Home Health Center
Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia
What is Agoraphobia?Agoraphobia can be described as a kind of anxiety disorder, which makes you avoid any situation that you think may cause you to panic. In case you do suffer from agoraphobia, you may avoid:
- Being alone at any time
- Confronting someone or being confronted by someone
- Entering places that may be a bit hard to leave like trains or buses
- Going to places that are too crowded
- Leaving home
- Meeting up with certain people
- Any place or incident that makes you feel embarrassed, trapped or afraid
Because of this, most people who have agoraphobia do not feel safe in most common public places, like stations, restaurants, stadiums, malls, stores, schools, parks, elevators and so on. At times, the fear can be so overpowering that you may end up feeling trapped in your own home. You may muster up the courage to venture into a crowded place, but that doesn’t stop you from being very uncomfortable for the entire time you are there.
Some people suffering from agoraphobia overcome their fear and face the situations they are afraid of, as long as they are accompanied by a companion that they trust.
Needless to say, this disorder can limit your daily activities to a great extent. Therefore, you need to seek treatment as soon as you notice the signs and symptoms of this problem. There have been reports of agoraphobics who have become housebound for years, because of inadequate treatment. The lack of timely medical intervention can cause you to become dependent on others to a high extent.
While it is possible to treat agoraphobia, the procedure is quite challenging, because it means that you need to confront your fears. If left unchecked, agoraphobia can lead to:
Fortunately, with the help of medication, therapy and other lifestyle changes, you can seek relief from this disorder and lead a normal life.