Launched TUESDAY April 30, 2019 on www.zReportage.com Story #701: AGORAPHOBIC Buster. Some people stop going into situations because of a fear of being overwhelmed by anxiety and not being able to escape or get help. Buster Burns, a former drag queen, has 8 personalities and has not left his house for past 9 years. Buster suffers from agoraphobia. ’Facebook is my whole life,’ he stated of the social media platform, which allows him to interact with others without leaving the security of his home. Those who suffer from this debilitating disorder typically avoid places where they feel immediate escape might be difficult, such as shopping malls, public transportation, and open places. Agoraphobia is particularly common in people with panic disorder. Their world may become smaller as they are constantly on guard, waiting for the next panic attack. Buster Burns lives in Little Rock, Arkansas and used to be as extroverted as they come, once a successful drag queen, he would walk the stage as Ophelia every week in a crowded club. After the sudden death of a friend in 2000, Buster started slowly to retreat from public life. Today Buster spends his days with a supportive Facebook community, chatting for up to 10 hours a day. His sister visits him once a week to bring groceries and anything he might need from the outside world. Agoraphobia currently affects over 200,000 people in the United States. This debilitating condition is chronic, and those affected often are unable to leave their home because they need to avoid people and places that cause anxiety.
© David Tesinsky/ZUMA Wire
October 29, 2018 - Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. BUSTER BURNS suffers from agoraphobia and takes the prescription anti-anxiety drug Xanax to be able to accept guests.
© David Tesinsky/ZUMA Wire
October 29, 2018 - Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. BUSTER BURNS suffers from agoraphobia and only can go in front of his house because he has no neighbors. Here he is decorating for halloween.
© David Tesinsky/ZUMA Wire
October 29, 2018 - Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. BUSTER BURNS suffers from agoraphobia and only goes in front of his house because he has no neighbors. His reason for going out on this day is to create halloween decorations. His sister visits him once a week to bring all that is necessary for him to live day to day.
© David Tesinsky/ZUMA Wire
October 29, 2018 - Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. BUSTER BURNS suffers from agoraphobia and only can go in front of his house because he has no neighbors. Here he is decorating for halloween.
© David Tesinsky/ZUMA Wire
October 29, 2018 - Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. BUSTER BURNS suffers from agoraphobia and severe anxiety. He was devastated when his mother died in 2013 and went into a severe depression requiring hospitalization 4 times in the 1st year after she passed.
© David Tesinsky/ZUMA Wire
October 29, 2018 - Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. BUSTER BURNS originally from Little Rock, Arkansas and suffers from agoraphobia. He used to be as extroverted as they come. He was an award winning drag queen, taking the stage as Ophelia, every week in front of a crowded club. Now he cannot go outside or be around crowds.
© David Tesinsky/ZUMA Wire
October 29, 2018 - Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. BUSTER BURNS suffers from agoraphobia. Buster often spends his entire day with a supportive Facebook community, chatting for up to 10 hours. ''Facebook'' is my whole life he says. He lives off disability and takes pride in his cooking and renovating his home room by room.
© David Tesinsky/ZUMA Wire
October 29, 2018 - Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. BUSTER BURNS suffers from agoraphobia and anxiety and is almost completely reclusive. Once a drag queen taking the stage as Madame Ophelia he does not go out anymore. ''After my friend passed away in 2000...Madame Ophelia stopped performing in public but she is still the one that welcomes and entertains guests in my home.''
© David Tesinsky/ZUMA Wire
October 29, 2018 - Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. BUSTER BURNS suffers from agoraphobia and anxiety and is almost completely reclusive. He also had multiple personalities before therapy. There was one personality that controlled the other personalities and what was prevalent at any given time. She was known only as 'Mama' She was the last personality to be integrated once she realized that all the others had been integrated through therapy.
© David Tesinsky/ZUMA Wire
