCE I WAS 39. I HAD SOME GOOD YEARS SO I HAVENT BEEN SICK ALL THE TIME. I GET FRIGHTENED OF WALKING IN SPACE BUT I CAN WALK ON GRASS BETTER. ANY WAY MY COPING TECHNIQUES ARE TO CARRY A FOLD UP WALKING STICK AND A BACKPACK. I FEELHAVE TO GRIP SOMETHING PASSING PEOPLE I AM AFRAID OF TOPPLING OVER. I TAKE MEDS. BUT TO BE HONEST I DONT THINK DOCTORS KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THIS.OVER THE YEARS I HAVE TRIED VARIOUS TABLETS, ALSO RELAXATION TAPES. SOME TYPES OF FOOD, HYNOSIS FAITH HEALERS, ALSO USING A WALK MAN. I WAS TOLD BY MORE THAN ONE DOCTOR I WOULD NEVER BE CURED.

      NEVERTHELESS I GO OUT EVERY DAY AND I HAVE BEEN ON HOLIDAYS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES.

      L HAVE A NEW WOMAN IN MY LIFE AND SHE IS VERY UNDERSTANDING . SHE HOLDS MY HAND WHEN WE GO OUT IN PUBLIC. BUT I ALSO GO OUT ON MY OWN EVERY DAY. I CANT DRIVE BUT WHEN I TRAVEL ON A BUS OR TRAIN I FEEL SAFE AND NOT STRESSED

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