Developing agoraphobia due to thick post nasal drip or ENS. Am I paranoid?

Hi, I've suffered from Social Anxiety since I was 15, I'm now 23. What's causing me distress at the moment, for over a year now, and is making me agoraphobic and has made me drop out of Uni twice in the last 9 months is, from what I have read, a thick post nasal drip among other things. I can feel mucus in my throat but when I try to clear it I can't bring it into my mouth to spit it out, I can only swallow it and it comes back within minutes. Occasionally when I do manage to spit some out it is clear mucus. A while ago I also woke up a few times choking on clear, thick, sticky mucus, which I noticed happened when I ate fatty foods. For a long time now when I wake up I tend to find myself sleeping on my hand/s or my arm/s with the blood circulation to these parts cut of and I find myself breathing very shallowly. -- The reason this is increasing my SA and making me agoraphobic is the fact that wherever I go in public the people I end up next to always cough and clear their throat. It's a normal thing that people do I know, but it happens everywhere I go and people always do it in such a manner, Heh Hem, which is also used to draw someones attention. I get it everywhere! I get it on the train, the bus, at the haidressers, at the cinema, in class which is why I dropped out. It just make me not want to go out.

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

You need some help with your social anxiety, which is certainly the cause of your preoccupation with mucus....which is an expression of your anxiety and a reason to withdraw.  YOu can help with programs or therapy, and since this is interfering with your schooling, I suggest you seek a therapist to help you work this out.

[shaun1984]

It's even made me stop smoking, which I'd been doing for more than 10 years. I've been telling myself that I'm paranoid for so long, but I actually believe I am getting these reactions in public. I've been told to ignore them, but that's the whole problem with SA, I can't! I focus on it even more. -- I've read up on Empty Nose Syndrome and I have quite a few of the symptoms as well as all the psychological symptoms, but I'm unsure if the psycological symptoms are as a result of ENS or as a cause, either way I have all of them.

[Maggie2007]

First of all, congrats on quitting smoking! You should be really proud of yourself. I hope you are.
You do sound very anxious which leads you to be overly-focused on mucus, etc. Have you been to an ENT (Ear Nose and Throat) specialist to rule out any sort of nose probem?
I think you could work on your social anxiety with a GOOD therapist. After reading over people's comments on this forum, I've come to the conclusion that a lot of people don't have access to really good doctors and other professionals. Do you live in a big city? Is their a medical school in your city? If so, I'd recommend doing some research to find someone that can you help. You'd probably need a psychiatrist and someone that is experienced with cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT).
You may be tempted to stay inside and keep to yourself...but you need to fight that temptation.