What is agoraphobia?
Many people think that agoraphobia means a fear of public places and open spaces. But this is just part of it. If you have agoraphobia you tend to have a number of fears of various places and situations. So, for example, you may have a fear of:
- entering shops, crowds, and public places.
- travelling in trains, buses, or planes.
- being on a bridge.
- being in a lift.
- being in a cinema, restaurant, etc where there is no easy exit.
- being anywhere far from your home.
But they all stem from one underlying fear. That is, a fear of being in a place where help will not be available, or where you feel it may be difficult to escape to a safe place (usually to your home).
When you are in a feared place you become very anxious and distressed, and have an intense desire to get out. The anxiety usually causes physical symptoms such as: a fast heart rate, palpitations, shaking (tremor), sweating, dry mouth, feeling sick, chest pain, headaches, stomach pains, a 'knot in the stomach', fast breathing. You may even have a panic attack. Even thinking about going to such places can make you anxious. To avoid this anxiety, you tend to avoid feared places.
The severity of agoraphobia can vary greatly. Some people with agoraphobia can cope quite well outside their home by sticking to familiar areas and routines. Some people with agoraphobia can go out from their home and travel on buses, trains, etc, without getting anxious if they go with a friend or family member. There may be times when you have good spells where you 'cope' better than at other times.
However, to prevent anxiety many people with agoraphobia stay inside their home for most or all of the time. But, by avoiding the feared situations this can often cause the fear to grow stronger and the problem may get worse. So, agoraphobia can be disabling and greatly affect your life.
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