Irrational Fears: Agoraphobia

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Agoraphobia
According to Klasco (2011), psychological disorders "are abnormalities of the mind that result in persistent behavior patterns" that can have an impact on daily tasks and life in general. There are many different groups of psychological disorders, one of those being anxiety disorders, which King (2013) states features "motor tension, hyperactivity, and apprehensive expectations and thoughts" (p. 448). There are also many subgroups of anxiety disorders, including phobic disorders, in which agoraphobia is included in. Agoraphobia is considered a panic disorder because its’ ability to limit people from doing their daily activities.
Agoraphobia can be divided into two word parts: agora, a Greek term meaning “marketplace” and phobia, meaning “the fear of something” (Miller, 2011). It is the fear of being in a communal or open place (Miller, 2011). When people have agoraphobia, they often evade situations that may cause them to panic, such as crowded places, leaving a common place, being unaccompanied, or being confined or humiliated (“Agoraphobia,” 2011; “Agoraphobia,” 2014). People often become imprisoned in their own home because they do not feel safe in public places or crowded places, such as malls, planes, sporting events, elevators, or public transportation (“Agoraphobia,” 2011). Initiating treatment can be difficult because it means facing the fear, but a combination of therapy and medicine can reduce the symptoms substantially (“Agoraphobia,” 2011; Miller, 2011).
Agoraphobia, like many phobias, is often unreported because of the phobia limiting the person (“Agoraphobia,” 2014). Panic disorder often occurs with agoraphobia, creating a barrier in recording the frequency of agoraphobia (“Agoraphobia,” 2014). ...

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...bia is a disorder that can greatly limit daily activities and interactions of someone who has it. Symptoms can be painful and dangerous if left untreated. Luckily, agoraphobia can be treated with correct diagnosis and medical care, but unfortunately agoraphobia often goes undiagnosed.

References
Agoraphobia. (2011, April 21). Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/agoraphobia/basics/definition/con-20029996
Agoraphobia. (2014, February 4). Retrieved from http://www.medicinenet.com/agoraphobia/article.htm
King, L. A. (2013). Experience psychology (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Klasco, R. (Ed.). (2011, May 2). Psychological disorders. Retrieved from http://www.healthgrades.com/procedures/psychological-disorders
Miller, M. C. (2011, May). What is agoraphobia. Ask the doctor, 27(11), 8. Retrieved from http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/

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