Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is a panic fear of open spaces.
Initially, this term meant the fear of the market, the market square (usually the largest square in the city), constantly crowded with people. In the modern world, agoraphobia in a person leaving his home or apartment can be caused by:
- Public places (shops, markets, cinemas, shopping centers);
- Traveling by public transport (especially the metro);
- Places for holding public events (rallies, actions, meetings);
- Places for outdoor recreation (parks, forest parks, open water bodies).
In fact, agoraphobia is not a fear of the open space itself or a crowd of people, but the fear of getting into a situation in which nothing depends on you, of feeling the absolute helplessness and hopelessness of your situation. Not only is the direct presence in such places frightening, but even the very thought of the possibility of being in such a situation causes an attack of panic.
Agoraphobia most often begins between the ages of 20-30. According to statistics, women twice as many men are susceptible to this mental disorder.
You should be aware that agoraphobia does not affect the intellectual abilities and physical health of a person in his normal state.
Causes of agoraphobia
The specific causes of agoraphobia are almost impossible to determine. Scientists who have been studying this problem for many years cannot come to a consensus. But there are a number of factors that can trigger the manifestation of agoraphobia:
- Any difficult psychological situation in which a person finds himself outside the home (drunken brawl, car accident, terrorist act) forms a false stereotype that being outside the house is life-threatening;
- Various psychological personality disorders such as social phobia, panic attacks, panic disorder;
- Problems with orientation in space, when in a crowd or in an open place a person loses orientation and begins to experience fear;
- Rich and uncontrollable imagination, increased emotionality, social vulnerability.
It is believed that a combination of physical and psychological factors can cause agoraphobia.
Agoraphobia symptoms
Emotional stress arising from attacks of uncontrollable fear immediately affects the work of internal organs, provoking a spasm of blood vessels, muscles of the body, diaphragm, intestines, stomach and bronchi. In order to supply blood to the tightly compressed body, the heart needs to increase the number of contractions. This is why fear or anxiety is accompanied by a rapid heartbeat. Accordingly, the following main symptoms of agoraphobia are distinguished:
- Uncontrolled panic lasting 10 minutes or more;
- Heart palpitations, breathing, pulse;
- Loss of control over your own actions;
- Excessive sweating, uncontrolled tremors;
- A sharp rush of adrenaline into the blood;
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
- Dizziness, ringing in the ears, lightheadedness;
- Unmotivated fear of death.
Treatment of agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is treated with two main methods, mainly used in combination:
- Special drugs (tranquilizers and antidepressants);
- Certain types of psychotherapy (including hypnosis).
Having turned in time for help from a qualified specialist, you need to be patient and follow all his recommendations exactly. The healing process is quite long, but the result obtained is worth the time spent on it.
If agoraphobia is left untreated, the risk of developing anxiety disorders, depression, drug addiction, or alcoholism is greatly increased.
Agoraphobia is a serious psychological problem in modern society. A generation of children growing up behind monitors of computers, laptops, tablets is growing up. For them, the familiar safe world is on the other side of the screen, and outside the windows of the apartment the world is incomprehensible, aggressive and hostile. Preference is given to contactless communication via Skype, social networks, chats and ICQ. Food, clothing, household appliances can be ordered through online stores with home delivery. More and more people are choosing to work from home via the Internet. All of this minimizes the need to go outside the home and can be a serious prerequisite for the development of mass agoraphobia in the future.
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The information is generalized and provided for informational purposes only. At the first sign of illness, see your doctor. Self-medication is hazardous to health!
