What is the best definition of agoraphobia?

Overview. Agoraphobia (ag-uh-ruh-FOE-be-uh) is a type of anxiety disorder in which you fear and avoid places or situations that might cause you to panic and make you feel trapped, helpless or embarrassed.

What actually causes agoraphobia?

What causes agoraphobia? Agoraphobia usually develops as a complication of panic disorder, an anxiety disorder involving panic attacks and moments of intense fear. It can arise by associating panic attacks with the places or situations where they occurred and then avoiding them.

What is it called when you never leave the house?

About agoraphobia Agoraphobia is a type of anxiety disorder. A person with agoraphobia is afraid to leave environments they know or consider to be safe. In severe cases, a person with agoraphobia considers their home to be the only safe environment. They may avoid leaving their home for days, months or even years.

What does a person with agoraphobia look like?

3 Agoraphobia involves a severe fear of being in certain situations and having panic attacks or other similar panic-like symptoms, such as fainting, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, vomiting, or experiencing a migraine headache.

What is the difference between social anxiety and agoraphobia?

The difference between social anxiety and agoraphobia is that a person with agoraphobia fears having anxiety attacks or losing control in specific situations, while a person with social anxiety worries about being judged or feeling embarrassed in social situations.

Can PTSD cause agoraphobia?

The hyper vigilance of a person diagnosed with PTSD is much like the state of anxiety one feels fearing the effects of yet another panic attack. In both cases, severe anxiety can force the person into avoidance as a means of survival. Both disorders can create “agoraphobia.”

Is claustrophobia the same as agoraphobia?

Claustrophobia is a type of agoraphobia. People with agoraphobia are worried by situations where there’s no easy way to escape or get help if they become very anxious. Other types of agoraphobia involve a fear of public transport, of open spaces, of crowds and of being outside alone.

Is agoraphobia the same as social anxiety?