From severe agoraphobic to recovery with Claire Weekes' theory of gradual desensitization / ERP therapy! Agoraphobia is the fear of being in a situation where escape or getting help might be difficult. Being far away from home, being outside alone, taking public transport, going to movies, the grocery store, meetings, cinemas.. or anything else that's fun. It's a debilitating anxiety disorder often accompanied by panic disorder and depression.

Claire Weekes explains anxiety symptoms as merely normal symptoms of stress in a sensitized body. She defines sensitization as a state in which nerves are conditioned to react to stress in an exaggerated way; "that is, they bring unusually intense feelings when under stress, and at times with alarming swiftness." Severe sensitization produces the symptoms of anxiety: pounding heart, churning stomach, sweaty palms, pressure headaches and so forth. The more you worry about your symptoms, the more stress you put your mind and body under: and in turn it creates more illness.