Agoraphobia Essay

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The term agoraphobia comes from the mid-1800’s by a german psychiatrist, Karl Westphal. It was in 1873 that he started writing a journal dedicated to a few patients experiencing similar symptoms. Literally, agoraphobia is defined as a fear of squares or open places. Westphal chose the terminology from the Greek root “agora” meaning open space. He explicated that this disease made people experience anxiety episodes when in public places, rather than in the safety of their homes. Certain circumstances that pushed anxiety attacks include buses, crowded rooms, or open streets.
Westphal’s journal sparked a sort of agoraphobia revolution in America. There was a newly found vigor in the medical community for psychiatry and agoraphobia was …show more content…

Healthline summated the most common fears associated with agoraphobia with fear of spending time alone, being in crowded places, open spaces, and places where escape would be hard , (ie. elevators), patients show fear of losing control in public places and death. Agoraphobia is a very debilitating mental condition because of the large array of anxieties it makes the patient feel. Healthline describes that a patient with agoraphobia would feel detachment, helplessness, agitation, loss of control, and a feeling that nothing is real all on a daily basis. The most common symptoms of agoraphobia are panic attacks. People with agoraphobia experience the physical symptoms of panic attacks routinely sometimes. Patients complain of panic attacks giving them the sensation of chest pains, vertigo, racing heart rate, shortness of breath, sweating for no reason, trembling, nausea, diarrhea, flushing, chills and choking.
Those dealing with agoraphobia tend to depend on others and stay indoors, usually secluded for very long periods of time. Strangely, the patients fear that the mental disease will bring on a panic attack, in which case they start their own panic attack, because of this they arise unpredictable and typically in situations that the patient tries to avoid. In short, it is a vicious circle and Overcoming (Understanding panic...) states that it is because of perpetuating factors. There are certain influences that keep the panic process going and even make it worse and more

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