Agoraphobia Treatment, Definition Causes. Agoraphobia facts. Agoraphobia is a fear of being outdoors or otherwise being in a situation from which one either cannot escape or from which escaping would be difficult or embarrassing. Like other phobias, agoraphobia often goes unreported, probably because many phobia sufferers find ways to avoid the situations to which they are phobic. Agoraphobia often co occurs with panic disorder. Agoraphobia occurs alone in less than 1 to nearly 7 of the population, more often in girls and women compared to boys and men. EnterShikari-TheSpark.png' alt='A Town Called Panic Review' title='A Town Called Panic Review' />There are a number of theories about what can cause agoraphobia, including a response to repeated exposure to anxiety provoking events or a reaction to internal emotional conflicts. As with other mental disorders, a number of factors usually contribute to the development of agoraphobia, it tends to run in families, and for some people, there may be a clear genetic factor involved in its development. Symptoms of agoraphobia include anxiety and resulting avoidance of being in a situation in which one will have a panic attack, when in a situation from which escape is not possible, or is difficult or humiliating. The panic attacks associated with agoraphobia, like all panic attacks, may involve intense fear, disorientation, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, or diarrhea. The situations that people with agoraphobia avoid and those cause people with balance disorders to feel disoriented are sometimes quite similar, leading some cases of agoraphobia to be considered vestibular function agoraphobia. Agoraphobia tends to begin by adolescence or early adulthood. Suffering from any other anxiety disorder increases the risk of developing agoraphobia. Symptoms of agoraphobia should be treated when the signs and symptoms of the associated anxiety are not easily, quickly, and clearly relieved. Physicians often diagnose and treat agoraphobia when patients seek treatment for other medical or emotional problems rather than as the primary reason that care is sought. To assess for agoraphobia, the treating psychiatrist or other physician will usually take a careful history, perform or refer to another doctor for a physical examination, and order laboratory tests. The presence of any medical condition or other emotional problem will be explored. Cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy are the most effective psychotherapies that treat agoraphobia. Medications like SSRIs, beta blockers, and benzodiazepines most commonly treat agoraphobia. Archives and past articles from the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News, and Philly. Instagram, Facebooks hotter, snootier subsidiary, may have a massive data breach on its hands. This week, a security flaw within Instagram allowed hackers to. The risk of overdose, addiction, or need for increasingly higher doses tolerance make benzodiazepines a less desirable treatment for agoraphobia. Agoraphobia increases the likelihood that the person also suffers from another anxiety disorder and that both conditions will be more severe and difficult to treat. Agoraphobia tends to occur more often in individuals who have a number of different physical conditions. If left untreated, agoraphobia may worsen to the point where the persons life is seriously impacted by the disease itself andor by attempts to avoid or hide it. As a teen, I experienced severe panic attacks. Here is a play by play of a typical panic attack for me as a teenager. I share this information for those who can. Types of Phobias. Tad The Lost Explorer Full Cartoon. In the United States, about 6 million people suffer from phobias. There are a variety of types of phobias, including acrophobia a fear of heights, claustrophobia fear of enclosed spaces, agoraphobia fear of being in open spaces, and aerophobia fear of flying, among others. Phobias can interfere with a persons ability to function from day to day if left untreated. What is the definition of agoraphobia A phobia is usually defined as the severe, unrelenting fear of a situation, activity, or thing that makes one to want to avoid it. The definition of agoraphobia is the severe anxiety about being outside or otherwise being in a situation from which one either cannot escape or from which escaping would be difficult or embarrassing. Phobias are often underreported and underdiagnosed, likely because many phobia sufferers find ways to avoid the situations to which they are phobic. The fact that agoraphobia often co occurs with panic disorder makes it even more difficult to determine how often it occurs. Other statistics about agoraphobia include that researchers estimate it occurs from less than 1 to nearly 7 of the population. The age of onset for this condition is most often during the mid to late 2. What causes agoraphobia There are a number of theories about what can cause agoraphobia. One hypothesis is that agoraphobia develops in response to repeated exposure to anxiety provoking events. Mental health theory that focuses on how people react to internal emotional conflicts psychoanalytic theory describes agoraphobia as being the result of a feeling of emptiness that comes from an unresolved Oedipal conflict, which is a tension between the feelings the person has toward the opposite sex parent and a sense of competition with the same sex parent. Although agoraphobia, like other mental disorders, is related to a number of psychological and environmental risk factors, it also tends to run in families, and for some individuals, may have a clear contributing genetic component. Girls and women are more likely to develop agoraphobia compared to boys and men. For ethnic minorities in the United States, a number of factors influence the likelihood of developing agoraphobia or any other anxiety disorder, like immigration from another country, language proficiency, feeling discriminated against, as well as the specific ethnicity of the individual. What are agoraphobia symptoms Symptoms of agoraphobia include anxiety that one will have a panic attack when in a situation from which escape is not possible or is difficult or humiliating. Examples of such situations include using public transportation, being in open or confined places or being in crowds. The apprehension or panic attacks that can be associated with agoraphobia, like all panic attacks, may involve symptoms and signs like intense fear, disorientation, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, or diarrhea. Agoraphobic individuals often begin to avoid the situations that provoke these reactions. Interestingly, the situations that people with agoraphobia avoid and the environments that cause people with balance disorders to feel disoriented are quite similar. This leads some cases of agoraphobia to be considered as vestibular function related to balance disorders agoraphobia. What are the risk factors for agoraphobia Agoraphobia tends to begin by adolescence or early adulthood. Girls and women, Native Americans, middle aged individuals, low income populations, and individuals who are either widowed, separated, or divorced are at increased risk of developing agoraphobia. Individuals who are Asian, Hispanic, or of AfricanAfrican American descent tend to have a lower risk of developing this disorder. However, people who have felt discriminated against are thought to be at higher risk of suffering from a number of anxiety disorders, including agoraphobia. Having a history of panic attacks is a risk factor for developing agoraphobia. Agoraphobic individuals are at increased risk for developing panic attacks, as well. Other anxiety disorders that tend to co occur with agoraphobia include social anxiety disorder social phobia and generalized anxiety disorder. Even the use of alcohol can result in severe, albeit temporary anxiety. When should one seek medical care for agoraphobia Call a doctor when the signs and symptoms of anxiety are not easily, quickly, and clearly relieved. If the symptoms are so severe that medication may be needed. If the symptoms are interfering with someones personal, social, or professional life. If one has chest pain, shortness of breath, headaches, palpitations, dizziness, fainting spells, or unexplained weakness. If one is experiencing depression or feeling suicidal or homicidal.