Home Anxiety Agoraphobia: Information, Symptoms, Treatment and More

Agoraphobia: Information, Symptoms, Treatment and More

Modified date: February 12, 2025

Agoraphobia is a common phobia that is a sub-type of Anxiety. Agoraphobia describes the fear of being in a situation where escape might be difficult, and often involves panic attacks.

While the majority of phobias are relatively mild and result in little disruption to life, Agoraphobia is an example of a complex phobia. An individual with Agoraphobia will normally try and avoid public locations, meaning even leaving their home can be difficult.

The phobia is also linked to Social Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder. When a patient receives support and effective treatment, full remission from symptoms should follow.

What are the symptoms of Agoraphobia?

The symptoms of Agoraphobia can range from individual to individual. Furthermore, the severity of Agoraphobia differs.

For instance, someone with mild Agoraphobia may be able to leave their house and travel a short distance, but severe cases of Agoraphobia may lead to an individual not being able to leave their house at all without distress.

Symptoms are generally split into three areas: physical, psychological and behavioural. Physical symptoms occur when an individual finds themselves in a position that causes anxiety. Psychological symptoms are the thoughts and feelings that coincide with the physical symptoms. The behavioural symptoms are the reactions in behaviour to the symptoms.

Physical:

Rapid heartbeat
Fast breathing
Nausea
Chest pain
Excessive sweating
Dizziness
Faintness

Psychological:

Fearing there would be no escape route if a panic attack took place
Worrying about what others would think of them if they have a panic attack
Believing there is a chance they will die if they have a panic attack
Thinking that people may look at them

Behavioural:

Avoidance of situations that involve a clear escape route.
Not wanting to leave the house
Difficulty in maintaining or forming relationships
Not going anywhere alone, always wanting someone with them.

These feelings may typically arise when someone is in a shopping mall, public transport, or even purely anywhere which is an unfamiliar environment.

If an individual does encounter a panic attack, they will experience an intense and overwhelming rush of both mental and physical symptoms.

Panic attacks don’t often have a root cause, and can start suddenly. A panic attack is a distressing experience to go through, and will normally last between 5 and 15 minutes, though they can last longer. Symptoms include, but aren’t limited to:

Feeling faint
Pounding heartbeat
Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Excessive sweating or shaking
Dizziness
Nausea
Hot flushes
Numbness
Stomach churning or stomach ache

What are the causes of Agoraphobia?

There are some speculated causes of Agoraphobia – although no exact conclusion has been drawn on the topic. It is very possible that many factors are involved in the onset of the condition.

Agoraphobia is caused in the majority of cases due to a complication with Panic Disorder.

A certain experience can lead to Agoraphobia developing. For instance, an individual who has Panic Disorder may panic about locations where there is no discernible way of escaping – linking to Agoraphobia.

Panic Disorder may be linked to Genetics, past trauma and substance abuse. Similar areas are believed to be involved with Agoraphobia – with substance abuse particularly a risk factor [1].

Agoraphobia can also develop as a complication of either Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder or Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.

So as seen, there are a range of possible causes of Agoraphobia. It may be a case of several of the above factors accumulating to trigger the condition.

Diagnosis of Agoraphobia

An individual should look to book an appointment with a doctor or mental health professional if they are suffering from the symptoms of Agoraphobia.

Agoraphobia can cause significant distress for an individual, therefore it is important for them to seek help. At an appointment, a doctor will ask the individual a range of questions.

The questions will focus on the symptoms, when they first appeared, possible causes, if there is a family history of mental illness, if there are certain places or situations the individual looks to avoid, or if they find it stressful to leave their residence.

For Agoraphobia to be diagnosed, an individual should generally satisfy the following criteria:

Individual is overly-anxious about being in a situation or location where an escape route is difficult to identify or see
The individual will feel at risk of a panic attack in such locations
The individual always tries to avoid these situations.
When impossible to avoid such a situation, the person struggles to endure the event.
The symptoms aren’t better suited to a different mental health condition.

How is Agoraphobia treated?

Treatment is available for Agoraphobia. Through a variety of interventions, including small changes and talking therapy, it is possible for a full recovery to be made.

At the very least, a patient should see a reduction in their symptoms and their intensity. Possible treatment for Agoraphobia includes:

Self-help

Some anxiety-based conditions improve with self-help measures. These can include getting more sleep, avoiding alcohol, and engaging in regular exercise. Meditation or mindfulness have also helped some people.

Talking Therapy

The normal treatment for agoraphobia is a form of talking therapy. Therapy can help an individual understand their thoughts and behaviour more, and can help to develop healthier coping mechanisms. Possible types of therapy that can help include:

Exposure Therapy: Exposure Therapy – also known as Desensitisation – is commonly used for cases that involve either traumas or phobias. This type of therapy involves an individual being gradually exposed to their fear/trauma. A therapist can help set up a program for this. Over time, the individual will gradually become accustomed to their problem – though this takes time. The eventual aim is to overcome the problem. Relaxation methods may also be taught as part of this therapy.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): CBT is a type of therapy that is used to treat a range of mental health conditions. CBT involves an individual talking face-to-face with a therapist, although sometimes CBT can be conducted in a group setting. CBT attempts to improve an individual’s wellbeing and mood. The therapy focuses on the link between thoughts, feelings and actions. This can be useful for those with low self-esteem, anxiety, unhelpful personality traits or intrusive thoughts. CBT can help an individual understand their feelings more, and in the long run should lead to an improvement in quality of life.

While the above are normally the go-to therapy types for agoraphobia, there are many other types of talking therapies that exist. Therapy can help in many ways. We have more information available on our Therapy section.

Medication

In cases of Agoraphobia that are severe, it is possible that antidepressants may be prescribed. If an individual is in a crisis, a benzodiazepine should provide more immediate relief.

Antidepressants: Antidepressants can help to improve and regulate mood. They should improve motivation and restore energy. SSRI Antidepressants are the most commonly prescribed. They act on the brain chemical serotonin – which is thought to help in regulating mood and emotion. They may include side-effects such as a dry mouth, sexual problems and nausea, though these should hopefully be short-term. Other classes of antidepressants are available in the event of an inadequate reaction.

Benzodiazepines: Benzodiazepines are fast-acting sedatives, which can relax an individual and improve their mood. Any anxiety should fade rapidly upon consumption. The individual should therefore have an improved level of functioning. Benzodiazepines cannot be taken for more than a few weeks, due to acute risk of both physical and psychological dependence.

Summary

Agoraphobia is a difficult condition to live with. But treatment is available, and should lead to symptoms being controlled more.

The aim will always be full recovery. But seeking help is the starting point for this. If you need additional support, there is plenty of information on our website to assist you.