How to recognize the symptoms of agoraphobia?

agoraphobia it is a disorder that has not always been well understood. It is an anxiety disorder that affects between 5 and 7% of people worldwide.

It is usually understood as the fear of being in open spaces or in crowds, but this defines to a little extent what this disorder really is.

Next we are going to know what exactly agoraphobia is, how it manifests itself and what symptoms it causes in the affected people.

• Related article: "The 7 types of anxiety (characteristics, causes and symptoms)"

What really is agoraphobia?

Agoraphobia is a class of phobia that generates anxiety and panic. affected people experience incapacitating fear and anxiety when in public places that are difficult to escape from, or where help is hard to find. Generally, this anxiety disorder is associated with public places (hence the term agora, which means square in Latin), but it does not necessarily occur in these open places, but can also occur in private contexts, at home or even when alone.

Although it can appear in any age range, agoraphobia usually arises in late adolescence or young adulthood, before the age of 34. It is more common in women than in men, in the same way as most anxiety-related disorders.

Symptoms of agoraphobia that should put you on alert

Among the most frequent symptoms of agoraphobia we find fear and panic. If you know someone who shows these types of symptoms in the situations that we will describe below, it is possible that they suffer from this anxiety disorder:

• Leaving the house alone, much more common in women.
• Fear and panic to the crowds.
• Closed spaces, such as elevators, museums, bars or restaurants.
• Open spaces such as bridges, train stations, squares or airports.
• Social situations such as parties, dances, birthdays or meetings.

The vast majority of people who suffer from agoraphobia have nothing more than symptoms associated with intense fear or panic in the aforementioned situations. However, there are certain situations that combine both physical and psychological symptoms, among which we can find:

In most cases where some of the symptoms of agoraphobia occur, there will not be any other serious symptoms, simply the fear of performing that action. But there are sometimes a series of symptoms, both physical and psychological, where we can find the following:

• chest pressure
• Diarrhea
• Accelerated breathing
• excessive sweating
• Nausea
• tremors
• Dizziness and vertigo
• Feeling of loss of control
• Insecurity and low self-esteem
• dependence on others
• Feeling of loneliness and unreality
• fear of death
• fear of losing control
• Tachycardia, palpitations

People who suffer from this anxiety disorder feel overwhelmed when they experience one of these situations, and they have the unpleasant feeling of not being able to control that irrational and disproportionate fear and anxiety, compared to the low level of real danger that these situations. For this reason, in moderate and severe cases it is necessary to go to a specialist in psychology and anxiety so that they can effectively diagnose and treat the root of the problem.

This disorder is also related to suffering from panic disorders. This type of disorder is defined by experiencing attacks of irrational terror that trigger a series of very intense and unpleasant physical symptoms.

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

Causes of agoraphobia

As with most psychological disorders, the reason why agoraphobia arises is not known for sure. The causes can be very varied and will depend on a multitude of factors in each individual. These causes may be characterized by high dependency, low self-esteem or assertiveness, anxiety, or compulsive approval seeking

Through different variables of the individual and their environment, the subject will develop agoraphobia or not. Sometimes agoraphobia can arise after experiencing a traumatic situation.

How to overcome agoraphobia?

Although it is a disorder that tends to get worse if we do nothing, the truth is that if we notice that we have these symptoms, we can remedy it by going to a specialist. Psychological therapy will provide you with tools and knowledge that will help you gradually rid yourself of bad feelings.

One of the most effective strategies if we suffer from agoraphobia is not to avoid or avoid situations in which we feel fear. The more we face these situations, the more we will 'train' our mind and become aware that we are not in real danger. If it is too difficult, put yourself in expert hands and, with the help of a family member or friend, go to a psychologist who can work with you.

If you do experience unpleasant panic attacks, you should seek treatment as soon as possible.. The sooner you get professional help, the sooner you will prevent the symptoms from getting worse. Anxiety, like many other mental disorders, can be more difficult to treat if we let time pass and let the problem become chronic.