The fear of not being able to escape: understanding agoraphobia

What do psychologists mean when we talk about agoraphobia?

We actually use this word to describe a type of anxiety through which the person avoids places and circumstances because he fears that he cannot escape themAs she believes that she can feel ashamed in these situations, be unprotected or suffer from very unpleasant anxiety symptoms.

For these people, the fact of thinking that they cannot flee generates a lot of anguish, so many Sometimes they need to be accompanied by people they trust and who can help them get out of those situations.

On the other hand, it usually happens to them that if they are with people with whom they do not have that confidence, their discomfort intensifies for fear of having to explain how they are feeling, that their discomfort will be noticed, or of doing the ridiculous.

• Related article: "Types of Phobias: Exploring Fear Disorders"

How does agoraphobia start to develop?

Each person can refer different things; However, one of the most common forms of onset is that agoraphobia begins when typical sensations of strong anxiety in situations that do not pose a danger or a high objective risk (although in many cases, they do not know what are). These sensations are usually

dizziness, nausea or tachycardia that the person associates with a specific place and where they have the feeling of having to flee. He wants to leave that place.

The typical thoughts of "I have to run away", "I'm going to faint" or "I'm going to get out of control and I'm going to do something crazy ”, which in turn, generates more anguish because they are believed by the person, who notices they have to leave that place when before.

After that, the person wants to prevent those feelings from happening again And to do this, he stops going to those places where he has felt this way, inadvertently restricting the places that are part of his comfort zone.

With the passage of time, the problem becomes general and the person ends up limiting the places where they are safe. even ending up locked in her own home, being the only place where you feel safe.

It may also happen that the person does not feel safe in their own home if they are alone, for fear that something will happen to them: they will faint or something else will happen and there is no one to help them.

• You may be interested in: "Types of Anxiety Disorders and their characteristics"

The feeling of "can't"

In many cases, the person who suffers from this has the feeling of having lost confidence in one himself by not being able to do the things that were usually done and he sees that everyone continues doing.

In the end it is a loop in which the person enters little by little, on many occasions, later manifesting other mood symptoms, which come to meet criteria of the depression in many cases and that also complicate the treatment.

• Related article: "What is fear for?"

Where does it usually happen?

Algans typical circumstances in which the symptoms of agoraphobia manifest are:

• Among crowds, crowds where you fear attracting everyone's attention or make a fool of yourself if the person faints.
• In queues, restaurants and places where you have to stay for a certain time and from which you do not have the possibility of escaping if you feel unwell and need to leave.
• In places very far from home, where returning is more difficult if you feel unwell.
• In cars, in case the journey lengthens, for fear of getting dizzy and that something happens to you while driving.

And in any place or circumstance in which they do not feel that they can leave if the discomfort appears.

What if it is not treated?

Agoraphobia needs treatment carried out by specialized professionals. Letting too long go without going to therapy can lead to the person seeing his life very disabled, reaching in the worst cases to be totally isolated at home.

That is to say, the person can see her comfort zone more and more restricted, becoming more and more limited and feeling that she cannot cope with everyday situations.

• Related article: "What is anxiety: how to recognize it and what to do"

Difficulties in therapy

Online therapy is a great alternative for these people, since they can begin to have the first guides and tools in a more accessible way, obtaining an efficiency exactly the same as in person. In many cases, the problem is that the person does not feel prepared or cannot attend a consultation.

One of the difficulties that people who are doing therapy and have agoraphobia comment most often is that they have to continually face anxious situations, which supposes a considerable effort of energy that leaves the patient exhausted. person. Calibrating well the effort that the patient is going to make is important, since it really is one of the keys to therapy.

On the other hand, it is a mistake not to understand the objectives of the therapeutic prescriptions. It is important for the person to understand what he is doing each thing for.

Finally, it is also important that the person feels covered, since many times from the environment they do not receive that understanding, since others do not really understand what you are living and suffering inside, which in the end produces more anguish, pressure and feelings of loneliness.

What is behind the symptom?

Although many people think that it is very important to go to the origin, really work in therapy begins with the present. We first treat the symptom, that is, the manifestation of anxiety that we are suffering at the present time.

We want to reduce symptoms and provide the person with the necessary tools to be able to manage those moments of great discomfort.

Nevertheless, behind the symptom there is more work to do. Generally, there are deeper feelings of helplessness and abandonment that will have to be investigated when treatment is more advanced and the person's symptoms are more muted.

From our psychology consultation we treat this type of problem with special care, attending to all those who need it, both online and in person in Valencia.