many people with anxiety disorders benefit from joining a self-help or support group (telephone conference-call support groups or online support groups being of particular help for completely housebound individuals). sharing problems and achievements with others, as well as sharing various self-help tools, are common activities in these groups. in particular, stress management techniques and various kinds of meditation practices and visualization techniques can help people with anxiety disorders calm themselves and may enhance the effects of therapy, as can service to others, which can distract from the self-absorption that tends to go with anxiety problems. also, preliminary evidence suggests aerobic exercise may have a calming effect. since caffeine, certain illicit drugs, and even some over-the-counter cold medications can aggravate the symptoms of anxiety disorders, they should be avoided. epidemiology agoraphobia occurs about twice as commonly among women as it does in men. panic disorder with or without agoraphobia affects roughly 5.1% of americans, and about 1/3 of this population with panic disorder have co-morbid agoraphobia. it is uncommon to have agoraphobia without panic attacks, with only 0.17% of people with agoraphobia not presenting panic disorders as well. society and culture notable cases woody allen (b. 1935), american actor, director, musician kim basinger (b. 1953), american actress earl campbell (b. 1955), american pro football player macaulay culkin (b. 1980), american actor, known for his portrayal of kevin mccallister in home alone and home alone 2: lost in new york, said he had "self-diagnosed" agoraphobia. paula deen (b. 1947), american chef, author, and television personality h.l. gold (1914–1996), science fiction editor – as a result of trauma during his wartime experiences, his agoraphobia became so severe that for more than two decades he was unable to leave his apartment. towards the end of his life, he acquired some control over the condition. daryl hannah (b. 1960), american actress howard hughes (1905–1976), american aviator, industrialist, film producer and philanthropist olivia hussey (b. 1951), anglo-argentine actress shirley jackson (1916–1965), american writer – her agoraphobia is considered to be a primary inspiration for the novel we have always lived in the castle. elfriede jelinek (b. 1946), austrian writer, nobel prize laureate in literature in 2004 mike patton (b. 1968), american musician. bolesław prus (1847–1912), polish journalist and novelist peter robinson (b. 1962), british musician known as marilyn brian wilson (b. 1942), american singer and songwriter, primary songwriter of the beach boys, a former recluse and agoraphobic who has schizophrenia ben weasel, singer and songwriter