Agoraphobia is known, in psychology, an anxiety disorder that consists of having phobia of open or public spaces, such as squares, streets or avenues, in which agglomerations of people can occur.
Etymologically, the word is formed from the Greek roots ἀγορά (agorá), which means ‘public square’, and -phobia , which means ‘aversion’, ‘rejection’.
Who suffers from agoraphobia, avoids situations that cause anxiety, such as leaving home, using public transport, shopping, doing sports, traveling or simply being in public places for fear of suffering an anxiety crisis, fainting, suffering a heart attack, losing self-control, etc., and that no one can come to your aid.
In this sense, agoraphobia, which manifests as an anxiety crisis, is related to panic disorder, in fact, sometimes both can occur at the same time and interact. However, it is important to note that it is a psychological disorder that can be treated and cured.
Causes of agoraphobia
Generally, agoraphobia is related to some traumatic experience in the person’s past, such as episodes in which he has suffered high levels of panic or stress, episodes of physical violence or sexual abuse.
Agoraphobia, then, is created as a defense mechanism to prevent the individual from being in similar situations, which only causes the problem to persist.
Symptoms of agoraphobia
Agoraphobia symptoms may appear spontaneously as a result of anxiety situations. Some of them are: tachycardia, heat, suffocation, sweating, choking, shortness of breath, hyperventilation, nausea, dizziness, vertigo, chest tightness, fatigue, difficulty swallowing, annoying sensations in the stomach, blurred vision, feeling of seeing lights, punctures, cramps, numbness, tension, weakness in the legs, loss of sensation, paleness, desire to evacuate.
Agoraphobia treatment
For agoraphobia, a cognitive behavioral treatment is recommended, which consists of making a complete and rational study about the origin of anxiety, how it arises and affects the patient’s life, what its components are and how it manifests, and what threats, according to The person protects him.
In the next phase, the patient begins to be exposed, gradually, to situations that usually cause anxiety, so that he can begin to control them. It is a treatment with an important range of success.
