Agoraphobia is a condition that manifests itself in a number of ways.
A person suffering from the condition may experience a fear of being in crowds, of open spaces, of driving, or even just being alone in an unfamiliar setting.
Generally, though, what it comes down to is the person is afraid of being outside of their "safe zone.
" The reason for this is the fear having a panic attack in a situation where they do not have access to support or help from a trusted source.
Generally, a person's safe zone is their own home.
Sometimes, however, it can be someplace like their work office or something similar as well.
There are certainly varying degrees of Agoraphobia.
Some feel a general anxiety when not in their safe zone, but they manage to live a relatively functional life.
On the other end of the spectrum, some people are so paralyzed by the fear of having a panic attack that they nearly never leave their safe zone, even for the simplest of errands.
No matter the severity, the thought process behind it is more or less the same.
The person worries that if they were to have a panic attack while out in an unfamiliar situation; who would take care of them? Some sufferers feel comforted that any other humans are around at any time because that means they can get help in the case of a panic attack.
Some, however, only trust a small support circle.
This type of concern can lead to fascinating behavior.
One technique to cope employed by some agoraphobia sufferers is mapping out their neighborhood, literally or mentally.
By doing this they know where certain trusted areas are like fire stations, hospitals, doctors offices, or relatives or friends.
This makes them feel more secure if they have a panic attack while on an outing because they feel they can find help at these places.
This only works, of course, for those who feel they can trust anyone to help them.
For those who only trust a small circle of friends or relatives, being out at all is a problem because everyone they encounter is a stranger.
For these individuals agoraphobia can truly become what seems like a hopeless situation.
If someone has a support network, they very well may not leave their safe zone for months or even years at a stretch.
Fortunately, panic attacks are a learned response to certain sensations and/or situations.
Because of this, a good deal of success has been had with techniques designed to unlearn those responses.
So, indeed, the situation is not so hopeless as it might appear.
A person suffering from the condition may experience a fear of being in crowds, of open spaces, of driving, or even just being alone in an unfamiliar setting.
Generally, though, what it comes down to is the person is afraid of being outside of their "safe zone.
" The reason for this is the fear having a panic attack in a situation where they do not have access to support or help from a trusted source.
Generally, a person's safe zone is their own home.
Sometimes, however, it can be someplace like their work office or something similar as well.
There are certainly varying degrees of Agoraphobia.
Some feel a general anxiety when not in their safe zone, but they manage to live a relatively functional life.
On the other end of the spectrum, some people are so paralyzed by the fear of having a panic attack that they nearly never leave their safe zone, even for the simplest of errands.
No matter the severity, the thought process behind it is more or less the same.
The person worries that if they were to have a panic attack while out in an unfamiliar situation; who would take care of them? Some sufferers feel comforted that any other humans are around at any time because that means they can get help in the case of a panic attack.
Some, however, only trust a small support circle.
This type of concern can lead to fascinating behavior.
One technique to cope employed by some agoraphobia sufferers is mapping out their neighborhood, literally or mentally.
By doing this they know where certain trusted areas are like fire stations, hospitals, doctors offices, or relatives or friends.
This makes them feel more secure if they have a panic attack while on an outing because they feel they can find help at these places.
This only works, of course, for those who feel they can trust anyone to help them.
For those who only trust a small circle of friends or relatives, being out at all is a problem because everyone they encounter is a stranger.
For these individuals agoraphobia can truly become what seems like a hopeless situation.
If someone has a support network, they very well may not leave their safe zone for months or even years at a stretch.
Fortunately, panic attacks are a learned response to certain sensations and/or situations.
Because of this, a good deal of success has been had with techniques designed to unlearn those responses.
So, indeed, the situation is not so hopeless as it might appear.