Chronically The Sickest 64. Agoraphobia with Sarah Hendrickx
Jun 13, 2025
In this engaging discussion, guest Sarah Hendrickx, an autistic author and clinician, explores the intricacies of agoraphobia and anxiety. She reveals her personal journey with panic attacks, highlighting how public speaking affected her life. Sarah shares insightful recovery strategies, like tailored CBT and grounding techniques, to manage anxiety. Using humor and personification, she emphasizes that many face similar struggles and encourages listeners to take small steps toward recovery. Her experience and expertise shine through as she demystifies mental health challenges.
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Agoraphobia Is Fear Of The Fear
- Agoraphobia is fear of the fear, not open spaces.
- It centers on avoiding panic-triggering situations like public transport.
Stress And Biological Changes Amplify Panic
- Chronic stress, travel, performance pressure and perimenopause compounded Sarah's panic.
- Constantly operating under-resourced likely made her system exhaust and lock into avoidance.
Panic While Speaking On Stage
- Sarah developed panic attacks mid-presentation and kept speaking despite terror.
- She continued public speaking for years until she could no longer cope and stopped.
