Your Ultimate Health Guide

What it is – Agoraphobia Definition:

Agoraphobia is defined as an anxiety disorder characterized by the fear of having a panic attack in a setting in which there is little or no means of escape or little perceived control. Sufferers of agoraphobia often experience flashes of extreme anxiety in public and/or unfamiliar places such as crowds, airports and shopping malls. In extreme cases, sufferers can be confined to their own home because of the overwhelming fear of having a panic attack.

The causes of agoraphobia are currently unknown, but it does occur approximately twice as often in women it does as men. It is thought to be linked to stressful environments, substance abuse, and other anxiety disorders.

People who live with agoraphobia suffer from repeated panic attacks and therefore are often preoccupied with the thought of having another panic attack, which leads them to avoid any situations where a panic attack could occur.

According to DSM-IV-TR Diagnostic Criteria, people with agoraphobia experience:

A) Anxiety about being in places or situations from which escape might be difficult (or embarrassing) or in which help may not be available in the event of having an unexpected or situationally predisposed panic attack or panic-like symptoms. Agoraphobic fears typically involve characteristic clusters of situations that include being outside the home alone; being in a crowd, or standing in a line; being on a bridge; and traveling in a bus, train, or automobile.

B) The situations are avoided (e.g., travel is restricted) or else are endured with marked distress or with anxiety about having a panic attack or panic-like symptoms, or require the presence of a companion.

C) The anxiety or phobic avoidance is not better accounted for by another mental disorder, such as social phobia (e.g., avoidance limited to social situations because of fear of embarrassment), Specific Phobia (e.g., avoidance limited to a single situation like elevators), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (e.g., avoidance of dirt in someone with an obsession about contamination), posttraumatic stress disorder (e.g., avoidance of stimuli associated with a severe stressor), or seperation anxiety disorder (e.g., avoidance of leaving home or relatives). [1]

There are several treatment options for agoraphobia. These include:

1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – Including stengthening relaxation skills, exposure treatment, and cognitive restructuring treatment to help replace irrational beliefs with new empowering ones.
2. Medication (typically anti-depressants) – Used to cope with anxiety. If prescribed by a medical professional, medication can helpdull or alleviate the symptoms of panic attacks.
3. Self Help – As an alternative to professional therapy, many online programs are available to sufferers of agoraphobia to help the sufferer learn about the condition, and give the proper tools to deal with panic and anxiety attacks.

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1. DSM-IV Source: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DVM-IV-TR). 2000.

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