I wanted to let you know that it is very common for our significant others (also family and friends in general) to get frustrated and angry at us becaused they honestly don't understand. There is no possible way they can understand because they don't experience this nightmare themselves. Try to be patient with him and try to understand that he can't understand what you're going through. HOWEVER, I have to say that in no way should you compromise yourself by doing what he tells you just to make him happy! I promise that will not solve anything and will only make things worse! I have been married for 14 years and have had panic and anxiety for 12 of those years. My husband still gets incredibly frustrated and tells me to "just get over it" and "you're only doing this to yourself." At times like this, I try to ignore him and tell myself that he is just frustrated because he can't fix this himself and doesn't understand. When I found this website, I decided the only way to get him to possibly know what I'm going through is for him to read some of the info here. So, I printed off some things from the introduction and first chapter so he would have a better idea of what was going on. When I'm having a really bad moment, I tell him, "I need to go have some quiet time and fill out my anxious thoughts forms so I can try to work through this so don't take my need to be alone personal. I just need a little time to myself." It has seemed to help a little. He still has days when he gets frustrated, but he is much more patient than before. On days when he isn't as supportive as I would like him to be, I tell him, "I know you can't possibly understand what I'm going through so all I ask is that you pretend to because I don't need your criticism." The only advice I can really give you with your boyfriend is to just be as completely honest and open with him as you possibly can regarding what you're going through. Reassure him that it's ok that he doesn't have all the answers and that you're not trying to be saved by him - only you can save you. Don't expect him to understand completely, but in my own experience, it helps to let him know as much as possible so he doesn't get so frustrated about it. A very wise man once said, "Monsters absolutely live in the dark.

I really do hope that someone has some wise words of wisdom as my situation is frightening, I don't know how to handle it. I suffer from agoraphobia but every day I try to go to my local shop which is a stone throw away from where I live. Sometimes I ride my moped but not very far. When I go in the car I feel incredibly anxious, the sensations are overwhelming. I suffer from anxiety at home too. I can get pretty anxious just in the bath and brushing my teeth can even cause it. I think I suffer from generalised anxiety characterised by feelings of unreality. I know you know where I'm coming from. My partner and I had a big argument last night over something pretty small but it escalated. I do try to put my point across, I don't want to be submissive but it got very heated. He told me he didn't love me, that it was over. I live in a city which I don't know well. The place scares me, I must admit. My boyfriend owns the house, he could throw me out at a drop of a hat. I don't know many people at all here due to the agoraphobia and because I haven't been here long. I love my boyfriend so much but last night he was intimidating, judgemental. I told him I didn't want to loose him. Despite my situation, I didn't beg to stay. He told me that I would have to change, that he has put up with too much for the last four months. I have had an infection that hasn't been treated because of not being able to get to the doctors, he said it was because of this, because I don't wash enough, clean my teeth enough and because I make excuses not to go out. He doesn't understand how bad it gets, how awful sometimes I feel. The only way I can be with him is to do what he says. I HAVE to go out somehow. I have to control the anxiety. But I feel so alone and very frightened. I wonder if it is me, that I am doing something wrong. Perhaps I am too argumentative but he didn't understand what I was saying. I am so scared of loosing him. I am scared of having to leave and I have nowhere to go, nowhere I would want to go. It is almost as if he is frightening me into submission-I have to change. He has told me today that he does love me. He hasn't said anything about last night and I won't bring it up now. I am a bubbly person and loving, I love having fun but right now I have never fel