Recognizing Agoraphobia Symptoms and Proper Treatment
Agoraphobia is the fear of not having a way out or help when something dangerous happens. This fear can make a person feel trapped, helpless, and unsalvageable when in public spaces, crowded situations, or even public spaces.
People with agoraphobia tend to avoid traveling to public spaces or crowded places, such as shopping centers, cinemas, markets, or public transportation. They feel the need to be accompanied by the closest people when they are in public spaces so they can feel more comfortable.
Symptoms of Agoraphobia
Until now, the cause of agoraphobia is still not known with certainty. It is possible that this is genetic. However, a person with a history of repeated panic attacks is more prone to experience agoraphobia
Although rare, agoraphobia can also occur in people who do not have a history of panic attacks. Symptoms of agoraphobia are divided into 3, namely physical, behavioral, and cognitive symptoms.
The physical symptoms of agoraphobia resemble panic attacks. It is characterized by the following conditions:
– Body shaking and sweating
– Heart pounding and beating faster
– Difficult to breathe
– Chest pain
– Body feels cold or hot
– Nausea or diarrhea
– Dizzy until you feel almost faint
– Difficulty swallowing
– Ears ringing
– Feelings of fear of death
Symptoms of agoraphobia behavior can be seen when a person has a tendency to avoid crowded places, such as school cafeterias, markets, or even queues. Another behavior characteristic of agoraphobia is not being able to leave the house for months.
Even if they want to leave the house, they usually have to be accompanied by someone they believe can “save” them. This is because they fear that they cannot be saved when they are away from home.
Cognitive symptoms of agoraphobia can be a fear of the fear itself and the effects of the physical symptoms it may experience. Cognitive symptoms are characterized by a number of fears in the form of:
– Fear of being looked at by others, feeling stupid, and embarrassed in front of people during a panic attack.
– Fear of not being able to escape the situation or place when having a panic attack.
– Fear of losing sanity and a clear mindset when interacting with other people.
– Fear of sudden loss of life due to difficulty breathing and palpitations during a panic attack.