Understanding Agoraphobia and Anxiety Disorders

Are you among the millions of people suffering from panic attacks and anxiety disorders? Do you find it challenging to handle stressful situations or maintaining a balanced lifestyle? Many people who have been diagnosed with anxiety disorder may also experience agoraphobia, an intense fear of having an anxiety attack in public. It is typical of people who get anxiety attacks to be wary of being judged or ridiculed, so their natural reaction is to try and avoid social situations because of this fear.

According to MedicalNewsToday.com, “the anxiety associated with agoraphobia is so severe that panic attacks are not unusual, and individuals with agoraphobia typically try to avoid the location or cause of the fear.” There are several ways to recognize the signs and symptoms of agoraphobia. A person can develop agoraphobia because of having had a number of panic attacks in a public place and may feel like they have lost control.

Someone with agoraphobia is often afraid of being in a situation where they are too far away from home, or being home alone. Those who suffer from agoraphobia feel highly uncomfortable in crowded places like malls, theaters or sports arenas. Some people experience extreme anxiety when they are traveling in a car, bus or plane. There are even some who have an intense fear of being in a constricted space like an elevator or a small room.

One of the major indications that a person has agoraphobia is when they react with extreme anxiety or have a panic attack in any situation that they percieve to have difficult escaping from or will be embarrassing to leave. This means that the person will avoid situations where they must follow a crowd, or do something where they cannot walk away if they start to feel uncomfortable.

These are some of the signs and symptoms of agoraphobia: intense, often irrational fear about being in a public place; avoidance of a particular place or situation; cancelling of trips or meetings out of fear of an attack; and social withdrawal. In time, agoraphobia will have an adverse effect on an individual, emotionally and socially, and it will greatly hamper their ability to connect with other people in a natural and stress-free manner.

Many agoraphobics try to manage their feelings and integrate into their lifestyle some form of bad habit or ritual. Some try and numb their feelings by overeating, drinking alcohol, or consuming caffeine or nicotine. Others may turn to obsessive-compulsive disorder for relief; in this situation, the person becomes preoccupied with rituals in order to alleviate their symptoms and feel some level of relief.

Agoraphobia is one of the several anxiety problems but it is not categorized as a panic disorder. If it is left unaddressed for an extensive period of time, the person may start to withdraw from society, be unable to perform at their job, and have difficulty forming close relationships. There are some treatment options which includes medical intervention, therapy, and even natural supplements. It is possible for an agoraphobic to overcome their anxiety disorder and lead a normal life again.

Tags: agoraphobia, Anxiety, anxiety disorder, Panic Attacks, psychological concerns, psychological health, self help, self improvement, specific disorders, stress management
Bookmark & Share