{"id":2666,"date":"2018-08-14T03:51:11","date_gmt":"2018-08-14T03:51:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/besthealth.guide\/?p=2666"},"modified":"2021-10-13T01:05:41","modified_gmt":"2021-10-13T01:05:41","slug":"10-hidden-truths-about-agoraphobia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/10-hidden-truths-about-agoraphobia\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Hidden Truths About Agoraphobia"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Agoraphobia is a disorder that is characterized by anxiety in situations where escape could be difficult. Situations that may cause this anxiety also include those where help is not readily available. A person who suffers from agoraphobia may fear crowded areas, wide-open spaces, bridges, and really just any place where they may feel trapped, helpless, or embarrassed.<\/p>\n

Often times, a person who suffers from agoraphobia will need another person to go with them places because it helps them feel more confident that they will not have a panic attack. Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to have someone with you every time you decide to leave your home. Some people who suffer from this anxiety order may struggle to leave their house to even go to the grocery store. Here are some of the truths about this anxiety disorder and what it means to the people who suffer from it.<\/p>\n

1. Loss of Friends<\/h3>\n

People who suffer from agoraphobia may end up locked inside their homes, afraid to leave to go anywhere. This inability to leave home can end up costing them friendships and sometimes even family members who do not understand what the person suffering from this crippling anxiety are going through. While there is treatment available for agoraphobia, those who suffer from it often find it difficult to even leave the house to go to the clinic to receive the treatment that they need. Fortunately, there are now treatment options available for agoraphobia online.<\/p>\n

This means that a person that suffers from this type of anxiety<\/a> disorder can get the treatment that they need without having to go to the clinic. If you know someone who suffers from agoraphobia it is important to support their needs by being understanding when they turn down invitations to go out and providing by providing them comfort when they feel anxious about situations. <\/p>\n

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2. How Agoraphobia Works<\/h3>\n

Agoraphobia was once thought to be a simple type of panic disorder. However, it has now been discovered that not everyone who suffers from agoraphobia also experiences the same fears as those with a panic disorder. Agoraphobia is now classified as being an anxiety disorder. The disorder may cause a person to experience a rapid heartbeat<\/a>, sweating, and simply panicking when they are out.<\/p>\n

After this, everything goes back to normal, but feelings of confusion and embarrassment take over. A person with agoraphobia may be puzzled about why these feelings of panic and confusion happened in the first place. When they go home they may choose not to go back to the place where this occurred, even if the place is somewhere that they frequently visit such as a grocery store near their home. The reasoning is that they are afraid of people laughing at them over the panic attack they had while they were there. <\/p>\n

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3. Fear<\/h3>\n

The main issue a person with agoraphobia suffers from is simply fear. When they are out in public and experience a panic attack,<\/a> they do not typically understand the cause of it. Since they do not understand what caused it they then become fearful that it will happen again. The natural reaction to this fear is to avoid people, locations, and situations that remind them of the experience.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, this fear creates a tailspin effect as the reminders create more fear. For example, if the experience occurred at the grocery store near their home, the person may avoid that grocery store for a long time. The longer that they avoid going to that store, the more fear of that particular store builds up. This can cause further panic and anxiety. The best thing to do in this type of situation is to go back to the grocery store and stop avoiding it. <\/p>\n

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4. Avoidance<\/h3>\n

When a person with agoraphobia has a bad experience, it can lead to fear as mentioned above. This fear often leads to avoidance. The previous bad experience at a grocery store may leave the person feeling anxious<\/a> going into any type of grocery store, even ones that they did not experience the panic attack in. The longer that the person lets the fear and anxiety set in over grocery shopping, the more likely they are to avoid it.<\/p>\n

Eventually, the person may stop going to any grocery store at all for fear of having another panic attack. This avoidance of the grocery store may lead to avoiding other places as well. The constant tailspin of fear may end up causing a person with agoraphobia to fear to leave their home at all. This can result in seclusion from the outside world, which is not a healthy way for anyone to live. <\/p>\n

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5. Agoraphobia Symptoms<\/h3>\n

There are several symptoms of agoraphobia that a person may experience. It is important to note that some of the symptoms of agoraphobia are the same as symptoms of heart disease<\/a> and other health issues, so it is important to get checked out by a medical professional to determine the underlying cause of the symptoms that you are experiencing.<\/p>\n

Some common symptoms associated with agoraphobia include breathing issues, a fast pounding heart rate, sweating, shaking, trembling, feeling extremely hot or extremely cold, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty swallowing, chest pain, feeling dizzy, feeling faint, and a fear of dying.<\/p>\n

All of these symptoms can be extremely scary. When a person is feeling scared after experiencing these symptoms, it can cause further anxiety. This never-ending circle of fear and panic are signatures of agoraphobia and should be discussed with your primary care physician. Your doctor will likely recommend seeing a therapist help you with these issues. <\/p>\n

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6. Causes of Agoraphobia<\/h3>\n

There is still no clear answer as to why some people develop this anxiety disorder. There does seem to be a heritable factor when it comes to agoraphobia. Most people who have relatives that suffer from anxiety disorders will have a greater chance of developing agoraphobia. Often times agoraphobia will develop after a person experiences a couple of panic attacks. However, the disorder may develop sooner if a person already has a tendency to be anxious or nervous.<\/p>\n

Caffeine<\/a> can trigger anxiety and should be avoided for those at risk for anxiety disorders. A person who has experienced traumatic or stressful life events is also more at risk for developing agoraphobia as they may become fearful of getting into an accident or coming across the person who caused them to harm such as abuse, robbing them, etc. Any number of factors including genetics may be the cause of a person developing agoraphobia. <\/p>\n

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7. Online Therapy Treatment<\/h3>\n

One of the best treatment options for a person suffering from agoraphobia is online therapy. Online therapy does not require the person to leave the house in order to get the treatment that they need. Online therapy sessions are typically done through Skype. An online psychologist<\/a> will be able to help come up with a treatment plan for the agoraphobia so that symptoms can be reduced.<\/p>\n

The therapist can provide the person with tools to use to help get through some difficult moments that may come up in the future. In addition, the therapist will tell you everything that you need to know about this anxiety disorder. This includes how to recognize situations that may become stressful and also how to recognize the beginning of a panic attack. These tools can help provide you with a way to deal with the symptoms of the disorder in a way that is healthy. <\/p>\n

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8. Medication<\/h3>\n

The most effective way to treat agoraphobia for most patients is a combination of medication and psychotherapy. There are several types of medication <\/a>that can be used in order to treat this disorder. The medication can help to alleviate the fears that a person is feeling. This makes it easier for the person to practice going out of their house and into situations that may have made them uncomfortable.<\/p>\n

Medication alone is typically not enough for a person to get rid of the anxiety disorder. Medication simply lowers anxiety levels. It does not provide the person with coping mechanisms for when they do experience a panic attack. This is where the combination of medication and psychotherapy comes into play. Learning how to cope with the panic attacks when they do come along with medication to help alleviate some of the anxiety and fears, is the best way to overcome agoraphobia.<\/p>\n

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9. Common Ages for Agoraphobia<\/h3>\n

The most common ages for people to develop agoraphobia are between 15 to 39 years. In South Africa, about 20 percent of the people who suffer from agoraphobia are between these two ages. In the year 2012, the anxiety disorder was found to be most common among 13 to 17-year-olds when compared to those who were 18 to 64 years old.<\/p>\n

This type of anxiety often will affect women more than it does men. People who suffer from agoraphobia do not necessarily have a history of panic attacks. In fact, many people who suffer from this type of anxiety do not have panic attacks. Agoraphobia can be caused by any type of trauma<\/a> and may begin at any age. While it is more common in people under the age of 39 and over the age of 15, it does happen to all age groups and to both men and women. <\/p>\n

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10. Agoraphobia and Other Mental Health Disorders<\/h3>\n

When it comes to mental health disorders, often times a person who has one type of mental health disorder will also suffer from other mental health<\/a> issues as well. One of the mental health issues that may increase a person\u2019s chance of developing agoraphobia is a major depressive disorder. A person who has been diagnosed with major depressive disorder may also develop agoraphobia.<\/p>\n

Since people who suffer from depression often do not feel like leaving their house, it makes sense that they could eventually develop a fear of going out. It is also important to note that there are many variations of anxiety. Some people may experience severe anxiety in certain public situations and not in others. Some people with agoraphobia are perfectly fine in a small group or going to the grocery store, but may not be able to go to the woods. Through medications and therapy, it is possible to live with these types of disorders.<\/p>\n\r\n

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