I was looking at this first page here and there's like 4 topics posted about making or keeping friends. I have this problem too. My wall has always been sky high and pretty much no one but certain family members can get through it. I know there are other people in this world who are not agoraphobic who probably don't have many friends themselves....yet....it doesn't bother them....or at least it doesn't turn in to some sort of anxiety disorder. Do you think that we put to much emphasis on friends? Do you think that we end up making things so much harder on ourselves...because we look at other people with their friends..having fun...and we feel we don't measure up...because we don't have the status quo of friendships? I wonder if this is a hinderance in overcoming anxiety/agoraphobia? Should we maybe put more effort into being our own friend than beating up on ourselves for our lack of friends. I don't have the answers to any of these questions but am just throwing them out there to mull over. I mean part of me has always enjoyed spending time by myself..I enjoy my own company.....then there's the odd time that I feel I need someone to talk to....but it's not that often. Then there's times.....and this is a big one.....where I find myself comparing myself to others.....seeing them doing all these things with their vast array of friends...while I sit doing nothing......the very nothing that I was fine with...until I witnessed or heard about others having so much fun....and then wondering...what is wrong with me....why am I not out doing anything? Why am I such a loner? I'm rambling. Anyway...I think having someone to talk to is a great thing...and I'm not knocking having friends at all....I just wonder if we put so much importance on it..that it affects our progress with this anxiety/agoraphobia mess. You know....just something else to beat ourselves up over?