Literal translation for the Latin is Fear of The Market Place.

Agoraphobia is a Psychological condition that can manifest at anytime in life, although it is usually occurs in the 20's and is suffered by Women more than Men. It is characterised mainly by the sufferer avoiding crowds and public places. In some cases sufferers also fear open spaces.

People will often start to restrict their activities to a smaller and smaller area, eventually leading to a situation where even the leaving the home will cause a Panic Attack. Depression is another symptom.

Below are some more common symptoms that people may suffer from, although I personally have not experienced all of the below.


People have reported that when they first experience Panic Attacks associated with Agoraphobia they feel as thought they are having a heart attack and are about to die, such is the severity of the anxiety.

Treatment

The goal of treatment is to help the phobic personfunction effectively. The success of treatment usually depends upon the severity of the phobia. Systematic desensitization is a behavioural technique used to treat phobias. It is based upon having the person relax, then imagine the components of the phobia, working from the least fearful to the most fearful. Graded real-life exposure has also been used with success to help people overcome their fears. Antianxiety and antidepressive medications are sometimes used to help relieve the symptoms associated with phobias. Dependency on the medication is a possible side effect of this treatment.

Complications

Agoraphobia may cause problems with work and social life. Also, if suffered from in the teenage years, schooling may be affected. Recovery is possible, although strong willpower is needed to overcome the initial fears. The hardest part of recovery is to come to terms with the fact that something is wrong, and that if left untreated, will seriously hamper you ability to function in life.

Additional information from www.healthanswers.com