Agoraphobia

"The word "agoraphobia" is an English adaptation of the Greek words agora (αγορά) and phobos (φόβος), and literally translates to "a fear of the marketplace."

Agoraphobia is a condition where the sufferer becomes anxious in environments that are unfamiliar or where he or she perceives that they have little control. Triggers for this anxiety may include crowds, wide open spaces or traveling, even short distances. This anxiety is often compounded by a fear of social embarrassment, as the agoraphobic fears the onset of a panic attack and appearing distraught in public.^[1]

Agoraphobics may experience panic attacks in situations where they feel trapped, insecure, out of control or too far from their personal comfort zone. In severe cases, an agoraphobic may be confined to his or her home. ^[2] Many people with agoraphobia are comfortable seeing visitors in a defined space they feel they can control. Such people may live for years without leaving their homes, while happily seeing visitors in and working from their personal safety zones. If the agoraphobic leaves his or her safety zone, they may experience a panic attack.

Causes and contributing factors

There are a number of factors that contribute to the development of agoraphobia. These factors include:^[7]

• Family factors:
  • Having an anxious parent role model.
  • Being abused as a child.
  • Having an overly critical parent.

• Personality factors:
  • High need for approval.
  • High need for control.
  • Oversensitivity to emotional stimuli.

• Biological factors:
  • Oversensitivity to hormone changes.
  • Oversensitivity to physical stimuli.
  • High amounts of sodium lactate in the bloodstream."
    

Source: Wikipedia