Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia Defined
What is panic disorder and agoraphobia and how do they affect someone? For most, everyday life stressors don’t usually result in anxiety and associated panic attacks. We tend to deal with job changes and relocating, pregnancy and childbirth, death and sickness fairly well. Emotional stressors for panic attack sufferers, whether in the remote past or recent events, are handled in a completely different manner. Because of this varying time table of events that exacerbate panic attack symptoms, a specific medical cause has not been established. One major link in the cause of panic attacks however, is the association of extended periods of stressful situations. We aren’t talking about a week or two. This can go back several months or even years.
In addition, the probability of experiencing a panic attack in these patients increases even with what most would consider daily life stressors like additional job duties at work or the piling up of household chores. Instead of going on with business as usual, the panic-prone person might see this as a life altering event, thus becoming a catalyst for a panic attack.
Panic Disorder Defined
Often times a panic attack seems to come from nowhere with no foreseen exacerbating factor. The fact is, they can happen to any person at any given point in time. The vast majority of people will experience at least one occurrence of panic in their lifetime, if not more. Then there are the few that suffer from a panic disorder wherein they endure repeated episodes of panic traced to a remote traumatic experience, present life stressors or even something totally different.
The panic attack itself usually is short, but the effects are all too often long-term and devastating. Enhanced emotional stress and pronounced fear of the next attack coincide with panic disorder. This fear is debilitating and eventually causes self-doubt and low self-image issues. These negative aspects then spill over into every day life and activities of daily living. The discerning cause relating to panic attacks and panic disorder may vary from patient to patient, but all of them head down a dark road to the following symptoms:
- Fear of the next attack – The sufferer simply can’t relax never knowing when the next big attack is going to hit. There is an immeasurable amount of anxiety and tension in the meantime.
- Situational avoidance – Certain situations and environments may be thought to cause an attack, therefore the patient is definitely going to steer clear. Another instance is when a sufferer would completely avoid any situation or location where emergency help is unobtainable.
Agoraphobia Defined
The most common definition for agoraphobia is a fear of public places or big, open spaces. Literal interpretation is “fear of the marketplace” and it is thought to be a direct result of panic disorder and panic attacks. Symptoms differ from patient to patient, but a common factor is being in public or being alone. Sounds a lot like situational avoidance listed above right? The main difference is agoraphobia patient’s are severely limited in their daily activities. Even stepping outside the house can sometimes cause terrible anxiety. There are agoraphobia natural treatments available so you do not need to suffer this disorder without a little help.
Those afflicted with panic disorder generally lead normal lives and stay pretty active with special attention given to those limited activities thought to be a precipitating factor for panic. On the flip side of the coin, an agoraphobic limits many activities due to fearful thoughts that ultimately control their lives.
With either condition both are resultant of panic attacks. For both knowing your limits and what causes panic can greatly reduce recurrence and worsening. It is recommended to seek the advice of a qualified medical professional at the first notion of a panic attack.
What is Agoraphobia?
There are many different anxiety disorders a person could develop. These disorders are usually characterized by intense anxiety leading to panic attacks. Under the terms of anxiety disorders fall the category of phobias, which as intense and irrational fears that lead to panic. Agoraphobia is one such fear a person could have, and it is the most commonly treated phobia in mental health. It may not be the most common, but its symptoms are severe enough that treatment is almost always necessary.
Agoraphobia is the fear of leaving your home or safe area and venturing into the outside world. It is also found in combination with other phobias or obsessive-compulsive disorder. People suffering from agoraphobia usually have panic attacks when they feel unsafe, and these unsafe feelings include when the person is trapped, out of control, or too far from a personal comfort zone. Many people suffering from agoraphobia are confined to their homes or even to a specific room in their home.
Agoraphobia Fears
There are many misconceptions surrounding people with agoraphobia. First of all, agoraphobia is not a fear of open spaces, nor is it a fear of crowded spaces. While these conditions may exist within a person as well, agoraphobia is specifically a fear of being too far from a normal area, regardless of the crowd. Many people welcome visitors into their home, even if they themselves do not leave. Agoraphobics usually simply need to be in complete control of a situation.
Agoraphobia can affect any person, regardless of gender, age, religion, race, ethnicity, or economic status. The disorder is about twice as common among women than among men, however. The conditions usually begins with generalized panic attacks or slight phobias, and develops into a more and more serious condition.
Treatments For Agoraphobia
Thankfully, agoraphobia treatment is available. A gradual process of exposure is usually recommended, along with anxiety medication. There are agoraphobia natural treatments available too. Anti-depressants can also be used. Some therapists will make house calls to help patients with agoraphobia, and alternative treatments like hypnosis are becoming more and more popular in the medical world as a treatment for agoraphobia and other depression and anxiety conditions.
A number of famous people have suffered from agoraphobia in the past, including celebrity chef Paula Dean, actress Kim Basinger, director Woody Allen, and Nobel laureate for literature Elfriede Jelinek. The key here, however, is to realize that there is hope. If you suffer from this phobia, agoraphobia treatments are there for you.
