Agoraphobia Symptoms

In my last post I talked about how important it is to be able to identify agoraphobia early so it doesn't have as long to take root in you. For anyone who thinks they may have agoraphobia, here are the major symptoms to help you know for sure:

1) Panic attacks

Most (but not all) people with agoraphobia experience frequent panic attacks. A panic attack is period of intense fear, usually lasting about ten minutes or so (but sometimes longer), in which you have at least four of the following symptoms:

palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate
sweating
trembling or shaking
sensations of shortness of breath or smothering
feeling of choking
chest pain or discomfort
nausea or abdominal distress
feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint
feelings of unreality or being detached from oneself
fear of losing control or going crazy
fear of dying
numbness or tingling sensations
chills or hot flashes

It should probably go without saying that panic attacks are a torturous emotional and physical experience, and most people who have a panic attack even once will go to any length to avoid having another one.

2) Avoidance behavior

In general, people with agoraphobia avoid places and situations that are hard to escape from or that might be embarrassing to have to suddenly leave. Most commonly, this is because they fear having a panic attack or unexpected catastrophe and not being able to get help or get away. In other words, people with agoraphobia avoid situations in which they are likely to feel trapped or stuck.

Examples of situations avoided by most people with agoraphobia are being outside or away from home by themselves, being in crowds, sitting in a middle row in a theater, standing in lines, being on a bridge, driving a car (especially in heavy traffic), or taking public transportation like buses and planes. In sum, people with agoraphobia are likely to avoid getting caught in a situation that escape would not be easy, immediate and unnoticed.

In many cases, people with agoraphobia avoid any place that is outside of a certain radius around their own home, unless it is a “safe” place or they are with a “safe” person (see below). Because of the dire need to avoid unsafe places and the possibility of a dreaded panic attack, people with agoraphobia are masters at making up excuses to explain their behavior.

3) Developing “Safe” People

People with agoraphobia tend to develop “safe” people. “Safe” people are people with whom the agoraphobic is highly familiar with and feels emotionally close to. “Safe” people are usually parents, spouses, children, or close friends and relatives. With a “safe” person, the agoraphobic can travel further away from home or enter feared places and situations. In other words, the presence of a “safe” person makes otherwise unsafe places and situations feel safe for someone with agoraphobia.

People with agoraphobia will typically explain feeling safer with a “safe” person by saying that they feel like someone would be there if they had a panic attack or emergency. The agoraphobic, however, is usually aware that the “safe” person does not possess any abnormal powers to stop a panic attack or save them from other perceived dangers. “Safe” people offer the agoraphobic a source of psychological comfort rather than any real safety.

4) Developing "Safe" Places

Just as people with agoraphobia develop “safe” people, they also develop safe places. "Safe" places are places in which the agoraphobic feels psychologically comfortable. The most common "safe" place for someone with agoraphobia is his or her own home. Other common “safe” places are the homes of “safe” people, therapists’ offices, and other established retreats where the agoraphobic normally feels comfortable going.

There is no set amount of safe territory common to agoraphobia. Some people with agoraphobia are able to establish more safe places than others. While some may feel safe in a number of locations away from their home, others are confined solely to their homes, even others to certain rooms in their homes, and in extreme cases confined to their beds.

If these symptoms describe you - then keep reading. I will be back to post more on how I recovered.