I struggled with agoraphobia about 15 years ago, and relate to much of what you've shared so far, as well was what Yaowen shared.

There are degrees of agoraphobia, and most who struggle with it still manage to go out. In talking to many people over the years, it's clear that agoraphobia tends to be misunderstood. Agoraphobia isn't just about people who never leave home, it's about that fear you feel when you do have to go somewhere. My understanding is along the lines of what Yaowen posted, that agoraphobia is generally an offshoot of another anxiety disorder. For me personally, the anxiety was so acute that my mind became very sensitized and alert to everything- like being in a constant level 10 "on position". That was among the reasons why going out became so difficult -- everything was exhausting and anxiety inducing.

I posted about this on another thread here recently. I used cognitive behavioral therapy from a book titled Simple Effective Treatment of Agoraphobia by Dr. Claire Weekes. Another member noted that the book is available online through a free library. This book changed my life. I'd highly recommend it. The CBT she taught is a lot about resting and learning to calm your mind, and then slow and gentle exposure therapy on top of that. For me, it took about six months of work before there was noticable difference, and after a few years I was able to function almost completely normally. Nowadays, it doesn't affect me much, though on some level I'll probably always consider myself agoraphobic - if only because there may be a certain susceptibility to it and anxiety (if that makes sense). There is hope though.

I, too, hope you will share your experiences and journey as you work through it. You are so not alone!

ETA: https://mysupportforums.org/7426052-post10.html