Agoraphobia- the fear of being forgotten, ignore, or abandoned

Overview:
This specific phobia is hard to get a grasp on because not fitting in can affect everyone very differently. The fear of not fitting in, or agoraphobia, can affect people of all ages and does not depend on whether or not you care about what others think of you. Feeling like you don’t belong somewhere, or even if you think that people look at you as differently is quite common.  When someone feels this way he/she tends to become anxious which may lead to unhealthy behaviors such as isolation oneself. Suffering from agoraphobia also often times has people afraid of public places in general, making it hard to go about a daily routine. This fear is especially common among teenagers.

As a middle or high schooler, it is normal for you to feel some degree of peer pressure. We are surrounded by peers all day long, so naturally we are conscious of our interactions. However, when this pressure is affecting things like what you eat, who you hang out with, or even what clothes you wear, it has gone too far. After your teenage years, this fear can still be felt at a work place or making new friends in a new town, etc. 

Strategies for coping with Agoraphobia: 

1. If you feel like you need to change who you are as person to fit in with other kids in your surroundings, they aren’t the type of friends that accept who you are and you should reconsidering being friends with them anyway. 
2. You are not alone if you feel like you don’t fit in. Just know that a lot of people feel this way.
3. Putting yourself out there and meeting new kids can help the feeling of not fitting in. Even though it may be scary at first, you will meet kids just like you and that the feeling will soon be gone. 

If you have any suggestions about the next phobia I should cover, please feel free to share with me!

Sources:
misswizz.co.uk › feelings › how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-not-fitting-in
https://www.elephantjournal.com › 2017/09 › 3-ways-to-get-over-the-fear-…