What is Agoraphobia?
By Stephen Price
Most people have heard of most phobias. Mention claustrophobia, social phobia, or arachnophobia and everyone pretty much knows what you are talking about. Mention agoraphobia, and most people will just shake their heads.
Because of this, many people who get agoraphobia often take a year, and in some cases, many years, just finding out what is wrong with them. Since the panic and anxiety symptoms that come with agoraphobia are so physical, people who get agoraphobia commonly visit a succession of doctors trying in search of a diagnosis. Since medical doctors are not usually trained to diagnose agoraphobia, let alone anxiety disorders, agoraphobia has had time to become deeply rooted in most people before they know enough about the disorder to seek the proper treatment and being recovery.
In light of this, here are some basics about agoraphobia:
Agoraphobia is "anxiety about, or avoidance of, places or situations from which escape might be difficult (or embarrassing) or in which help may not be available in the event of having a panic attack or panic-like symptoms.” (DSM-IV)
Agoraphobia is a type of anxiety disorder. The term “agoraphobia” comes from the Greek words agora (αγορά), meaning “marketplace,” and phobia (φόβος), meaning “fear.” Literally translated as “fear of the marketplace,” people with agoraphobia are afraid of open or public spaces.
In reality, most people with agoraphobia are not so much afraid of open and public places as they are afraid of having a panic attack in these settings, especially settings in which there may be no one to help in the case of a panic attack or actual emergency.
The most common symptoms of agoraphobia are:
1) Panic Attacks: Periods of intense fear, usually lasting about ten minutes or so (but sometimes longer).
2) Avoidance Behavior: Avoiding places and situations that are hard to escape from or that might be embarrassing to have to suddenly leave. Most commonly, this is because they fear having a panic attack or unexpected catastrophe and not being able to get help or get away.
3) Developing "Safe" People: People with whom the agoraphobic is highly familiar with and feels emotionally close to. “Safe” people are usually parents, spouses, children, or close friends and relatives.
4) Developing "Safe" Places: Places in which the agoraphobic feels psychologically comfortable. The most common safe place for someone with agoraphobia is his or her own home.
5) Scanning: Obsessive monitoring of one's own body for strange or unusual symptoms.
6) Fear of being alone: This is related to the fear of having no one to help in the case of a panic attack or real emergency.
If you suspect that you or someone you know might have agoraphobia, don’t waste any time in learning about the disorder. Research has shown that the sooner you start the recovery process the more likely your chances of a successful recovery are.
You can learn more about recovery online at www.agoraphobia.ws the Agoraphobia Resource Center website. The site was started by a recovered agoraphobic with the intention of helping others learn about and recover from agoraphobia.
Stephen Price is a recovered agoraphobic. Since his recovery, he has devoted himself to the study of agoraphobia and to helping others overcome the disorder. Since his recovery, Stephen has earned masters degrees in psychology and counseling and has published original research on anxiety.
Contact:
Stephen Price
Agoraphobia Resource Center
http://www.agoraphobia.ws
559-322-6898
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephen_Price
http://EzineArticles.com/?What-is-Agoraphobia?&id=190592
>
Showing posts with label anxiety disorder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label anxiety disorder. Show all posts
Monday, November 10, 2008
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Overcome Agoraphobia - article 2
Overcome Agoraphobia
By Peter Nagy
Many of us have heard of mental disorders, and most of us think that only certain people become afflicted with these conditions. However this is simply not the case. Mental disorders include panic attacks, anxiety disorders and social anxieties as well. These attacks can range from mild discomfort to debilitating agoraphobia and this is a condition that can strike anyone.
Your life is going along the normal path that you've set out when suddenly without any warning terror has you in its grip. You feel weak and helpless. Your heart's pounding and you have trouble breathing. You may even wonder if you're having a heart attack or if you're about to die. When you finally go to see a doctor, you might even be told there's nothing physically wrong with you.
So when you next suffer from an attack you wonder what's wrong with you. You find that certain situations will bring on these frightening attacks and this will be your first clue that you're experiencing a panic attack. Panic attacks are not physical conditions, and that is why your doctor might have had trouble diagnosing your complaint.
So, what is agoraphobia you might ask? This is a condition where an individual doesn't wish to go places or face situations where they could become exposed to panic attacks. The very word agoraphobia itself lets us know the nature of this debilitating condition. 'Agora' comes from the Greek language and it means places where people meet, or a marketplace. 'Phobia' is a fear of something. Thus we can understand that people who suffer from agoraphobia have a fear of being in crowded places.
Agoraphobia is a condition that develops gradually. In general it occurs after a panic attack. After the first attack you may subconsciously be preparing for another attack and fearing the symptoms that will leave you feeling helpless. This cycle of panic attack and impending panic attack can cause you to change your entire lifestyle just to avoid those feelings of terror. As panic attacks can occur anywhere at anytime, we generally associate the first place that we feel helpless as perhaps the reason for our terror.
An agoraphobia sufferer will go out of their way to avoid those places and situations where a panic attack may occur. They may even end up being housebound as they avoid being in crowded places. This unhealthy lifestyle can in itself trigger agoraphobic attacks to occur in everyday normal situations. The increased heart rate may also cause a panic attack because you may think that you're having a heart attack.
As you can see this is a vicious and extremely debilitating mental condition. For sufferers of panic attacks they should seek the medical aid of doctors who specialize in these mental disorders and receive treatment before their panic attacks spiral into agoraphobia where they may end up being restricted in their lifestyle due to their ever increasing fear of being helpless in the face of a panic attack.
Peter Nagy was able to beat his anxiety and now dedicates much of his time researching alternative/natural ways to be healthy.
To learn more about agoraphobia and anxiety disorder visit: --->Overcoming Agoraphobia<---
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Nagy
http://EzineArticles.com/?Overcome-Agoraphobia&id=337326
By Peter Nagy
Many of us have heard of mental disorders, and most of us think that only certain people become afflicted with these conditions. However this is simply not the case. Mental disorders include panic attacks, anxiety disorders and social anxieties as well. These attacks can range from mild discomfort to debilitating agoraphobia and this is a condition that can strike anyone.
Your life is going along the normal path that you've set out when suddenly without any warning terror has you in its grip. You feel weak and helpless. Your heart's pounding and you have trouble breathing. You may even wonder if you're having a heart attack or if you're about to die. When you finally go to see a doctor, you might even be told there's nothing physically wrong with you.
So when you next suffer from an attack you wonder what's wrong with you. You find that certain situations will bring on these frightening attacks and this will be your first clue that you're experiencing a panic attack. Panic attacks are not physical conditions, and that is why your doctor might have had trouble diagnosing your complaint.
So, what is agoraphobia you might ask? This is a condition where an individual doesn't wish to go places or face situations where they could become exposed to panic attacks. The very word agoraphobia itself lets us know the nature of this debilitating condition. 'Agora' comes from the Greek language and it means places where people meet, or a marketplace. 'Phobia' is a fear of something. Thus we can understand that people who suffer from agoraphobia have a fear of being in crowded places.
Agoraphobia is a condition that develops gradually. In general it occurs after a panic attack. After the first attack you may subconsciously be preparing for another attack and fearing the symptoms that will leave you feeling helpless. This cycle of panic attack and impending panic attack can cause you to change your entire lifestyle just to avoid those feelings of terror. As panic attacks can occur anywhere at anytime, we generally associate the first place that we feel helpless as perhaps the reason for our terror.
An agoraphobia sufferer will go out of their way to avoid those places and situations where a panic attack may occur. They may even end up being housebound as they avoid being in crowded places. This unhealthy lifestyle can in itself trigger agoraphobic attacks to occur in everyday normal situations. The increased heart rate may also cause a panic attack because you may think that you're having a heart attack.
As you can see this is a vicious and extremely debilitating mental condition. For sufferers of panic attacks they should seek the medical aid of doctors who specialize in these mental disorders and receive treatment before their panic attacks spiral into agoraphobia where they may end up being restricted in their lifestyle due to their ever increasing fear of being helpless in the face of a panic attack.
Peter Nagy was able to beat his anxiety and now dedicates much of his time researching alternative/natural ways to be healthy.
To learn more about agoraphobia and anxiety disorder visit: --->Overcoming Agoraphobia<---
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Nagy
http://EzineArticles.com/?Overcome-Agoraphobia&id=337326
Overcome Agoraphobia - article 1
How To Overcome Agoraphobia - The Disease And Its Nature
By Jeanette Pollock
We hear of mental disorders yet calm ourselves by believing that it will not affect us. Panic attacks, social anxieties and anxiety problems are also forms of mental disorders. These problems can vary from being slight irritations to the unbearable agoraphobia. This is a state that can affect anyone. Hence, how to overcome agoraphobia is our primary concern.
Your life's daily routine is suddenly disrupted by a certain terror mechanism that clings to you. Your heartbeat increases, you suffer from breathing problems, you feel absolutely feeble and powerless. Its probably a heart attack or maybe I am dying- this is what crosses your mind. Your doctor will probably tell you that you are perfectly fine physically and there is actually nothing wrong with your physical system.
Thus these attacks will leave you extremely perturbed. You will notice that these alarming and scary attacks will be associated with particular incidents - this is when you will realize that you are going through a panic attack. Doctors usually fail to diagnose a panic attack immediately as they are do not affect the physical systems.
If a person keeps away from places or chooses not to confront situations that will instigate the panic attacks, the state is known as agoraphobia. The root of the word explains its nature- 'Agora" is a Greek word meaning a meeting place for people maybe a marketplace, and 'phobia' refers to a fear of something. Hence it says that agoraphobia is a condition when people suffering from it fear being in congested places.
This development occurs gradually and usually begins after a panic attack. Maybe subconsciously you will begin assimilating yourself for the next attack and also at the same time start being scared of the symptoms that leave you feeble. This whole concept of an attack and anticipating another might just lead to a radical alteration in your mode of living. You just might start doing different things in order to prevent those feelings of dread and shock. Panic attacks are most likely to take place just about anytime and in any given space- the place where the helplessness and weakness first creeps in is considered to be the cause for the terror.
People suffering from agoraphobia dislike and fear congested spaces. As a result of this they are often confined to their homes. They do everything possible to keep away from placers that might instigate a panic attack in order to overcome agoraphobia. This leads to agoraphobia attacks taking place in day-to-day life situations. Your increase in heartbeat might lead you to believe that you are experiencing a heart attack and this might cause a panic attack.
Agoraphobia is a vile and unbearable condition that affects the mind of the individual. People who suffer from panic attacks must immediately seek medical help before the panic attacks turn into a serious disorder. One needs to overcome agoraphobia as soon as possible or it will forever constrain one's lifestyle for fear of crowded spaces. This might also lead a person to become completely wrecked and inept to confront a panic situation.
Learn how to overcome agoraphobia by visiting Jeanette Pollock's website. Jeanette is an ex-panic attack sufferer and provides useful tips, advice and resources to effectively get rid of agoraphobia and panic attacks.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeanette_Pollock
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Overcome-Agoraphobia---The-Disease-And-Its-Nature&id=830499
By Jeanette Pollock
We hear of mental disorders yet calm ourselves by believing that it will not affect us. Panic attacks, social anxieties and anxiety problems are also forms of mental disorders. These problems can vary from being slight irritations to the unbearable agoraphobia. This is a state that can affect anyone. Hence, how to overcome agoraphobia is our primary concern.
Your life's daily routine is suddenly disrupted by a certain terror mechanism that clings to you. Your heartbeat increases, you suffer from breathing problems, you feel absolutely feeble and powerless. Its probably a heart attack or maybe I am dying- this is what crosses your mind. Your doctor will probably tell you that you are perfectly fine physically and there is actually nothing wrong with your physical system.
Thus these attacks will leave you extremely perturbed. You will notice that these alarming and scary attacks will be associated with particular incidents - this is when you will realize that you are going through a panic attack. Doctors usually fail to diagnose a panic attack immediately as they are do not affect the physical systems.
If a person keeps away from places or chooses not to confront situations that will instigate the panic attacks, the state is known as agoraphobia. The root of the word explains its nature- 'Agora" is a Greek word meaning a meeting place for people maybe a marketplace, and 'phobia' refers to a fear of something. Hence it says that agoraphobia is a condition when people suffering from it fear being in congested places.
This development occurs gradually and usually begins after a panic attack. Maybe subconsciously you will begin assimilating yourself for the next attack and also at the same time start being scared of the symptoms that leave you feeble. This whole concept of an attack and anticipating another might just lead to a radical alteration in your mode of living. You just might start doing different things in order to prevent those feelings of dread and shock. Panic attacks are most likely to take place just about anytime and in any given space- the place where the helplessness and weakness first creeps in is considered to be the cause for the terror.
People suffering from agoraphobia dislike and fear congested spaces. As a result of this they are often confined to their homes. They do everything possible to keep away from placers that might instigate a panic attack in order to overcome agoraphobia. This leads to agoraphobia attacks taking place in day-to-day life situations. Your increase in heartbeat might lead you to believe that you are experiencing a heart attack and this might cause a panic attack.
Agoraphobia is a vile and unbearable condition that affects the mind of the individual. People who suffer from panic attacks must immediately seek medical help before the panic attacks turn into a serious disorder. One needs to overcome agoraphobia as soon as possible or it will forever constrain one's lifestyle for fear of crowded spaces. This might also lead a person to become completely wrecked and inept to confront a panic situation.
Learn how to overcome agoraphobia by visiting Jeanette Pollock's website. Jeanette is an ex-panic attack sufferer and provides useful tips, advice and resources to effectively get rid of agoraphobia and panic attacks.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeanette_Pollock
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Overcome-Agoraphobia---The-Disease-And-Its-Nature&id=830499
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Agoraphobia Treatment : Finding a Real Solution That Works
Agoraphobia Treatment : Finding a Real Solution That Works
By Stephen Brown
In considering a possible agoraphobia treatment it is important to define the real source of agoraphobia, which is a fear of public places. This fear can manifest itself as quite severe in many cases. Some individuals who suffer from agoraphobia also suffer from panic disorder and the agoraphobia has stemmed from the fear that a panic attack might occur. The anxiety associated with the panic disorder can develop as an avoidance of being alone outside the home or of being in a crowded area. Some individuals may begin to avoid situations in which they might feel great amounts of stress, fearing it could lead to a panic attack. Many times the person affected may feel as though they need the company of another person when in the situation that affects them.
Many people who suffer from agoraphobia feel as though they need to define and then restrict themselves to a sort of safety zone. The boundaries of this zone can vary; however, in many cases they are quite restrictive. These restrictions; however, do not completely eliminate the onset of panic attacks. In fact, the individual may continue to suffer from panic attacks on a frequent basis even with the restrictions in place. Therefore it becomes obvious that real solutions for an agoraphobia treatment that will work must be found.
The ideal goal of an effective agoraphobia treatment solution should be to allow the person effected to function. There are a variety of treatment options that have been utilized in an effort to reach this goal. Therapy can be particularly beneficial; however, it is important to recognize there are number of different types of therapeutic approaches that can be utilized. In many cases therapeutic approaches to agoraphobia treatment may involve both the therapist and the patient approaching the subject of the person’s fear. For example, if the person has a fear of going into a shopping mall because they fear the onset of a panic attack, the therapist may accompany the patient on a trip to the shopping mall. Through a gradual approach to the situation, the person may be able to learn to cope with their fears on a graduated level. Each attempt is aimed at getting the patient to master their fears for longer periods of time. Over time it is hoped that the person will be able to conquer the fear entirely. This type of therapeutic approach can require a significant dedication of time and energy in order to be successful.
Of course, there are other possible approaches to agoraphobia treatment options; however, it should be noted that some approaches, such as prescription medicines may only mask the symptoms associated with the disorder and not treat the real root cause of the problem. Treatment with medications can also cause unpleasant side effects, including dry mouth, blurred vision and constipation. In addition, in order for the symptoms of the disorder to be controlled, the patient must continue using the medications. Cessation of the medications can cause recurrence of the symptoms.
Given the various agoraphobia treatment options available it is imperative that a person suffering from this disorder find a solution that will allow them to gain control of their life back with as few side effects as possible.
Looking for more information on agoraphobia, anxiety, and panic attacks? Visit the following links for more great articles...
http://www.selfsteps.com/anxiety-articles.htm
http://www.selfsteps.com/panic-attack-articles.htm
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephen_Brown
http://EzineArticles.com/?Agoraphobia-Treatment-:-Finding-a-Real-Solution-That-Works&id=360475
By Stephen Brown
In considering a possible agoraphobia treatment it is important to define the real source of agoraphobia, which is a fear of public places. This fear can manifest itself as quite severe in many cases. Some individuals who suffer from agoraphobia also suffer from panic disorder and the agoraphobia has stemmed from the fear that a panic attack might occur. The anxiety associated with the panic disorder can develop as an avoidance of being alone outside the home or of being in a crowded area. Some individuals may begin to avoid situations in which they might feel great amounts of stress, fearing it could lead to a panic attack. Many times the person affected may feel as though they need the company of another person when in the situation that affects them.
Many people who suffer from agoraphobia feel as though they need to define and then restrict themselves to a sort of safety zone. The boundaries of this zone can vary; however, in many cases they are quite restrictive. These restrictions; however, do not completely eliminate the onset of panic attacks. In fact, the individual may continue to suffer from panic attacks on a frequent basis even with the restrictions in place. Therefore it becomes obvious that real solutions for an agoraphobia treatment that will work must be found.
The ideal goal of an effective agoraphobia treatment solution should be to allow the person effected to function. There are a variety of treatment options that have been utilized in an effort to reach this goal. Therapy can be particularly beneficial; however, it is important to recognize there are number of different types of therapeutic approaches that can be utilized. In many cases therapeutic approaches to agoraphobia treatment may involve both the therapist and the patient approaching the subject of the person’s fear. For example, if the person has a fear of going into a shopping mall because they fear the onset of a panic attack, the therapist may accompany the patient on a trip to the shopping mall. Through a gradual approach to the situation, the person may be able to learn to cope with their fears on a graduated level. Each attempt is aimed at getting the patient to master their fears for longer periods of time. Over time it is hoped that the person will be able to conquer the fear entirely. This type of therapeutic approach can require a significant dedication of time and energy in order to be successful.
Of course, there are other possible approaches to agoraphobia treatment options; however, it should be noted that some approaches, such as prescription medicines may only mask the symptoms associated with the disorder and not treat the real root cause of the problem. Treatment with medications can also cause unpleasant side effects, including dry mouth, blurred vision and constipation. In addition, in order for the symptoms of the disorder to be controlled, the patient must continue using the medications. Cessation of the medications can cause recurrence of the symptoms.
Given the various agoraphobia treatment options available it is imperative that a person suffering from this disorder find a solution that will allow them to gain control of their life back with as few side effects as possible.
Looking for more information on agoraphobia, anxiety, and panic attacks? Visit the following links for more great articles...
http://www.selfsteps.com/anxiety-articles.htm
http://www.selfsteps.com/panic-attack-articles.htm
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephen_Brown
http://EzineArticles.com/?Agoraphobia-Treatment-:-Finding-a-Real-Solution-That-Works&id=360475
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