Some disorders are dealt with by other people as something hideous and not something requiring attention and help. What we don’t know is that once left unaided, these people afflicted will only be put to a more serious and helpless situation. Let’s discuss one common disorder that may or may affect someone you know – Agoraphobia.

Agoraphobia came from Greek words aγορά meaning “marketplace”; and φόβος/φοβία/phobia meaning “fear”. It is an anxiety disorder, often precipitated by the fear of having a panic attack in a setting from which there is no easy means of escape. Agoraphobia is a condition where the sufferer becomes anxious in environments that are unfamiliar or where he or she perceives that they have little control. As a result, sufferers of agoraphobia avoid public and/or unfamiliar places, especially large, open spaces such as the shopping malls or airports where there are few ‘places to hide’. In severe cases, the sufferer may become confined to his or her home, experiencing difficulty traveling from this “safe place.”

The causes of agoraphobia are currently unknown. It is linked however to the following:

* Presence of other anxiety disorders; anxiety and depression can also result from agoraphobia due to the fact that it severely limits your association with other people, while limiting your daily activities.
* A stressful environment or substance abuse
* Chronic use of tranquilizers and sleeping pills such as benzodiazepines
* The anxiety is often compounded by a fear of social embarrassment, as the agoraphobic fears the onset of a panic attack and appearing distraught in public.

According to researches, more women than men are affected by this anxiety disorder. It occurs about twice as commonly among women as it does in men. Although results have not yet produced a single clear explanation as to the gender difference in agoraphobia, theories include the following idea:

* Women are more likely to seek help and therefore be diagnosed
* Men are more likely to abuse alcohol as a reaction to anxiety and be diagnosed as an alcoholic
* Traditional female sex roles encourage women to react to anxiety by engaging in dependent and helpless behaviors.

Common symptoms of Agoraphobia:

* Panic attacks
* Fear of being in the middle of a crowd
* Fear of being left alone, especially in public
* Overdependence on trusted persons
* Fear from going into closed places like an elevator
* Feelings of helplessness
* Symptoms commonly associated with panic attacks such as sweating and flushing, breathing difficulties, fast heart rate

Agoraphobia can be successfully treated in many cases through a very slow but sure process of graduated exposure therapy combined with cognitive therapy and sometimes anti-anxiety or antidepressant medications. However, not all would seek medical attention since they would think it is embarrassing.

For starters, here are some of the things that can be done without risking embarrassment:

* Write down the symptoms you are experiencing
* Write down any life changing events you have experienced, anything that could have caused significant stress.
* List down any physical and mental health conditions you have been diagnosed before
* If consulting a physician ask a trusted family member to be present. This way, you get the support you need as well as another person to remember information you might have missed or forgotten.
* Write down questions you want to ask so you can make the most of your appointments.

Consulting a doctor or an expert helps. Agoraphobia seriously affects your ability to socialize with other people, routine activities, or even your job. The quality of your life and then lives of your loved ones, like your family or your partner would also be affected. Truly, agoraphobia is a serious medical condition.