INFORMATION ON AGORAPHOBIA

Agoraphobia may be defined as a mental disorderness in which a person feels fear of being in that places where help might not be available such as bridges, or of being outside alone and even fear of crowds.

Subjects with this disorder may become house bound for years, which is likely to hurt their social and interpersonal relationships.

CAUSES OF AGORAPHOBIA

The various factors which are responsible for the development of agoraphobia are:-

1. Embarrassment.
2. Traumatic experience.
3. Unexpected panic attack.
4. Alcoholism.
5. Angina Pectoris.
6. Anxiety Disorders.
7. Depression.
8. Hyperparathyroidism.
9. Hyperthyroidism.
10. Hypoglycemia.
11. Hypothyroidism.

SYMPTOMS OF AGORAPHOBIA

1. Fear of being alone
2. Fear of losing control in a public place
3. Fear of being in places where escape might be difficult
4. Becoming house bound for prolonged periods
5. Feelings of detachment or estrangement from others
6. Feelings of helplessness
7. Dependence upon others
8. Feeling that the body is unreal
9. Feeling that the environment is unreal
10. Lightheadedness
11. Dizziness
12. Excessive sweating
13. Breathing difficulty
14. Chest pain
15. Heartbeat sensations
16. Nausea and vomiting
17. Abdominal distress that occurs when upset
18. Confused or disordered thoughts

DIAGNOSIS OF AGORAPHOBIA

In order to diagnose agoraphobia following test should be conduct:-

1. Medical history of subject.
2. Test for any drug abuse.
3. CT scan of head.
4. MRI.
5. ECG.

TREATMENT OF AGORAPHOBIA

The main aim of treatment of agoraphobia is to help the subject to function effectively. The result of treatment generally depends upon the severity of the phobia.

Anti-anxiety and anti-depressive medications are often used to help relieve the symptoms associated with phobias.

Systematic desensitization technique can be used to treat phobias. Graded real-life exposure has also been used with success to help people overcome their fears.