Agoraphobia can occur
with Panic Disorder or without a history of Panic Disorder. The criteria
for Agoraphobia, according to the DSM-IV-TR, (the manual used by Psychiatrists
and Psychologists), are as follows:
- Anxiety about being
in places or situations from which escape might be
difficult (or embarrassing) or in which help may not be available in
the event of having an unexpected or situational Panic Attack (or panic-like)
symptoms. Agoraphobic fears typically involve characteristic clusters
of situations that include being outside the home alone, being in a
crowd or standing in a line; being on a bridge; and traveling in a bus,
train or automobile.
- The situations
are avoided (for example, travel is restricted) or else are
endured with marked distress or with anxiety about having a Panic Attack
or panic-like symptoms, or require the presence of a companion.
- The anxiety or
phobic avoidance is not accounted for by another disorder such
as Social Phobia (for example, avoidance limited to social situations
because of fear of embarrassment), Specific Phobia (for example, avoidance
limited to a single situation like elevators), Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder (for example, avoidance of dirt in someone with an obsession
about cleanliness or contamination), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
(for example, avoidance of an event, place, person or such associated
with a sever stressor), or Separation Anxiety Disorder (for example
avoidance of leaving home or relatives).
In Layman’s
terms, Agoraphobia is fear of being outside of the home, or in a crowd
and the inability to leave the home even to do something basic like grocery
shopping without experiencing panic. Agorophobic people can, sometimes,
leave the house or go shopping only with a trusted companion.Almost all Agorophobic
individuals also have a history of Panic Disorder. Also, the Agorophobic
condition may in actuality be a Specific Phobia – which is characterized
by significant anxiety due to exposure to a specific feared object or
situation, often leading to avoidance behavior.The goal of treatment
for an Agoraphobic individual, Specific Phobia or a Panic Disorder is
to reduce fear so the person can independently and freely leave home and
be comfortable in public environments. It is important to reduce fear
of the specific stimulus object or situation that provokes immediate anxiety.
It is also important to remove panic symptoms and the fear that they will
recur without an ability to cope with and control them.
Joyce Willis, MC,
CPC© 2004 AskTheInternetTherapist.com. |
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