Hey, it's Vic with a quick note. This episode contains strong language and discussion of suicide. Please be advised.

In three, two, one. A lot of times when we're making back from broken, we look for lighter moments,

you know, funny stories, because we deal with some really heavy stuff on this show.

And today's guest is a great example of this.

You're a comedian.

What's the funniest thing about agoraphobia?

The funniest thing about agoraphobia for me is that I have spent much of my adult life traveling internationally and domestically to speak about a fear of travel and strangers.

Like, that's ridiculous.

It's beautifully ridiculous.

Sarah Benincasa is a writer and sometimes comic,

and today on the show,

how Sarah figured out how to manage her agoraphobia,

why she can laugh about it now,

and how overcoming severe anxiety, helped her to conquer other struggles.

I'm Vic Vela. I'm a journalist, a storyteller, and a recovering drug addict. And this is back

from Broken from Colorado Public Radio. Stories about the highest highs, the darkest

moments, and what it takes to make a comeback. As you might have guessed from my introduction,

Sarah Benincasa for most of her life has struggled with something called agoraphobia.

It's a mental health issue and the connective tissue and so much of her life has struggled with something called agoraphobia. It's a mental health issue and the

connective tissue in so much of her story. Someone with agoraphobia may feel anxious or afraid in

crowded places or in places without a clear exit. But as Sarah will explain, when it first shows up,

you don't necessarily understand why. The first thing she noticed when she was just eight years old was a sense of anxiety and

...