At the CDB we realize that every disability is terrible in its own way, but from our position on the outside looking in agoraphobia certainly seems to be one of the worst. People suffering from agoraphobia are in many cases completely healthy from a physical perspective and yet trapped within their own homes by an overwhelming fear of the outside world. As a result, these people are often completely cut off from society, unable to even work in order to support themselves. This sort of situation is precisely what the Canadian Disability Tax Credit program was designed for and the reason we will fight to get you the money you’re entitled to.

What is Agoraphobia?

Agoraphobia is one of those words that everyone seems to have heard at some point and most people have a very basic understanding of, yet very few can even begin to imagine what it truly means to suffer from such a condition. The term itself is rooted in the great words for “gathering place” and “fear” which can quite appropriately be translated in modern terms as the fear of any large space or place where crowds tend to gather. While the severity of symptoms varies as much as the specificity of triggers across the range of agoraphobics, it is easy to imagine how debilitating this disorder would be when you take a moment to think about the number of times each day you find yourself in such an environment.

Symptoms of Agoraphobia

The symptoms of agoraphobia are often closely associated with those of more common panic attacks, but specifically triggered by interaction with large open spaces or uncontrollable social situations. Once considered a subset of the more general “panic disorder” agoraphobia is now recognized as its own distinct diagnosis in part due to the extreme lengths many sufferers will go to in order to avoid situations which may trigger an attack.

How Canadian Disability Benefits Helps

Due to the progressive nature of agoraphobic symptoms and the coping mechanisms sufferers construct to deal with them, it is not uncommon for the disease to quickly progress to the point where it becomes significantly disruptive to a person’s life and therefore qualifies under the guidelines for the Canadian Disability Tax Credit Program.  The CDB will work with you to accommodate your needs throughout the application process and make sure you receive the maximum benefit available. Give us a call today to learn more about how we can help you build a financially secure future.