Agoraphobia: The Fear of the Public Places
Clari Ng
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What is agoraphobia?
Agoraphobia is a condition characterized by a complex mixture of fears, anxieties and avoidances. The syndrome has occurred throughout history. The word agoraphobia comes from the Greek and literally means 'fear of the marketplace'. More recent research indicates that people with agoraphobia have a 
fear of panic or anxiety, regardless of where they occur. The secondary fear is the fear of situations, such as crowded place, or a situation of entrapment.
The agoraphobic person usually experiences unpleasant physical symptoms of anxiety, mainly panic attacks. Some people have nervous systems which are more prone to having panic attacks. The person is inclined to worry about these attacks ad to misinterpret their significance. Common thought are, "I am going to die", or "I am going to lose control of my bowels or bladder", or " I am going mad'. Following this experience, the person starts to avoid situations which tend to be avoided are those that have an element of 'entrapment', and those that are a log way from a place of safety.
This is like a vicious circle. The initial panic attack or experience of anxiety usually comes out of the blue, but behind it there are often a number of underlying stresses. The person may be tired, or run down, or may just "have a lot on their plate".
Agoraphobia is a condition characterized by a complex mixture of fears, anxieties and avoidances. The syndrome has occurred throughout history. The word agoraphobia comes from the Greek and literally means 'fear of the marketplace'. More recent research indicates that people with agoraphobia have a
The agoraphobic person usually experiences unpleasant physical symptoms of anxiety, mainly panic attacks. Some people have nervous systems which are more prone to having panic attacks. The person is inclined to worry about these attacks ad to misinterpret their significance. Common thought are, "I am going to die", or "I am going to lose control of my bowels or bladder", or " I am going mad'. Following this experience, the person starts to avoid situations which tend to be avoided are those that have an element of 'entrapment', and those that are a log way from a place of safety.
This is like a vicious circle. The initial panic attack or experience of anxiety usually comes out of the blue, but behind it there are often a number of underlying stresses. The person may be tired, or run down, or may just "have a lot on their plate".