Understanding agoraphobia: When fear keeps you close to home

Colleen Stegenga
Jun 25, 2025
Jun 25, 2025

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Picture this: You're driving home from work one evening after putting in extra hours at the farm equipment dealership. It's nearly dark, and you've got about 15 miles of country road ahead. As you reach to change the radio station, your heart suddenly starts racing, and you feel short of breath. The sensation is overwhelming, like you might pass out. But you're behind the wheel on a lonely stretch of road, and that terrifying thought makes everything worse. What's happening to your body?

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Colleen Stegenga, MSW, LCSW-PIP, QMHP, is a therapist and owner of Embracing Change Counseling Services, with offices in Sioux Falls and Mitchell. Reach her at colleen@embracingchangecs.com or visit www.embracingchangecs.com.