What is agoraphobia? How does it originate?

Answer 1

Agoraphobia is a form of anxiety disorder. Sufferers of agoraphobia do not fear crowded situations, which is a common misunderstanding of this disorder. Agoraphobia is the fear of having a panic attack in general in any place whether it be the grocer, at work or in the privacy of your own home. Social anxiety disorder is what people mean when they generally say "agoraphobia".

A common misconception is that agoraphobia is a fear of open spaces. This is most often not the case since people suffering from agoraphobia usually are not afraid of the open spaces themselves, but of public spaces or of situations where a person is afraid of having a panic attack and will not be able to receive help.

Answer 2

Agoraphobia is a form of anxiety disorder. Sufferers of agoraphobia do not fear crowded situations, which is a common misunderstanding of this disorder. Agoraphobia is the fear of having a panic attack in general in any place whether it be the grocer, at work or in the privacy of your own home. Social anxiety disorder is what people mean when they generally say "agoraphobia".

The word is an English adoption of the Greek words agora (αγορά) and phobos (φόβος). Literally translated in modern Greek as "a fear of the marketplace". A common misconception is that agoraphobia is a fear of open spaces. This is most often not the case since people suffering from agoraphobia usually are not afraid of the open spaces themselves, but of public spaces or of situations where a person is afraid of having a panic attack and will not be able to receive help. The Greek word agora should be interpreted using the Ancient Greek meaning of the word agora (αγορά) which translates as "where the people gather" (later "forum" in Latin), which gives the idea of a crowded marketplace rather than just an open space -- this makes the common combination of agoraphobia and claustrophobia less conflicting.

Agoraphobia is not being afraid of public places nor is it being afraid of no escape from public places; it is the fear of having an anxiety attack and not being able to receive help. (DSM-IV). Some people with agoraphobia are comfortable seeing visitors, but only in a defined space they feel in control of. Such people may live for years without leaving their homes, while happily seeing visitors and working, as long as they can stay within their safety zones.

An agoraphobic may experience severe panic attacks in situations where he feels trapped, insecure, out of control, or too far from his personal comfort zone. During severe bouts of anxiety, the agoraphobic is confined not only to his home, but to one or two rooms and he may even become bed-bound until his over-stimulated nervous system can quiet down, and his adrenaline levels can return to a more normal level.

Agoraphobics are often extremely sensitized to their own bodily sensations, subconsciously over-reacting to perfectly normal events. To take one example, the exertion involved in climbing a flight of stairs may be the cause for a full-blown panic attack, because it increases the heartbeat and breathing rate, which the agoraphobic interprets as the start of a panic attack instead of a normal fluctuation.

People with severe agoraphobia develop the ability to avoid situations that may bring on an attack.

Answer 3

In the Army, soldiers are taken out into a place where there is no cover, no place to hide, for the express purpose of finding out if they are affected by agoraphobia. Especially frightening for a warrior....no cover, no place to hide, no buddies around.
As far as it's origin, I don't think anybody reallyy knows. If you've ever gone into the wilderness camping alone, you probably have experienced this just a little the first day you realized you were truly alone. While not as intense as the above scenario, it's a small taste of what it's like. We are conditioned to being within our own comfort zone, a house, a building where we work, we usually have people around us almost all the time. When we are suddenly moved to the opposite extreme, it can really be unnerving. So that's my opinion.

Answer 4

Agoraphobia is a form of anxiety disorder. Sufferers of agoraphobia do not fear crowded situations, which is a common misunderstanding of this disorder. Agoraphobia is the fear of having a panic attack in general in any place whether it be the grocer, at work or in the privacy of your own home. Social anxiety disorder is what people mean when they generally say "agoraphobia".

Answer 5

I have had episodes of agoraphobia, it is when someone feels safe only within the confines of their own four walls. To venture anywhere else even in their apartment or home can cause anxiety to the point of not feeling safe or paranoid. By not feeling "safe" I mean that paranoia sets in to the mind and makes one think there r other people who want to hurt u in the house or around u so u stay where u believe it is "safe". As to how it originated I'm not sure but my ingestion and/or unusual behavior with unprescribed drugs could've brought it on because when I'm not on illegal drugs I do very well. Although I often feel "safer" within the confines of my four walls even still.

Answer 6

My own agoraphobia came about after many public anxiety and panic attacks. I didn't leave my home at all for six months. Though I leave the house daily now, for the most part, I still consider myself agoraphobic as that fear is constantly with me.

Answer 7

It is a phobia, a disorder where the person prefers his own home instead of being in a public place. In a true phobia, it begins with a panic attack while in a public place, and a subsequent anxiety of another panic attack if he or she will be subjected to being in another public place.
Most hermit like people these days probably are not true agoraphobics. Rather, they are miserly people who do not have enough money so avoids being placed in a position that they may be tempted to spend whatever little money they have.
Older people , those on fixed incomes , will fall under this category.
Young pseudo-agoraphobics will also be careful with money, have tight budgets, and will only go out to buy essentials like food and textbooks. They would be spending most of their time in their homes or dorm roooms studying , or sleeping.

Answer 8

It usually starts when people have been stuck in a small room for a long time, or a small space, say when someone is sick or something. They lear to trust their physycal limits and boundaries, and they trust that space. So when they come out to an open space they lose that feeling of familiarity and safety. It also happens to those who have had some emotional trauma, it is like they want to go back to the safety of their mother's womb.

Answer 9

It is a fear of going outside, so you want to stay in the house and never leave. It's origin is in some traumatic experience that happened in your childhood

Answer 10

Its related to stress and anxiety it is were a person fears the unknow of going outside their home and being in a crowded place they fear they will die or suffocate with fear. It can happen for all reasons deppression, family break down divorce etc