Diseases/Conditions
Email Bookmark Feedback
In this factsheet:

Agoraphobia

Social Phobia

The Facts

Agoraphobia, meaning "fear of the marketplace" in Greek, is a type of anxiety disorder. It's a condition where a person feels intensely anxious about being trapped in certain situations from which they can't easily escape. The result is a feeling of panic. Movie theaters, long lineups in banks or stores, and buses or subways are examples of places feared by people with agoraphobia. They often end up avoiding these situations or only going with someone with whom they feel "safe." In extreme cases, they may end up housebound, terrified to go anywhere in public. Agoraphobia affects 3.8% of women and 1.8% of men in any given six-month period.

Causes

In many cases, agoraphobia develops after a person has experienced a panic attack (panic disorder). This involves feelings of intense, overwhelming terror along with physical symptoms such as sweating, dizziness, a pounding heart, and shortness of breath. Although panic attacks are unpredictable, the person learns to avoid the situation that seemed to trigger the episode for fear of having another one. Others may just feel uncomfortable in agoraphobic situations without ever having had, or going on to have, panic attacks. A few will go on to develop full-blown panic disorder. Agoraphobia is more common than panic disorder, which only affects about 1% of the population.

Next Page
Author: MediResource Clinical Team
Reviewer: MediResource Clinical Team
Sources
Print
Rate this article:

We recommend the following articles

Helping your body beat stress

Learn how to de-stress when you need it most... >> More
Newsletter
 

Local Health News
DPH: Don't Eat the Green Stuff
State public health officials are warning lobster lovers to avoid the soft green substance found in the body cavity of lobsters...
>>More
Hot Pepper Lead in Hunt for Salmonella Source
It was a hot lead for detectives on a cold case. People suddenly were getting salmonella at a Minnesota restaurant more than 1,...
>>More
Grown-Up Gym Class Has Adults Reliving Childhood
When "spastic ball" starts, it's better to duck first and ask questions later....
>>More
Women on Antidepressants May Benefit from Viagra
Viagra's effect in women has been disappointing, but a new small study finds those on antidepressants may benefit from taking t...
>>More
Dead Man's Brain Tested For Mad Cow Disease
The brain of a Corpus Corpus man who died earlier this month was tested for a human form of mad cow disease, health officials s...
>>More

  Advertisement

The contents of this health site are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition.

Site Map | Additional Information | Editorial Policy | Contact Us | About Us


Health On the Net Foundation
Health On the
Net Foundation

© 1996 - 2008 MediResource Inc.