Agoraphobia is a rare yet debilitating illness which affects just 2.2 percent of Americans between 18-40 years old. The word derives from ancient Greece, where the ‘Agora’ was used to describe a meeting place or public area that people would gather in. Owing to this, a person who suffers from agoraphobia has a fear of being in either open or public places, areas outside a defined boundary or over a specified distance.
Agoraphobia can vary widely from person to person, and can be a result of other mental health disorders. Post traumatic stress disorder and generalized anxiety disorder can result in feeling uneasy or anxious when exposed to open public or places considered unsafe by the sufferer, or the fear of having a panic attack in public and the social anxiety that comes with a distressing event. These all, in turn, can evolve into agoraphobia.
Often people either become severely agitated when doing something as simple as leaving their home, standing in line for a movie, or being in crowded open spaces. As far as doctors are aware, a direct cause of agoraphobia is unknown, however environmental factors like past stressful or traumatic events in a person’s life can be linked the disorder.
Predominantly more apparent in women, this is linked to 25 percent more women suffering from PTSD after a traumatic event in their lives.
Symptoms
Like anxiety, agoraphobia can manifest as both physical and psychological symptoms. Thesecan include:
Anxiety in wide open spaces.
Anxiety in large crowds or travelling.
Avoiding certain locations that make you nervous.
Anxiety when being left alone (Mono-phobia).
Feeling that you are going to die.
A sense of feeling trapped, helpless or embarrassed in any of the above situations.
Physical symptoms include:
Feeling scared or nervous.
Increased perspirations
Feelings of panic, or impending panic attack.
Struggling to breathe.
Irregular or increased heart rate.
Other causes of agoraphobia:
Benzodiazepines.
Research has found a link between specific drugs and onset agoraphobia. Tranquilizers and sleeping pills containing benzodiazepines can cause the increased sense of fear and panic inline with this disorder.
Alcohol.
Likewise with alcohol, there is an increased chance of developing anxiety of places outside the home because of the long term chemical distortion of the brain when alcohol is abused by an individual.
Tobacco.
To a lesser extent, tobacco can also exacerbate panic attacks and agoraphobia. Although the direct cause is unknown, researchers have recognized the link between nicotine dependance and smokings effects on the respiratory system, causing the individual to become more prone to attacks.
Support.
As with other anxiety disorders, agoraphobia can be tough to treat as the person suffering has to confront their fears and try to push their physical boundaries. The best combination of treatments are considered to be both cognitive behavioral therapy and medication.
CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) – this is a type of therapy where the person exposes themselves systematically to areas which they feel nervous being in for short periods. Taking afriend or carer with them when doing this can help the individual achieve prolonged periods ofdiscomfort.
Medication – CBT can be used in conjunction with a light dose of antidepressant or beta blocker to lessen the severity of the anxiety experienced.
Talking Therapy – It is important that any medication is used in conjunction with talking therapy.
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