The term agoraphobia is developed from the Greek words agora and phobos which means panic in the market place. People suffering from this kind of disease become extremely tensed in an unfamiliar situation or in a situation where they feel that they have little or no control over the situation in which they are in. In addition to the open place an individual suffering from agoraphobia also panics while traveling in crowd or while traveling long or short distance. This disease is also accompanied by the fear of embarrassment in public.
Agoraphobia Symptoms
Like most of the other diseases this disease is also accompanied by several symptoms by which one can guess whether or not the individual is suffering from Agoraphobia. The symptoms of this disease include entering alone into public places, the fear of traveling without any company, or the fear of leaving home. When an individual is suffering from this disease they often feel exposed and weak.
Another strange and common symptom of this disease is the fear while crossing the bridge. This is known as gephyrophobia. In this situation the patient generally undergoes a mental trauma and anxiety in which they believe that once they are on the bridge there will be no other way to escape from that situation.
However the extent of panic differs from one individual to another. In less severe cases the patient dares to get out of their house for work but in severe cases the individual remains confined to their homes.
In some cases people suffering from Agoraphobia are apprehensive of making any news acquaintances or interacting with strangers. The most distinguishing feature of this symptom is panic which becomes more evident in the people suffering from this disorder if the environment exceeds their safety level.
Agoraphobia Types
There are several types of agoraphobia resulting from depression, anxiety and depersonalization. The most common type of this disease is panic attack. The symptoms of this attack includes palpitation, headache, nausea, chest pain, shaking, tingling and sweating. Another common type of this disease is Social phobia. In this type of disease the people encounter excessive fear while interacting in a social environment thinking that the interaction will be embarrassing and insufficient.
Causes of Agoraphobia
There are various reasons and factors responsible for the onset of this disease. The prime one is the family factor which includes being abused in the childhood, having anxious and critical parents. The second prime factor is the personality which includes oversensitivity and high need for control. Apart from that there are also other biological factors that might trigger this disease.
Agoraphobia Treatments
The only way to overcome this unusual fear is treatment of this disease. Without any proper treatment Agoraphobia can completely ruin the personal life of the individual. For people suffering from agoraphobia proper counseling is a must. Apart from that there are various effective medications by which one can return to their normal life. The medicines that are available in the recent days are based on the chemical compound which acts on serotonin in brain.
A very useful form of therapy for this behavioral disorder is called cognitive behavioral therapy. Through this people can understand their own problem and learn dealing with this problem. Yet another type of effective medication is psycho therapy and group therapy. This therapy includes talking and sharing the experience and feelings of the patient and helping them to overcome their phobia.
Advices
The family members should take great care of the patient suffering from this disease and should always keep an eye on them as in some cases they have the tendency to leave their home and commit suicide. It should be ensured that any person suffering from such an ailment be given proper counseling and necessary measures be taken to protect them from all sort of harm.
