How to Manage Fear of Leaving Your House
Original image by Joshua Oluwagbemiga on Unsplash.
Staying at home for several months during a global pandemic and avoiding normal outdoor activities can cause agoraphobia, the fear of leaving the home and participating in activities which were once ordinary (grocery shopping, exercising, eating out), which can result in panic attacks and a deepening of the fear.
1. Notice where in your body you are feeling something as you consider leaving your home.
Identifying where you have a feeling will help you identify the feeling itself and manage it.
2. Take several deep breaths.
Notice what that does to your feeling and how you are able to calm yourself. This will help you manage it when it appears.
3. Recognize that avoidance will only exacerbate the problem.
Facing your fear will help you manage and overcome it.
4. Start by leaving the home little by little.
Establish a “safety zone” and a routine that takes you outside for several days in a row. Walk around the block, to the store, or to the park and spend a little more time each day out of your home.
5. While you are out, notice if you exhibit “safety behaviors,” and try to avoid those.
“Safety behaviors” are ways in which you try to protect yourself (creating excessive distance between passersby, or reacting emotionally at people who come too close without wearing masks). They can seem protective but can also worsen your fears.
6. Eventually, move directly into the situation that you fear most.
Going to the store or gym for the first time, riding public transit or traveling, seeing a friend socially you haven’t seen—whatever it is you are fearing, face it little by little and you will eventually be able to overcome your bigger fears.
7. Forgive yourself.
Don’t blame yourself for feeling anxiety when emerging from quarantine or sheltering in place—the anxiety is normal.
8. Stay safe.
Washing hands, socially distancing, wearing masks will keep you safe in all situations. There is nothing to fear but fear itself!