Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder that arises because of the sufferer’s fear of having a panic attack in a place from where they cannot escape or hide. Agoraphobia is a social anxiety disorder. Sufferers of agoraphobia tend to avoid public and unfamiliar places including shopping malls, airports, open spaces, and places where there are few spots to be in isolation. The development of agoraphobia is due to the complications of panic attacks and panic disorder.
Panic agoraphobia is a condition in which the sufferer becomes anxious in unfamiliar environments where they have little or no control. People who have had panic attacks in a particular location will fear going back to the location, for fear of the onset of another panic attack.
Panic agoraphobia is something that professionals look for when diagnosing panic disorder. Other disorders like obsessive compulsive disorder or post traumatic stress disorder can also cause panic agoraphobia, which is basically characterized by an irrational fear.
Panic Agoraphobia is found to be about twice as prevalent in women.
Research on panic agoraphobia has shown that panic disorder can be linked to chronic drug abuse. Research has also uncovered a connection between panic disorder and spatial orientation.
Some of the symptoms of panic attacks associated with agoraphobia include palpitations, a rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling, vomiting, dizziness, tightness of throat, and shortness of breath. There are two types of Agoraphobia treatment; cognitive behavioral treatments and psychol pharmaceutical treatments.
The former includes exposure treatment, cognitive restructuring, and relaxation techniques. The latter includes antidepressant medications like SSRIs and tranquilizers. Alternative treatments for agoraphobia include eye movement desensitization and reprogramming (EMDR) with self-help and support group available. Researchers have observed that while undergoing treatment for agoraphobia, the use of caffeine and over the counter cold medications can aggravate symptoms. Breakthroughs in the 21
st century for the treatment of agoraphobia include the
emotional freedom technique (EFT) that has its basis in Chinese acupuncture and psychology. Medical advancements in agoraphobia research have led to the speculation of the DUP25 mutation to be related to panic agoraphobia. Advancements have lead to research on the relationship of genetics to agoraphobia.
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