Development of Agoraphobia through Panic Attacks
Panic attacks are the manifestations of higher levels of anxiety. When anxiety exceeds its limits, it expresses itself in the form of panic attacks. These panic attacks are like fits that reach at their peak within ten minutes. Trembling, shaking, sweating, hot and cold chills, accelerated heart beat, dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain and abdominal distress are the symptoms that can appear during any panic attack. Moreover, these panic attacks are quite unpredictable. These attacks can appear at any place. For example, a patient may get a panic attack in the street or while standing in an alleviator.
Now, imagine the condition of an individual who has previously got a panic attack in the market or in his street or while standing on an alleviator. Obviously, these panic attacks are embarrassing for sufferers and they want to avoid these attacks in public. Consequently, these sufferers develop fear of public places and start avoiding all public places. They fear that they will get a panic attack in front of other people. This kind of fear is known as agoraphobia in the field of Psychopathology. Once any individual develops agoraphobia along with panic attacks, it becomes even harder to treat his psychopathology. Now, the clinician has two problems to resolve, one is the occurrence of panic attacks and second is the management of agoraphobia.
This agoraphobia has its own symptoms and difficulties. For example, the individual is not ready to leave his home because of the fear of getting a panic attack. If ever he will choose to visit any public place, he will need the company of any expert person that will handle his panic attack, if it occurs on the way. Person will try to avoid all those places from which he cannot escape easily. For example, it an individual is standing in the street, it may be easier for him to get rid of the situation. If he is in a market, he may not find it easier to reach the exit easily. Driving and taking any food that can trigger a panic attack can be avoided by such a person. In this way, panic attacks make sufferers handicapped and isolated sometimes.
