Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia refers to the condition of having an abnormal, extreme, and persistent fear of "open spaces" or "fear of the marketplace" (the literal meaning of the term).
However, this definition alone is incomplete and so may be misleading. More generally, sufferers from agoraphobia are often afraid of experiencing sudden anxiety/panic, and therefore choose to spend as much time as possible in familiar situations in which they feel in control (e.g. their own home or workplace), and to avoid public places and less predictable environments such as shopping centers, markets, railway statations, airports, public meetings and large social gatherings.
Agoraphobia can lead to much distress and inconvenience.

Extreme fears (phobias) such as agoraphobia can lead to a variety of disturbing symptoms such as: Breathlessness; difficulty in thinking or speaking clearly; dizziness; dry mouth; fear of dying, "going mad" or losing control; feeling sick; inability to concentate, inability to make usually-simple decisions, nausea; palpitations, shaking; sweating profusely; or a severe anxiety attack. Not all sufferers are affected by all possible symptoms, and some individuals may also have other reactions.

Even though many adult sufferers of agoraphobia (and/or other fears/phobias) are aware that their fears are unreasonable, many still experience severe anxiety even when just thinking about the subject or situation they fear. However, phobias such as agoraphobia are known and a relatively common form of anxiety disorder that may be treated conventionally using cognitive behavioral therapy including exposure and fear reduction techniques. Drugs may also be offered, typically anti-anxiety or anti-depressants - particularly during the early stages of treatment. Other forms of treatment offered may include hypnotherapy, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) or other similar therapies.

Note that the list of phobias included in this section (see the list on the left) is not complete. There are very many, some obscure, fears that have specific names in this format. Click here for a longer list of these terms.