So Yesterday: Date A Girl Who Reads by Rosemarie Urquico →
(In Response to Charles Warnke’s You Should Date An Illiterate Girl.)
Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes. She has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girl who has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a…
Monsters I know
People suffering from Agoraphobia(anxiety disorder defined as a morbid fear of having a panic attack or panic-like symptoms in a situation from which it is perceived to be difficult (or embarrassing) to escape) have others phobias. Some existed previous and some developed after becoming Agoraphobic. I , for example can’t cross large streets by myself(Agyrophobia) and many of us have this acute fear of crossing bridges(Gephyrophobia). I’ve recently discovered that I have some form of Claustrophobia. I can’t ride the elevator with more than one person or sit between two other persons on the table etc. I always want to have a free space on my side if something happens and Flight or Fight response occurs(I’m a coward and I always choose Flight. The airport is the only place were I stay in line and Fight and it’s exhausting). Using public transportation is terrifying and one of the hardest thing to do. Also Social Phobia(or social anxiety disorder) is one of the most common phobias for an Agoraphobic. After being confined in the same place(comfort zone) for weeks , months or even years, you find it difficult to relate to others. You avoid social interaction because you fear you’re going to be judged. This one can appear before or after becoming an Agoraphobic. You can have social anxiety without being Agoraphobic (I’m talking only about Agoraphobia related facts). It may be also the cause of Agoraphobia. Monophobia (an abnormal fear of being alone) on the other hand, usually is after. I’ve been monophobic for months and CBT helped me a lot with this one. I still can’t go out anywhere without my safe person but I stopped having panic attacks at home when alone.
While you have these phobias to fight against, you also fight Depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Avoidant Personality Disorder, OCD, other Anxiety Disorders etc. It’s a never ending battle. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Because even if you escape from them for periods of time, they always come back. You take meds, you do therapy, you learn all these techniques to trick the symptoms, you do meditation, you use herbal remedies and when you feel like giving up, you take a deep breath and start again.
