Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is often thought of as a fear of open spaces, but it's much more complex than this. Someone with agoraphobia will feel anxious about being in a place or situation where escaping may be difficult if they have a panic attack.
The fear is out of proportion to the actual situation and lasts generally six months or more and causes problems in functioning.
A person with agoraphobia experiences this fear in two or more of the following situations:
- Using public transport
- Being in open spaces
- Being in enclosed places
- Standing in line or being in a crowd
- Being outside the home alone
Avoidance behaviour is prominent and is underpinned by anticipatory anxiety. Untreated agoraphobia can become so serious that a person may be unable to leave the house for months. A person can only be diagnosed with agoraphobia if the fear is intensely upsetting, or if it significantly interferes with normal daily activities.