What is it Like to Be Agoraphobic?
Agora comes from the Greek word for marketplace, and phobia means fear, therefore, agoraphobia had to originally mean fear of the marketplace. In many cases agoraphobia still means just that: a fear of public places such as a shopping center or marketplace or any such location. However, today’s definition has a much more expanded meaning that also includes a fear of any sort of open space, public or otherwise. The symptoms of agoraphobia are most unpleasant and debilitating.
Agoraphobia, depression and anxiety disorder tend to go hand in hand. Anxiety disorder is the tendency toward panic attacks and long periods of anticipatory anxiety. Such a tendency over a period of time can develop into agoraphobia, because one often feels most vulnerable to panic attacks (and sometimes depression) when away from home, isolated from various “safe” places (comfort zones) and/or “safe” people such as a parent, spouse, sibling, or trusted friend. Therefore, what tends to happen is the victim develops the avoidance symptoms that define agoraphobia such as the avoidance of all the places and situations associated with increased levels of panic and anxiety. One can often end up being quite stuck in one place and quite dependent on others for anything to do with going outside the home or getting from place to place.
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