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| Woman leaves house after 18 years | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| An agoraphobic woman who was too scared to leave her home for 18 years has ventured outside for the first time. | |
| Sue Curtis, 40, from South Shields on Tyneside, developed the phobia during a panic attack at a local library. | |
| Because of her fear of spaces she was married in her front room and as she could not attend her father's funeral his coffin was brought into the house. | Because of her fear of spaces she was married in her front room and as she could not attend her father's funeral his coffin was brought into the house. |
| But after researching self-help techniques on the internet, she has now walked a short distance down the road. | But after researching self-help techniques on the internet, she has now walked a short distance down the road. |
| The mother-of-two now hopes to "push herself further and break down her fear". | The mother-of-two now hopes to "push herself further and break down her fear". |
| Speaking of the moment she first succumbed to the condition, Mrs Curtis said: "I started to feel like something was pushing me down into the ground and I just freaked out. | Speaking of the moment she first succumbed to the condition, Mrs Curtis said: "I started to feel like something was pushing me down into the ground and I just freaked out. |
| I slowly sidled to the edge of bed, crawled on my hands and knees to the window Sue Curtis | I slowly sidled to the edge of bed, crawled on my hands and knees to the window Sue Curtis |
| "So I just grabbed the bairns and said we've got to go home. I felt like everything was just closing in on me I thought I was dying." | "So I just grabbed the bairns and said we've got to go home. I felt like everything was just closing in on me I thought I was dying." |
| For the next 18 months she was unable to leave her bed, only being compelled to move by the sounds of her children playing outside. | For the next 18 months she was unable to leave her bed, only being compelled to move by the sounds of her children playing outside. |
| She added: "I heard the bairns in the garden playing in the snow and I got angry with myself and I thought I'm missing out on them. | She added: "I heard the bairns in the garden playing in the snow and I got angry with myself and I thought I'm missing out on them. |
| "So I slowly sidled to the edge of bed, crawled on my hands and knees to the window and looked out all wide-eyed. | "So I slowly sidled to the edge of bed, crawled on my hands and knees to the window and looked out all wide-eyed. |
| "One of the bairns looked up and waved and said 'there's mam', and I said 'hi son' and shot back into bed." | "One of the bairns looked up and waved and said 'there's mam', and I said 'hi son' and shot back into bed." |
| After searching for advice on the internet, Mrs Curtis began to make use of therapeutic techniques and now believes she is on the road to recovery. | After searching for advice on the internet, Mrs Curtis began to make use of therapeutic techniques and now believes she is on the road to recovery. |
| She says she is determined to "get past the barrier" and eventually wants to renew her wedding vows in a church. | She says she is determined to "get past the barrier" and eventually wants to renew her wedding vows in a church. |
| It's a wonderful story and it sounds like she's making real progress Psychiatrist Dr David Cousins | It's a wonderful story and it sounds like she's making real progress Psychiatrist Dr David Cousins |
| Agoraphobia typically involves fears of activities such as leaving home, entering public places or travelling alone. | Agoraphobia typically involves fears of activities such as leaving home, entering public places or travelling alone. |
| Sufferers also often experience anxiety, depression, obsessive behaviour and panic attacks. | Sufferers also often experience anxiety, depression, obsessive behaviour and panic attacks. |
| Drugs or psychological therapies can be used to help treat the condition. | Drugs or psychological therapies can be used to help treat the condition. |
| Dr David Cousins, a psychiatrist at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, said as many as one in 30 people can be affected by agoraphobia. | Dr David Cousins, a psychiatrist at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, said as many as one in 30 people can be affected by agoraphobia. |
| He said: "It often boils down to fear of losing control and the embarrassment of what would happen, and they retreat away from that and the anxiety disappears." | He said: "It often boils down to fear of losing control and the embarrassment of what would happen, and they retreat away from that and the anxiety disappears." |
| Commenting on Mrs Curtis's case, he said: "It's a wonderful story and it sounds like she's making real progress. | Commenting on Mrs Curtis's case, he said: "It's a wonderful story and it sounds like she's making real progress. |
| "The difficulty with this situation is how do you get services to these people who cannot get out and the internet is proving to be a wonderful resource." | "The difficulty with this situation is how do you get services to these people who cannot get out and the internet is proving to be a wonderful resource." |