Does anyone feel weird in open spaces?

I can walk in my house if I can touch something--even a wall, a piece of furniture.  I can't walk down the hallway to the front door, and it has been years since I walked to my car.  I am using a walker.  I really hate it, especially when people who have already inquired ask again why I am using a walker.  Oh well, better than falling.  

This just happened to me i felt so bad , i had to sit down and crawl  i was afraid to stand up ! as a big guy you have no idea how embarrassing it was , thank you ( i know 3 years late) i had no idea what this was, and how to describe it.

exactly the same feeling and symptoms as you. to make matters or should I say my symptoms worse I lost my father a few days a go and I am totally shattered,  

I'm glad I discovered you but at the same time I'm sorry you suffer. The same symptoms I have, here in Romania. For a few years I'm very afraid to cross the street, even to the traffic lights. I would not even dare to dream that I can cross the street somewhere else. There are times when no car is seen at the ends of the street but I am still afraid to revert. For about a month I have been increasingly afraid to go into open spaces. I feel that the trunk is taking it forward, but my legs stay fixed and I fall to either side or back. I also found a stratagem. When I park at supermaket I do it so as to be as close as possible to the trolleys. When I have the trolley in my hands I feel really good. But if you take it from me I will stay there till someone have mercy and take me to my car . 

I am only 13 and have done anxiety since was about 7 and get the exact same feelings when I am in open space and I feel it really hard to do things like p.e where you have to stand in the middle of a field and there is nothing nearby to hold onto. I have told my dad and he says I'm just making up excuses so I don't have to do p.e

I feel the exact same way. My legs go stiff as boards and I cannot take another step without feeling that I'm going to die. Overwhelming feelings of doom. I also get these brain jerks where I suddenly have to grab something. By that point I'm sweating profusely and terrified. If I can hold onto a walker or a shopping cart I feel grounded. It's getting worse every day.

I can identify with so much shared here. Some days are worse than others and I haven’t known whether to attribute symptoms to vertigo or anxiety or both. At worst I have felt marooned and utterly panicked shopping in a mall in my hometown when needing to cross a 10 foot gap between shops without being able to “wall walk”. I literally was rooted to the spot for some minutes feeling as if I may end up in an ambulance. I  finally made myself dart sideways to a bench (couldn’t have walked at a normal pace) and waited for my husband (we had gone to different shops) to find me, feigning I had been watching some street entertainers.

Terminal 5 at Heathrow was recently a complete challenge and I felt it impossible to turn right to cross the hall  to the ladies toilets. I ended up changing levels rather than attempting to walk “free”. I remain in denial and haven’t sought medical advice or shared with family. This has worsened over the past 5 years and some days I just opt out of going out anywhere. Standing still in a queue is impossible without breaking into a cold sweat and trembling. This prevents me from attending anything that might necessitate lining up. I do feel the benefit of physical support - in supermarkets a shopping trolley is ideal and I am considering carrying a walking length umbrella to see if it helps me feel less worried about getting marooned. The fear starts well before known situations and is made even worse by the unexpected/unknown Writing this has helped and I wish everyone here relief from their challenges.

I hate open spaces too and have to have a trolley in supermarkets. I hate airports etc , the artificial bright lights dont help and certain flooring makes me worse, like tiles, it has been like this for me since secondary school, i am now 55!

Hello,

My latest potential healing that I am exploring is called "BAUD" therapy. I found a therapist in the Tampa area that has the machine that is suppose to reverse the symptoms in one session. The therapy was seen on TV,Dr. Phil, and the device is approved by FDA, who had a relatively young person on his show who experienced an earlier trauma and later (years later) her legs kinda gave out on her as she became more and more symptomatic of agoraphobia. She was eventually using a wheelchair, unlike many of us that use a shopping cart or cane as a crutch to the disabling events. Any one can look the therapy up on the Internet, invented by a doctor and patented for use by a therapist.

PS I tried the EMDR x10 which my insurance company paid for but I think it is the fault of the therapist who was trained but inexperienced. Didn't work for me!

Try "BAUD". See my latest response.

Wow I can't believe its been 4 years since my original post and so many replies. I am very much still suffering with all these symptoms. Sometimes I go long periods and barely notice the open space fear but put me in a shopping centre I would panic so I haven't yet done this alone. Currently struggling with dizziness. Waiting for CT and MRI results. How is everyone doing? Any positive outcomes? Any findings to what causes this?

Is this still active? I feel the same but don't know what is that called? really weird feeling dont want to be alone or even if I am with someone walking in open spaces it makes me feel really panicked