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This article was co-written by Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS. Trudi Griffin is a licensed professional counselor in Wisconsin. She received her MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marquette University in 2011.
There are 13 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 3,181 times.
An estimated 5% of the US population suffers from agoraphobia, a form of anxiety disorder that in Greek means “fear of the marketplace”. The condition is best described as agoraphobia, the very feeling of fear, or the fear of having a panic attack in public. Women are twice as likely to have agoraphobia than men. It is characterized by anxiety and stress when in public, when socializing or in unfamiliar surroundings. Determining whether you have agoraphobia is the first step in finding treatment.
Steps
Identify behaviors in public associated with agoraphobia
- If the thought of going to the grocery store to buy milk also makes you nervous, you may have agoraphobia.
- You may have agoraphobia if you find yourself taking only one route home each day and following familiar paths, paths, and trails for fear of entering new ones.
- Before agoraphobia developed, you might still go to parties, bars, or the cinema with your friends in addition to work or school. Over time, you may begin to worry about panic attacks and stop attending parties. Then when the semester ends, you stop going to school because you’re afraid of having a panic attack in class. Now you see fewer friends and try to limit your time at work as little as possible. Such behaviors may indicate that you have agoraphobia.
- Even if you don’t actually have a panic attack, the fear of having a panic attack in social situations can also be a manifestation of agoraphobia.
- Example of a situation where you had a fear of the void while playing ball with a friend. Instead of showing anxiety in the crowd, you say that you have to go home to let the dog out. You can also pretend to be sick to get out of an uncomfortable situation.
Identify specific symptoms of agoraphobia
- Some people have panic symptoms or have panic attacks in anxiety-provoking situations. During a panic attack, people may experience chest pain, numbness, dizziness, tremors, sweating, shortness of breath, nausea, feeling out of reality or disconnected from reality. yourself, losing control or going crazy, feeling like you’re going to die, chills or hot flashes. [8] X Research Sources
- are in the crowd or in line
- are in an open space such as a market place or a parking lot
- being in an enclosed space like a coffee shop or a movie theater
- are traveling on public transport such as bus, train, plane or ferry
- go out alone
- There are two types of fear that arise when one is alone. One of two types of phobia is related to agoraphobia. The other type of fear develops when the person is left alone feeling weak and vulnerable to predators. This is not a sign of agoraphobia. Determining your true feelings of fear is important to knowing if you have agoraphobia.
- have another disorder such as panic disorder or another form of phobia
- often feel anxious or nervous
- experiencing a stressful event, such as the loss of a parent, attack, or abuse
- family history of agoraphobia (direct relative)
- suffer from depression
- have a substance abuse problem [12] X Research Source
Find support to treat agoraphobia
- Antidepressants. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as paroxetine and fluoxetine may help if you have panic attacks accompanied by agoraphobia. Other options are tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).
- Anti-anxiety medication. Drugs such as benzodiazepines can induce a feeling of calm when used for short periods but can be addictive. Therefore, it is best to use it sparingly only in emergencies such as when having a panic attack.
- A course of CBT treatment lasts for weeks with sessions of about 50 minutes. You will talk to a therapist about your agoraphobia experiences that week and will be asked to analyze your thinking and acting patterns.
- Finally, you will be asked to gradually expose yourself to social situations to dispel the feelings and thoughts that agoraphobia produces. At first you can go to the market for about 15 minutes, then 30 minutes, then an hour, and so on until you get used to the social situations.
- For example, when your brain signals you to panic because danger is near, gather more information. Think about past panic attacks, telling yourself that you survived and got through without permanent damage or death (a common fear of agoraphobia). [15] X Research Source
- For example, when you feel a sense of fear or panic coming in while you’re playing football, try playing a narrow game for about 15 to 20 minutes, and the next game you’re in for 30 to 20 minutes. 40 minutes, then 60 to 70 minutes, and so on. Finally, you move on to playing the whole game and to a greater extent.
- Be honest with yourself about your comfort level. Your goal is not to create a panic attack, but to identify the trigger for the panic attack while not actually experiencing the panic attack. Don’t rush into this process by exposing yourself to too strong or too early a stimulus. Save your energy and keep a journal of how you feel after each exposure to gauge your progress.
Warning
- See a mental health professional if you think you may have this anxiety disorder.
This article was co-written by Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS. Trudi Griffin is a licensed professional counselor in Wisconsin. She received her MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marquette University in 2011.
There are 13 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 3,181 times.
An estimated 5% of the US population suffers from agoraphobia, a form of anxiety disorder that in Greek means “fear of the marketplace”. The condition is best described as agoraphobia, the very feeling of fear, or the fear of having a panic attack in public. Women are twice as likely to have agoraphobia than men. It is characterized by anxiety and stress when in public, when socializing or in unfamiliar surroundings. Determining whether you have agoraphobia is the first step in finding treatment.
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