Mohammed is a thirty-five year old Somalian man who visits his GP because he is finding it difficult to leave his home. Mohammed is concerned that he has become fearful of leaving his home, experiencing a sense of dread that something terrible will happen. His heart races and he often becomes dizzy. On one occasion he collapsed while he was at the mosque, and consequently has stopped attending services. He describes himself as a ‘nervous person’ but says it has got much worse over the past two years. He is concerned that he will lose his employment benefits because he has stopped attending job interviews. He has few friends, and spends his days reading and looking after his elderly parents, with whom he lives. Mohammed immigrated to Australia when he was seventeen. His family had been persecuted in Somalia, and he escaped to Pakistan before immigrating to Australia. He has many relatives still living in Somalia, and he worries about their safety. He completed an electrical apprenticeship, but has not worked as an electrician since injuring himself at work five years ago. Mohammed separated from his wife shortly after his accident, and has no children.
