Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is a mental health disorder characterized by an intense and persistent fear of venturing outside of the home, especially to unfamiliar areas. Some people have a fear of specific conditions, such as fear of traveling a certain distance away from home, traveling to unfamiliar or crowded areas or standing in line. It is often characterized by a fear of being in places where help might not be available or not having complete control of a situation away from home. Agoraphobia often accompanies another anxiety disorder, such as panic disorder or social anxiety.

The onset is usually in the second decade of life, and women are affected more often than men. If not treated, agoraphobia can progressively worsen over time, with some individuals unable to leave their homes for long periods of time. For many people, this is likely to hurt social and interpersonal relationships.

Symptoms:
* Fear of being alone
* Fear of losing control in a public place
* Fear of being in places where escape might be difficult
* Becoming housebound for prolonged periods of time
* Feelings of detachment or estrangement from others
* Feelings of helplessness
* Dependence on 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

Additional symptoms that may occur:
* Light-headedness, 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

Treatment

The goal of treatment is to help the phobic person function effectively. The success of treatment usually depends upon the severity of the phobia.

Systematic desensitization is a very common technique used to treat phobias under the guidance of a trained therapist. The patient is asked to relax, then imagine the things that cause the anxiety, working from the least fearful to the most fearful situation. Once the patient has mastered relaxation during these imagined situations, the practice then moves on to real-life exposure. Patients are often asked to practice their relaxation skills during an anxiety-provoking situation, starting with the least threatening real-life situation and ultimately practicing their relaxation skills in the most threatening situation for the patient. Anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications are often used to help relieve the symptoms associated with phobias and may be helpful during systematic desensitization.

Complications

Some phobias may affect job performance, school or social functioning. Call for an appointment with your health care provider if symptoms suggestive of agoraphobia develop. Do not try to tough it out or treat yourself, since you are only delaying your access to treatment.

Prevention

As with other anxiety disorders, prevention may not be possible. However, early intervention may reduce the severity of the condition and enable you to treat your phobia before your social life and personal relationships become affected.