Heavensfield

Agoraphobia is used to describe the fear of being in a situation which would be difficult to escape from if one were to experience the physiological symptoms of anxiety or panic such as being a bus, a car, or in a public setting. Fear of being embarrassed should panic like symptoms occur in these situations is also characteristic of the condition.

Persons afflicted with Agoraphobia may limit or avoid exposure to feared situations. In extreme cases, persons may become home bound, or require another person to accompany them in situations which they believe will bring about panic and anxiety.

Although Agoraphobia generally co-occurs with other mental health related conditions such as a panic disorder, research by Wittchen, Reed and Kessler (2007) indicate that there are Agoraphobic cases which occur in the absence of a panic disorder.

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If you have questions about this or any other mental health related concern, please contact Cosette Dawna Rae, at Heavensfield.

References

Wittchen, H., Reed, V., Kessler, R. C. (1998). The Relationship of Agoraphobia and Panic in a Community Sample of Adolescents and Young Adults. Arch Gen Psychiatry, 55.