Agoraphobia
"I lay on my floor crying again… shaking. Searching for inner strength and coming up empty. My eyes burned and my mouth was dry as I sucked on-air that seemed to keep getting thicker and harder to breathe. I tried to leave again, but ended up leaning my forehead against the door, feeling defeated and wishing the Grim Reaper would come for me in all his silky, black glory."― Nathan Daniels
Have you been home for a little while now like a week or two and you feel like you’re getting depressed? Well and just imagine what immense type of mental stress people with Agoraphobia are facing. They just can’t go out at all or without being stressed about it.
What is Agoraphobia?
Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder in which a person considers the environment as unsafe with no easy way to escape. The person hesitates to go to open spaces or crowded places like shopping malls or simply being outside from home. These people experience panic attacks before they are in crowded places and after that, they avoid going out.
What are the Symptoms of Agoraphobia?
There are some most common symptoms of agoraphobia are discussed below:
- Afraid of leaving home alone for a long time
- Afraid of going to crowded places like shopping malls
- Fear of enclosed spaces like elevators etc.
- Fear of losing control in public places
- Afraid of using public transport like buses, trains, etc.
- Fear of being alone in a social situation
- Anxious and agitated
- Detached from other people
Panic Attacks and Agoraphobia
Some people mix panic attacks and agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder that leads to panic attacks due to some fear. Some most common symptoms during panic attacks due to agoraphobia are given below:
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Increased heartbeat
- Trouble breathing
- Faintness and dizziness
- Numbness
- Fear of dying
- Sweating
- The feeling of losing control
- Stomach problems
- Hot flashes and chills
- Trembling
- Chocking
- Nausea
Causes of Agoraphobia
Many different factors can lead to the same disease. If a person has agoraphobia it is not definite that some other person who is having the same disorder is having it because of the same cause. There are many causes of agoraphobia some of them are discussed below:
- Depression
- Other phobias
- Some other anxiety disorders
- Family history of agoraphobia
- Drug and alcohol abuse
- Environment conditions
- Some health conditions
Risk Factors for Agoraphobia
Some attributes make you more prone to the development of this disorder. Some most common risk factors for agoraphobia are:
- Having other phobias and anxiety disorder
- Fear of panic attacks
- Family history of agoraphobia
- Some depressive events in life such as the death of loved ones etc.
Complications Due to Agoraphobia
You would be amazed to know that some complications can also be the cause of agoraphobia but for some people, these complications occur after they have developed agoraphobia for example if you take drug abuse as one of such factors, you can see that drug abuse can be a cause of agoraphobia and on the other hand a person who is already having agoraphobia may start to abuse drugs to feel better. Here we have discussed the complications that you may face due to agoraphobia:
- Depression
- Alcohol and drug abuse
- Other phobias and mental disorders
Diagnosis of Agoraphobia
Doctors and psychiatrists diagnose agoraphobia through the help of signs and symptoms and they may ask you if you have a family history of agoraphobia. Doctors use the following methodologies and techniques:
- Signs and symptoms
- Interview
Treatment for Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia can be treated by doctors which involve certain therapies and methods like:
- Psychotherapy
- Medications
- Anti-anxiety pills
- Anti-depressants
- Some alternative medicines
- Lifestyle changes