Literally translated as a fear of the market place in Modern Greek, Agoraphobia is the fear of being in a public situation that will create embarrassment or bring on a panic attack. Some people suffering from agoraphobia, do fine when in a place they feel they have control over, such as their home or room. Some Agoraphobics become confined to their homes and are affected socially and interpersonally.
Women suffer from Agoraphobia more often then men and the Panic attacks brought on by Agoraphobia can be devastating. It is estimated that between 2.7 and 5.7 percent of the adult population suffers from Agoraphobia. The onset of Agoraphobia usually occurs between the age of 15 and 35. And is twice as likely to occur in Women then in men.
Although Agoraphobia tends to run in families, the causes are not completely understood.
Some of the symptoms of Agoraphobia include:
• Fear of being alone
• Fear of losing control in a public place
• Fear of being in places where escape might be difficult
• Becoming house bound for prolonged periods
• Feelings of detachment or estrangement from others
• Feelings of helplessness
• Dependence upon others
• Feeling that the body is unreal
• Feeling that the environment is unreal
• Anxiety or Panic attack (Acute Severe anxiety)
• Unusual temper or Agitation With Trembling or twitching
Some additional symptoms that may occur:
• Lightheadedness, near Fainting
• Dizziness
• Excessive sweating
• Skin flushing
• Breathing difficulty
• Chest pain
• Heartbeat sensations
• Nausea and vomiting
• Numbness and tingling
• Abdominal distress that occurs when upset
• Confused or disordered thoughts
• Intense fear of going crazy
• Intense fear of dying
In most cases, the person with agoraphobia feels some relief from the symptoms after he or she has left the situation where the attack occurred or returned home.
An agoraphobic may experience severe Panic attacks in situations where they feel trapped, insecure, out of control, or too far from their personal comfort zone. Agoraphobics often develop strategies to avoid the situations which cause a panic attack A severe panic attack can last from 20 minutes to an hour and happen repeatedly up to 5 times a day… Some of the situations that can trigger a panic attack may include driving, social situations, shopping standing alone, Places of Worship and meetings. The Agoraphobic begins to avoid situations in which a Panic attack has occurred previously thus the fear of a panic attack is a part of the condition. Agoraphobia may sometimes have consequences that affect job performance or social function.
Some famous People who have had Agoraphobia include, Paula Dean, Olivia Hussey, Woody Allen, Kim Basinger, and Rose McGowan.
If you have noticed that you or a family member shows signs of Agoraphobia see a health professional. Treatment usually depends on the severity of the phobia. The goal is for the patient to function effectively .As with other panic disorders prevention may not be; possible although early intervention may reduce the severity of the condition. Agoraphobia is usually treated through a combination of medication and therapy. With time and treatment most patients will return to a less stressful life.
Reference:
- For more information check out the following links: www.minddisorders.com/A-Br/Agoraphobia.html en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agoraphobia#Agoraphobics pages.infinit.net/drnayman/agorapho.htm www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000931.htm www.getoutside.biz/agora.htm
