Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is a fear of open space and large concentrations of people, usually backed up by social embarrassment. Initially, the term was introduced to refer to fear of a market area. "Agora" in translation from Greek means the market. A person suffering from agoraphobia experiences severe anxiety and wants to flee the scene, but it is difficult or embarrassing to do so.

Feeling of fear or panic appears in a crowd of people, on a deserted street, in a shopping center, in a room with an open door or window. In the mind imprinted the idea that the street is a dangerous place. Agoraphobia manifests itself in the fear of moving alone outside the comfort zone (own dwelling), but when accompanied by a fellow traveler, the agoraphob feels well and confidently.

A type of agoraphobia is a fear of public speaking. Fear of failure, shame, the ability to do anything wrong and not like other people has a social coloring. It is believed that a person is particularly vulnerable to phobias in large metropolitan areas.

Agoraphobia makes a person vulnerable when he is at a distance from a group of people when he can be viewed from either side. Such a phobia can lead to reclusion within the walls of your own home and unwillingness to leave it. Such people may even be afraid to meet the eyes of others.

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Causes of agoraphobia

In some patients, the onset of agoraphobia may be preceded by a feeling of severe anxiety (for example, a person found himself in a store where a fire broke out, while the doors were narrow), but this is rare. Psychoanalytic theories say that a certain benefit for the patient can be learned by adapting it (towards meeting) to some symptoms of agoraphobia: for example, a person who subconsciously fears marriage (marriage), one should not meet with the possible admirers (admirers) of his bride (groom).

The causes of agoraphobia are divided according to the type of blockage: 

• physical; 
• emotional; 
• mental.

On the physical plane, it was found that most of the people with agoraphobia suffer from hypoglycemia (a morbid condition that occurs when the blood glucose level drops).

Blocks of emotional character are determined by strong fears, anxieties, premonitions of catastrophes that never happen. There are agoraphobes, which were strongly attached to the mother, completely depended on it, and now consider themselves in charge of her happiness. There is enough to correct the relationship with the mother, and the problem disappears.

Mental level includes fear of death and madness. Everyone knows that most of the fears of childhood. Often, the child remained alone with his fear, did not dare to talk about it. Agoraphob could face the death or insanity of a loved one in childhood. Growing up, even the changes he began to associate with death, which causes a violent reaction in the form of panic. In the unconscious zone are hidden: the fear of moving, the transition from adulthood to adulthood, marriage bonds, pregnancy, the birth of a baby, a change of place of work, etc. At the limit of the emotional and mental level, all these fears rush out.

A distinctive feature of people suffering from agoraphobia is a rich, uncontrollable imagination. Such mental activity is perceived by the agoraphob itself as madness. It is necessary to understand and be aware of its own hypersensitivity, to control its manifestations.

The causes of agoraphobia development may appear as a result of mental or physical factors. Stress, a strong emotional response in this or that life situation unequivocally increase the risk of agoraphobia.

Agoraphobia also appears due to prolonged use of hypnotics, tranquilizers belonging to the class of psychoactive substances, the so-called benzodiazepines.

Among the possible causes of agoraphobia development are also: 

• excessive consumption of alcohol; 
• hobby for narcotic substances; 
• traumatization of the psyche in childhood; 
• the transferred stressful situations - loss of relatives, a strong disease, dismissal from work, war, earthquake, etc .; 
• mental illness (depression, eating disorders).

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Symptoms of agoraphobia

Agoraphobia, physical symptoms are rare, as most people with this phobia prefer to avoid situations that provoke panic. Physical symptoms include: 

• acceleration of the heartbeat; 
• hyperventilation (breathing accelerates, becomes superficial); 
• heat, blush; 
• gastric disorders; 
• swallowing problems; 
• changes in sweating; 
• a feeling of nausea; 
• sensation of trembling; 
• dizziness, pre-occlusive condition; 
• ringing or noise in the ears.

Agoraphobia, symptoms of psychological manifestation: 

• fear that others will see your attack of fear (a sense of embarrassment, humiliation in this regard); 
• experiences about possible cardiac arrest, lack of air, sudden death; 
• fear will be lost; 
• lack of self-confidence, low self-esteem; 
• loss of control; 
• depressive state; 
• incessant sense of fear, groundless anxiety; 
• fear of being alone with oneself; 
• the emergence of confidence that without support itself it will be impossible to survive and carry out vital activity.

Agoraphobia, behavioral symptoms: 

• exclusion of circumstances that provoke an attack of fear (from avoiding a trip in a crowded car to utterly refuse to leave the dwelling); 
• a sense of confidence in accompanying someone; 
• reception of "dope" before leaving home - alcohol, pills; 
• escape from a stressful place in your "shell".

Treatment of agoraphobia

Treatment of agoraphobia depends on its variety - in the presence of panic disorder or without it. Apply mental therapy or complex effects - medication with psychotherapy.

Treatment with tranquilizers and antidepressants is prescribed for patients with panic symptoms. Sometimes, it is necessary to select the most suitable drug in several stages, therefore therapy should be under the supervision of a doctor. Antidepressants belonging to the group of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have a number of side effects: headache, insomnia, sexual disorders, nausea.

It is possible to treat agoraphobia with tricyclic antidepressants, but the list of negative consequences from their use is much wider.

Benzodiazepines (alprazolam, clonazepam) are used to relieve anxiety, but they are addictive and also have a number of side effects in the form of confusion of thoughts, drowsiness, loss of memory and balance.

How to treat agoraphobia with psychotherapy?

The specialists in the arsenal have many techniques, including hypnosis and cognitive-behavioral techniques.

Identify the subconscious causes of agoraphobia became possible in the treatment of hypnosis. Agoraphobia is eradicated in the deep layers of consciousness. This technique is applicable for anxiety disorders with the complete exception of panic conditions and attacks of fear, neutralization of discomfort situations.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is applied in stages. First, the patient realizes what his agoraphobia is and learns to control the panic attack. The therapist explains the causes that cause uncomfortable situations, which aggravates the problem. There is a substitution of negative perception for a favorable, relaxing.

Secondly, the specialist corrects unhealthy behavior by desensitization (gradual increase in stress factors). The patient in practice applies his knowledge, which allows him to defeat the frightening situation.

How to get rid of agoraphobia?

There may be effective behavioral therapy, provided, of course, that the patient wants to change. MAO inhibitors may also be useful).

How to get rid of agoraphobia yourself? The following recommendations can help you: 

• relax, listen to calm music, close your eyes and imagine how you cross the threshold of the house. Do not force events even mentally. At first it will be sufficient to cross the threshold. Increase the distance gradually, watch for the feelings that you visit (with the slightest discomfort, go back). Initially, increase the residence time, only then increase the distance. After achieving positive and lasting results, go to the action; 
• determine what keeps you in the house. Find your "anchor point". It can be a door handle, some corner of the room. When the place is found, you will feel a sense of peace and security. The dimensions of the "anchor points" should not be more than 1 cm. With your eyes closed, with complete relaxation, move your comfort point to another part of the apartment. If the experiment is successful, you will feel good in the new zone. Do this exercise so many times until you are sure that it is you who create your comfort zone.

Agoraphobia causes muscle spasms throughout the body, which is fraught with the contraction of blood vessels, bronchi, pressure on the diaphragm, stomach, intestines. A prolonged spasm disrupts the functioning of the circulatory system, hypertension, migraine develops. For example, the appearance of gastritis can be purely psychological in nature and develop due to spasmodic conditions during a panic attack. Agoraphobia can cause irreparable damage to mental and physical health, so it's necessary to seek help at a time.