DEFINITION
A phobia is an excessive fear on the object, situation, or
particular situation. While agoraphobia (agoraphobia) is a type of anxiety
disorder in which the sufferer will avoid situations that might cause a panic.
Agoraphobia is a fear of public places and also places -
open spaces, people with agoraphobia often feel unsafe in public places,
especially in the middle of the crowd. Examples of agoraphobia for instance as
a person as much as possible avoiding crowded places like malls and theaters
and also avoid vehicles such as aircraft, subway, and transportation, and an
agoraphobia only feel safe when at home.
They feel pelu accompanied when going to public places. Fear
can be so strong that there are people with agoraphobia who did not dare leave
the house.
CAUSE
Agoraphobia usually appeared in the late teens or early 20s,
but other ages may also suffer from this phobia.
Some risk factors associated with agoraphobia include:
·
Having a panic disorder, have a tendency to feel
nervous or anxious.
·
Women (agoraphobia is more common in women than
men).
·
Experiencing stressful life events and
depression, such as drug abuse, death of a parent or assault, including sexual
or physical abuse during childhood.
·
Have family members who also suffer from agoraphobia.
SYMPTOMS
Agoraphobia symptoms include:
·
Fear of being alone in any situation
·
Fear of being in crowded places
·
Fear of losing control in a public place
·
Fear of being in places where it may be
difficult to get out, such as elevators or trains
·
Inability to leave the house for a long time
·
Sense of helplessness
·
Dependence on others
·
A sense that the body is unreal
Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder where you
experience excessive fear attacks suddenly and reaches its peak in a few
minutes and sparked intense physical symptoms (panic attacks). People who
suffer from panic attacks feel completely losing control, having a heart attack
or even dying.
The following symptoms - symptoms of panic attacks, namely:
·
Dizzy
·
Difficulty breathing
·
Excessive sweating
·
Rapid heart rate
·
Nausea
·
Abdominal pain or diarrhea
·
Chest pain
·
Feeling lost control
·
Difficulty swallowing
Further Agoraphobia can cause:
·
Depression
·
Other mental health disorders, including phobias
and other anxiety disorders
·
Alcoholism or drug abuse to try to overcome the
fear, guilt, despair, isolation and loneliness
DIAGNOSIS
A person can only be diagnosed with agoraphobia, if the
conditions meet the criteria specified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) published by the American Psychiatric Association.
The diagnostic criteria for agoraphobia include fear or
great anxiety to the following situations:
·
Using public transportation, such as bus or
plane
·
Being in open spaces, such as parking lots,
bridges or large mall
·
Being in a confined space, such as theaters,
meeting rooms or small shop
·
Queuing or being in a crowd
·
Located just outside the home alone
This situation causes anxiety because people fear it will
not be able to escape or seek help if she experienced symptoms such as panic or
other embarrassing symptoms.
In addition, the diagnostic criteria for agoraphobia
include:
·
Fear or anxiety that is almost always the case
because of a situation
·
Avoiding certain situations, require an escort
when traveling out of the house, or if you have to face it alone often show a
sense of great stress
·
Fear or anxiety that does not correspond to the
actual danger posed by a situation
·
Significant distress or problems with social
situations, work or other aspects of life caused by fear, anxiety or avoidance
· Persistent phobia phobia and avoidance, usually
lasting six months or more
TREATMENT
Agoraphobia Treatment usually includes psychotherapy and
medication. This treatment may take a long time, but it can help patients
become better.
Psychotherapy
Also known as speech therapy or psychological counseling,
psychotherapy conducted by therapists to reduce symptoms of anxiety sufferers.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most effective forms of
psychotherapy for anxiety disorders, including agoraphobia.
Treatment
Antidepressants and anti-anxiety drug is a drug commonly
used to treat agoraphobia and panic symptoms that often accompany agoraphobia.
·
Antidepressants. Certain antidepressants called
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as paroxetine (Paxil,
Pexeva) and fluoxetine (Prozac), used for the treatment of panic disorder with
agoraphobia.
·
Anti-anxiety / anti-anxiety, also called
benzodiazepines, anti-anxiety drugs have sedative / drowsiness, in limited
circumstances, the doctor may prescribe medication to relieve the symptoms of
anxiety. Drugs in this category are used for the treatment of panic disorder
with agoraphobia include alprazolam (Niravam, Xanax) and clonazepam.
Benzodiazepines are usually used only to relieve acute anxiety in the short
term, because it can lead to dependence, these drugs are not a good choice if
the patient has a problem with alcohol or drugs.
When patients start and stop taking antidepressants,
patients will experience side effects that looked like a panic attack. For this
reason, your doctor will increase the dose during treatment gradually and
slowly lower the dose when it is considered ready to stop taking the drug.
PREVENTION
There is no sure way to prevent agoraphobia. However, anxiety
tends to be increased if the sufferer to avoid situations that frighten her.
If you start to have mild fears while in certain places, try
to train yourself to go to these places before your fear becomes overwhelming.
If it is too difficult to do alone, ask a family member or friend to accompany,
or seek professional help.
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