No more fear of the outdoors amongst Tall Trees

Having spent the majority of her life indoors with agoraphobia, Jill Hutchinson, 76, is now getting on the Queensland busses around Logan and even doing her own shopping – without the help of medication.

A fear of open, public spaces, agoraphobia will often manifest in a severe panic attack if the sufferer is put out of their comfort zone.

Ms Hutchinson, a resident of supported living neighbourhood, Tall Trees at Rochedale, says that a series of events led to the condition exposing itself early on in her life.

“A few days after my first son was born, my father died – I was very close to him, and that was really hard for me,” she says.

“The next son arrived about 15 months later, after which I suffered another personal loss, and that was the straw that broke the camel’s back and stuck me in my house.”

At that time, agoraphobia was not a particularly well-known condition, and so it was even harder for Ms Hutchinson to make excuses to not leave the house.

“I thought I was going mad, so I didn’t mention it to anybody and would say ‘yes I’ll go’ when people asked me somewhere,” she says.

“But then I’d always end up telling them that I didn’t feel well and I couldn’t make it – I lost all my early friends, or most of them, because they just got sick of me cancelling at the last minute.”

In 1978, on the day her husband left her, something as simple as her sons going to a party gave her the initial incentive to try and overcome her phobia.

“My two sons were supposed to be going to a party that night, and my youngest said he wouldn’t go so he could keep me company,” she says.

“I said ‘no way, you’re going to go to the party’. That was the day I determined I was going to do something about it. It took a lot of time, it took a lot of dead ends; the doctors offered me pills, which I didn’t want.

“Some of my better friends started coming around and helping me, and they’d drive me around the corner, then they’d drive me around two corners, and they’d take me home whenever I said.”

Since moving into Tall Trees at the beginning of last year, Ms Hutchinson has been able to conquer some considerable hurdles – including catching public transport.

She says her first time on a bus was a nerve wracking, but worthwhile experience.

“Not long after my arrival at Tall Trees, my friend Sally asked if I thought I could make a journey by bus down to the Greenslopes weekly craft meeting where I had been a regular visitor for about four years,” Ms Hutchinson said.

“I was so nervous I took a half a tranquilizer before I left home, but Sally was very good and she sat beside me and talked to me and kept my mind on different things.

“That was my first time on public transport in God knows how long – each time I’ve been down there since it’s just gotten easier.

“Now I can travel by bus to Garden City on my own and do not miss my weekly craft as I now meet the good friends I made there for a coffee or lunch.

“After that first trip with Sally some of the residents and I celebrated my success with a Champagne drink on my balcony and ever since then they have all been very supportive of my efforts and proud of my successes.

“I have made innumerable good and helpful friends at the village and now can’t imagine living elsewhere.”

“I’ve never been on a plane in my life – the mere thought of it makes me feel ill,” she says.

“It’s one of those hang ups, but this year I’m hoping to go down to Sydney by plane with my eldest son.

“We’ll have a look around the city – I haven’t been to Sydney since my honeymoon in 1958. If I could do that, that would be a big step.”