Hi, my name is Rachel. I’m 55 years old. I’ve been suffering from Agoraphobia for 32 years. I am a highly intelligent person with lived experience on all spectrums of this disability. I used to be a very happy professional bass player and musician travelling the world, until I had a panic attack one day, which led me down a long path into this illness. BUT I have made it my mission to solve the problem and mystery surrounding this disability by teaming up with Julian Ward from 7DX (Sydney based) who will bring a Virtual Reality and AI solution, as well as the ‘Brain and Mind’ team at Sydney University who will help to do research. We will bring the solution into you HOME.
According to Google, there are currently 850,000 Australians and up to 160 million people in the world living with this illness (that we know of). This illness is grossly misdiagnosed due to its complexity and statistics are only true to 2021. By now, and post pandemic, the number will be much higher. It affects youth to elderly.
WHAT IS AGORAPHOBIA?
The old description means ‘fear of the marketplace.’ The more modern and accurate meaning is fear of panic and/or embarrassment happening in real life situations where escape is difficult…ie using public transport, driving on a freeway or being stuck at a red traffic light, driving in a tunnel, being in crowded and enclosed spaces such as shopping centres, theatres, cinemas, restaurants, hairdressers, riding a lift, parking in undercover parking spaces, being far away from your car.
Once a panic attack has happened in one or more of these situations, you start AVOIDANCE BEHAVIOR in order not to feel like that again. This eventually leads to a fear cycle and a person becoming too frightened to leave their home (or bedroom in worst case scenarios). So a person becomes imprisoned/trapped and unable to lead a normal life.
It can happen to anyone…
A PANIC ATTACK causes physiological symptoms such as racing heart, dizziness, pins & needles, derealisation, numbness and a massive feeling of DOOM and DYING.
Most people do not understand this illness (both sufferers and carers and also professional medical practitioners). It’s complex in nature and everyone who suffers will have their own unique set of limitations. The perpetuation comes from the subconscious mind, not the conscious mind.
I am proposing to write a solution based on my own expert lived knowledge and leave my legacy behind knowing that the technology available for this specific illness is currently underutilised because the software is/has been written by academics, rather than a person, such as myself, with real insight.
There IS HOPE for all who live with Agoraphobia. I just need the chance and some money to throw at the solution. (I do not intend to make any money myself for this project. I’m doing it both for my own freedom and compassion for my fellow sufferers.
Thank you for reading and for helping me on this quest if you should decide it’s a worthwhile cause.
Maybe you know someone who struggles and you don’t know how to help them?
