Agoraphobia
Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety is a Future oriented State Characterized by negative effect in which a person Focus on the Possibility of Uncontrollable danger or misfortune; in contrast, fear is present-oriented state characterized by strong escapist tendencies and a surge in the sympathetic branch of the automatic nervous system in response to current danger.
A Panic attack represents the alarm response of real fear, but there is no actual danger.
Panic attacks maybe (1) Unexpected (without warning) or (2) Expected (always occurring in a specific situation). Panic and Anxiety combine to create different anxiety and related disorders. Several disorders are grouped under the heading Anxiety Disorders.
About Agoraphobia:
Agoraphobia is a fear and avoidance of situations, people or places where it would be unsafe to have a panic attack like malls, grocery stores, buses, planes, tunnels etc. People develop agoraphobia because they never know when these symptoms might occur. In severe cases, people with agoraphobia are Unable to leave the house or even a specific room. It begins after a Panic Attack but can continue for years even if no other attacks occur. The fear, anxiety or avoidance is persistent, typically lasting for 6 months or more.
SYMPTOMS OF AGORAPHOBIA
1. Fear or Anxiety about Public transportation.
2. Fear or anxiety about open Spaces.
3. Fear or anxiety about enclosed places.
4. Fear or Anxiety about standing in line for being in a crowd.
5. Fear or anxiety about being outside the home alone.
CAUSES OF AGORAPHOBIA
Agoraphobia often develops after a person has unexpected Panic attacks (or panic like sensations), but whether agoraphobia develops and how severe it become seem to be socially and culturally determined. Agoraphobia may include stress on the job or at School, death of a loved one, divorce and positive events that are nevertheless stressful. Such as graduating from university and starting a new career, getting married or changing jobs. Early object loss and / or separation anxiety might be predispose someone to develop agoraphobia as an adult.
TREATMENT OF AGORAPHOBIA
Both Drug and Psychological Treatments have proved successful in the treatment of Agoraphobia.
MEDICATION OF AGORAPHOBIA
A large number of drugs affecting the noradrengic, serotonergic or GABA-benzodiazepine neurotransmitter systems, or some combination, seem effective in treating Agoraphobia ,
Find Treatment Program here
REFERENCE
David H. Barlow, BOSTON UNIVERSITY
V. Mark Durand, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA- ST. PETERSBERG
2. ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY: 9TH EDITION
Davision G.C., Neale, J.M. and Kring, A.M.
3. ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
Allov. L.B.: Riskind, J.H. and Manos, M.J.
4. ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY AND MODERN LIFE. NY: Harper and Collins. 2000
Carson. R.C. and Butcher. N.J.