Agoraphobia in The World Outside My Window by Clare Swatman

When I decided that my main character Laura was going to be agoraphobic, I wanted to make sure I made it authentic. It’s such a complex condition that affects people in different ways – some people literally can’t even look outside their window, while others can get from their house to their car but no further; some sufferers can’t let people inside their home, while for some that’s not a problem. Fortunately, the CEO of Anxiety UK, Nicky Ledbetter, herself an agoraphobic, was kind enough to speak to me. She explained how different people can react, as well as some of the different triggers.

After speaking to her, I decided I wanted Laura’s agoraphobia to be almost crippling. The story hinges on her not being able to leave the house at all, but then being forced into having to leave when her husband goes missing. The thought of stepping outside makes her anxious, until her whole body freezes and she simply can not set foot outside her home. I worked hard on the scenes where Laura’s friend Debbie tries to help her overcome her fear – it’s a really difficult thing to do and I wanted to reflect that properly. I really hope, with Nicky’s help, alongside some other reading I did around the subject, I succeeded in helping people to understand a little bit more about this complex condition. You’ll have to read the book to find out whether Laura successfully gets out of the house in the end!

Pick up Clare Swatman’s brand new book The World Outside My Window here: https://mybook.to/worldwindowsocial