Agoraphobia is a panic or anxiety disorder where a person gets very anxious and fearful of being in the situation where one cannot escape or difficult to escape. Such people gets an attack of anxiety or fear where they feel trapped and unable to escape. Some common situation agoraphobia involves fear of being away from home, fear of crowded places, fear of open public places, fear of being alone, etc. Agoraphobia is opposite to Claustrophobia.

What are the causes for Agoraphobia?

• The panic attacks could be due to past experiences or behaviors. Any traumatic event in past can aggravate the attack. Agoraphobia develops due to repeated exposure to anxiety events.
• It is genetic disorder and runs in the families.
• Women are commonly affected than men.
• It is commonly seen at the age of 20 to 40 years.
• A person under alcohol abuse are more likely to suffer from anxiety and panic disorders.

What are the signs and symptoms of Agoraphobia?

• Fears - Fear of being in crowded places, fear of being alone, fear of being in public places where hard to escape like elevators, etc.
• Feeling of helplessness
• Always dependent on other people for getting minor things.
• Other signs - dizziness, disorientation, increase heart beats, chest pain, nausea, diarrhea.
• Suicidal thoughts.
• These people likely to avoid the social function or circumstances where they are likely to get the panic attacks.

These signs and symptoms comes gradually over the period of time. But if it comes suddenly then consult the psychiatrist immediately because it may indicate the serious illness and needs the immediate hospital admission.

What are the complications seen in Agoraphobia?

• A person with agoraphobia can limit his social activities and avoid meeting the friends and family members.
• A person may become dependent on others for the small work.
• Agoraphobia can lead to depression and loneliness.
• A person may get involved in bad habits like alcohol and drugs abuse.
• A person can also try to self medicate and may lead to wrong or overdose of the medication.

How to diagnose Agoraphobia?

There is no specific diagnostic or blood tests for agoraphobia. If a person has medical condition along with agoraphobia then diagnostic tests for the medical conditions are required. Otherwise based on patients complete history diagnosis is made by the doctors.

There are some criteria's mentioned in DSM - Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorder. This manual is published by American Psychiatric Association and helps to diagnose the mental conditions.

What are the treatments for Agoraphobia ?

A) Psychotherapy - Various psychotherapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can be helpful to agoraphobic patients.
CBT is the combination of cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy and considered to be most effective psychotherapy to treat agoraphobia. There are several steps need to go through -

• Education and knowledge - The therapist explains the emotional, behavioral and cognitive processes involved with the anxiety, stress and fear.
• Monitor - During this step a person monitors the frequency and severity of panic attacks.
• Control of physical symptoms - During this step a person learns the stress management and relaxation techniques which helps to reduce the physical symptoms.
• Control of psychological and behavioral symptoms - During this step a person is taught how to modify the thinking process and reduce the fear and anxiety levels. It also encourages a person to lean the different skills to face the situations.

B) Homeopathic Remedies - Homeopathy is very effective for such kind of panic and anxiety disorders. Homeopathic medicines can be successfully prescribed to the agoraphobic patients however the every patients need different remedies. No same remedy will act to everyone. Hence with complete case discussion and case study a remedy is prescribed by a homeopath.
Some common homeopathic remedies are -

• Aconite - Aconite is indicated in a person when he is extremely anxious and fearful for the things around him. Due to such fear and anxiety his face becomes pale, he starts perspiring with pain in chest.
• Gelsemium - When a patient is more hysterical than phobic, gelsemium is indicated.

C) Other Treatment -
The other treatment involves the oral medications like anti-deprressants can be effective for shorter period of time. The anti-depressants are prescribed with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).