Agoraphobia: What You Need To Know About This Anxiety Disorder

Have you ever experienced fear during an actual or expected situation and you feel you're trapped by it, leaving you helpless and humiliated?

What you're going through might be a condition called agoraphobia. This is a type of anxiety disorder in which you're afraid and avoid situations or occurrences that might lead you to panic and feel those as mentioned earlier.

You are agoraphobic if you are afraid of an actual or anticipated occurrence such as riding public transportation, staying for a while in open an open or enclosed area, waiting in line, or being in a crowded place.

The anxiety results from the fear that there is no easy way to escape or seek help if the anxiety strengthens. Most people with agoraphobia develop the condition after experiencing an episode or two, of panic attacks, causing them to be apprehensive about suffering another attack and getting rid of places where it may hit again.

Additionally, individuals with agoraphobia frequently find it hard to feel safe in any public place, particularly in areas where there are gatherings of crowds.

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One has agoraphobia if he is afraid of an actual or anticipated occurrence such as riding public transportation, staying for a while in open an open or enclosed area, waiting in line, or being in a crowded place.

What are the Causes of Agoraphobia?

According to doctors, there is no sure cause of agoraphobia. However, they believe the condition runs in families. One can get it if he has experienced a lot of panic attacks.

That's when an individual has bursts of fear that can take place out of the blue and last for a couple of minutes. These, medical experts say, happen when there is no real danger.

Studies have it that below one percent of people in the United States suffer from agoraphobia. Women are two to three times more likely to have the condition than men, and it is more typical in teenagers compared to young adults.

There are few other things that can increase your probabilities of the condition. These include panic disorder, especially if untreated; other forms of phobias; a member of the family has agoraphobia, too; and a history of traumatic events in life.

Symptoms to Watch Out For

People with agoraphobia find themselves in a place that usually scares them which causes them to panic or become very anxious. Physical symptoms may include strong and fast heartbeat; shaking and sweating; problems with breathing; feeling so hot or so cold; diarrhea; chest pain and nausea, among others.

Individuals suffering from agoraphobia are also likely to lose control; feeling they bad in front of other people; feeling the need of being with someone they trust wherever they go; and generally feeling dreadful, to name a few.

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Treatment Options

The doctor typically treats agoraphobia through medication, therapy or combined. For therapy, cognitive therapy can teach one, new ways of thinking about or facing situations that can lead to panic, and help them feel less fearful.

If you are agoraphobic, you may want to learn breathing exercises and relaxation. There are times when the therapist may recommend exposure therapy in which you slowly begin doing some of the things, or going to the places where you feel anxious.

As for medicine, there are many different medications the doctor might suggest to treat agoraphobia. However, the most common are antidepressants.

More often than not, doctors begin with a low dose of a medicine that increases the level of a 'feel-good' chemical in the brain, also known as "serotonin."

Some medications that contribute to the balancing of serotonin include Celexa or citalopram, Lexapro or escitalopram oxalate, Prozac or fluoxetine, Zoloft or sertraline, and Effexor or venlafaxine.

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