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CareNotes System - Agoraphobia (General Information)
Agoraphobia
GENERAL INFORMATION:
What is it? Agoraphobia (uh-gor-uh-fo-b-uh) is a fear of being in an open and crowded place where it may be hard to safely escape. It is a kind of anxiety (ang-zi-ih-t) disorder. People with agoraphobia are called agoraphobic (uh-gor-uh-fo-bik). Agoraphobia usually starts between 25 to 35 years old. It is more common in women. It can be treated with medicine and therapy.
- With agoraphobia, you may have a great fear of leaving home or of being alone. You may fear being in public places. You may worry that you will not be able to get somewhere safe. Worrying may keep you from doing normal activities. You may be scared of crowds, theaters and malls. Driving in tunnels, highway driving, or being on a bridge may also make you frightened. You may be afraid of flying in an airplane or riding in an elevator.
- You may avoid the places and situations that scare you. You may want to stay away from situations so "bad" things will not happen. You may feel depressed and upset with yourself because you have these fears. You may become "trapped" in your home because you are afraid to leave. Being with someone else you trust when you are afraid may help you feel safe. To decrease your fears, you may drink too much alcohol or overuse medicines.
- Most people with agoraphobia also have panic attacks. A panic attack is when you get very anxious suddenly for no obvious reason. You may worry about losing control. You may fear having a heart attack or fainting. You may be afraid of having breathing problems, embarrassing yourself, and even dying. You may worry about when and where your next panic attack will happen. You may be afraid to go places where leaving is difficult and embarrassing. You may stay away from places where you think a panic attack might happen.
Causes: It is not known what causes agoraphobia. Many agoraphobics were very fearful and nervous as children. Agoraphobia may run in some families. This means that if one of your parents have it, then you may also have it.
Signs and Symptoms: Symptoms may be mild to severe. You may have any of the following signs and symptoms if you are in a situation that causes you fear.
- Breathing problems.
- Chest pain.
- Dizziness.
- Fast heartbeat.
- Feeling out of control.
- Feelings of great fear.
- Sweating hands.
- Shaking.
- Vomiting (throwing up).
Care: Your caregiver may suggest one or more of the following treatments. Ask your caregiver for more information about these therapies.
- Biofeedback teaches your body to respond in a different way to stress.
- Cognitive Therapy helps make you aware of how you see things.
- Exposure/Desensitization Therapy helps you face your fears in a safe setting a little at a time. Your caregivers will be with you to support and help you.
- Hypnosis teaches you to change your level of awareness.
- Insight Oriented Therapy teaches you how to understand your feelings and behavior based on what happened to you in the past.
- Medicine.
- Meditation (meh-duh-ta-shun) teaches you to focus your attention on something other than feelings of fear.
- Relaxation (ree-laks-a-shun) teaches you to focus your attention on something other than panic feelings.
Coping: Accepting that you have agoraphobia is hard. You and those close to you may feel angry, sad, or frightened. These are normal feelings. Talk to your caregivers, family, and friends about your feelings. Write down questions you have about agoraphobia and how it is treated. Ask them during your next visit to the caregiver.
- Ask your health care provider if they know about books that you can read. Reading about your illness might help you better understand it.
- You may also want to join a support group. This is a group of people who also have agoraphobia. Ask your caregiver for the names and numbers of support groups in your town. You can also call or write one of the following national organizations for more information.
- Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA)
8730 Georgia Avenue, Suite 600
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Phone: 1-240-485-1001
Web Address: http://www.adaa.org
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Public Information & Communication Branch
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 8184, MSC 9663
Bethesda, MD 20892-9663
Phone: 1-301-443-4513
Phone: 1-866-615-6464
Web Address: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/
CARE AGREEMENT:
You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.
Copyright © 2008 Thomson Healthcare Inc. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.
The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.
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