mental health disorders
Agoraphobia
Introduction
Agoraphobia is fear or anxiety about being in situations or places (for example, in crowds and shopping malls or while driving) with no way to escape easily or in which help might not be available if intense anxiety develops. These situations or places are often avoided or endured with much distress. Agoraphobia is a type of Overview of Anxiety Disorders . About 30 to 50% of people with agoraphobia also have Common examples of situations or places that create fear and anxiety include the following: Standing in line at a bank or at a supermarket checkout Sitting in the middle of a long row in a theater or classroom Using public transportation, such as a bus or an airplane Leaving home Some people develop agoraphobia after experiencing a panic attack in one of these situations. Other people simply feel uncomfortable in these settings and may never, or only later, have panic attacks there. Agoraphobia often interferes with daily living, sometimes so drastically that it makes people housebound. 