PLEASE GRADE AT STAKE HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2007-10-24 08:44:18 · 7 answers · asked by erika19507 2 in Health ➔ Other - Health
Simply, It's a fear of public places and open areas.
Wikipedia lists it as "an anxiety disorder which primarily consists of the fear of certain settings that may present unexpected challenges or demands. These could include parking lots, shopping malls or restaurants. The social consequences of having a panic attack or losing control in public often becomes an additional source of fear in its own right. As a result, severe sufferers of agoraphobia may become confined to their homes, experiencing difficulty traveling from this 'safe place'."
Dictionary.com lists it as "an abnormal fear of being in crowds, public places, or open areas, sometimes accompanied by anxiety attacks" and "an abnormal fear of open or public places."
If you're doing this for homework, you'll want to put it in your own words, as if you get caught plagiarizing, you will get a failing grade. Good luck!
2007-10-24 08:48:09 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Agoraphobia: An abnormal and persistent fear of public places or open areas, especially those from which escape could be difficult or help not immediately accessible. Persons with agoraphobia frequently also have panic disorder.
People with agoraphobia characteristically become anxious if they even think about being trapped in a situation where it might be difficult to leave the situation. People with agoraphobia also characteristically avoid the situations which bring them anxiety or panic.
Agoraphobia is highly variable in severity. People with mild agoraphobia often live normal lives by avoiding anxiety-provoking situations. But, in the most severe cases, the victims may be incapacitated and be homebound.
The disorder affects women twice as often as men, tends to start in the mid to late 20's and the onset may appear triggered by a traumatic event.
The treatment for agoraphobia involves behavior and cognitive therapy and/or medications. As might be expected, people with a mild case of agoraphobia do best while those with a severe case may be plagued for many years, if not the remainder of their lives.
Agoraphobia comes from the Greek "agora", marketplace + "phobos", fear = fear of the marketplace.
2007-10-24 15:48:45 · answer #2 · answered by kepsaw 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Agoraphobia is the fear of going outside into larger open spaces. The agora was the classic market place or central square of the Greek cities. Phobia comes from the Greek phobos: fear. The person afflicted by this type of compulsive behavior will rather stay inside with all the inconvenients than risk going outside. He/she needs psychiatric treatment.
2007-10-24 15:53:28 · answer #3 · answered by Dr. House 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is the abnormal fear of being in open, public spaces. It is an anxiety disorder that develops from the fear of certain settings that may present unexpected challenges or demands, such as parking lots, shopping malls, or restaurants.
Go to wikipedia.com and search for Agoraphobia. There is a lot of information that could help you in addition to the defintion.
2007-10-24 15:58:45 · answer #4 · answered by TLC♥1981 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Roughly translated from greek "Fear of the marketplace"
it is an excessive or unreasonable fear of open places and
or the crowds found in them.
2007-10-24 15:55:10 · answer #5 · answered by wise old sage 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Okay, it isn't fear of open places, it is fear of ufamiliar surroundings. Hope this helps xo
P.S. The link below will tell you everything you need to know!
2007-10-24 16:01:15 · answer #6 · answered by Blondie..x 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fear of leaving a safe place
2007-10-24 15:49:10 · answer #7 · answered by doc_holliday1863 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋