Agoraphobia is, like any other phobia, an affliction based on fear. Namely, agoraphobia is the fear of leaving the home. There are other complicating factors with agoraphobia and other symptoms as well. However, i
n the truest technical term agoraphobia is the fear of the marketplace. Though this is the most technical definition of the term it is still true that many people who are suffering from this affliction experience their greatest bouts of fear when they are shopping.
Other times, people suffering from agoraphobia fear wide-open spaces or simply being outside. Others experience problems when they are driving, or driving under certain conditions. For instance, many people experience their greatest fear when they’re driving over bridges. The progression people suffering from this ailment experience, is they generally fear one place in particular and subsequently stay away from visiting this place.
Unfortunately, the problem doesn’t stop there as they will eventually become afraid to venture into different areas and they will likewise prevent going to these places. When a person becomes afraid of more and more places he or she will eventually choose to stay home because so many places have become too difficult for them to venture out into.
The underlying cause to all of this is the fact these people experience panic attacks. In short, most people develop agoraphobia because repeated panic attacks have led them to become fearful of more and more places and eventually the only place they feel comfortable is in their own homes.
It stands to reason that overcoming agoraphobia requires overcoming panic attacks. Though many people try to overcome the agoraphobia first it will only be temporary if they do succeed and don’t bother to deal with the panic attacks. The reason this is true is because the panic attacks will cause these people to become afraid of different places or even places they have recently their fear of visiting.
As this happens they will become more and more apprehensive to visit more and more places and therefore they will develop agoraphobia once again. It is considered common knowledge that people can overcome agoraphobia by being helped out of their homes and little by little, day by day, led further away from their domicile. Then, as time goes on, these people will once again become comfortable with the outside world.
The problem is this technique does not help them overcome panic attacks and usually it is the panic attacks that have caused the fear of leaving home in the first place. Therefore, trying to cure agoraphobia before curing panic attacks is putting the cart in front of the horse.