Panic Attack with Agoraphobia:

Sarah, a 28-year-old woman, has agoraphobia, a type of anxiety disorder characterized by a fear of being in circumstances or locations where escape would be difficult or embarrassing. Sarah decides to push herself one day and attend a social gathering with her friends in a crowded park.

Sarah becomes increasingly nervous as she approaches the park. Her agoraphobia symptoms are triggered by the sight of so many people and the noise of the throng. Her pulse rate accelerates, and she feels a tightening in her chest. Her hands begin to clam up, and she begins to hyperventilate.

Sarah's mind races with worry as she feels overwhelmed and afraid. She's afraid she won't be able to flee if the situation becomes too harsh for her to bear. She is concerned that people will see her distress and criticize her for being uneasy in an apparently normal atmosphere.

Sarah's eyesight blurs and she feels lightheaded as the terror worsens. She clings to her friend's arm tightly, seeking comfort and support. Her sense of impending doom, on the other hand, grows stronger, making it difficult for her to feel protected.

Sarah's fight-or-flight reflex is activated, and she has a strong desire to exit the park. Her dread of being judged and embarrassed prevents her from leaving the gathering, but she grows desperate to find a quiet and secluded area where she may regain control of her emotions.

Her friends see her sadness and offer assistance, but Sarah finds it difficult to express her feelings. She is concerned that they would be burdened by her anxiety because they will not comprehend it. She attempts to maintain her composure, but the panic attack worsens.

Finally, Sarah finds a less congested area of the park where she can sit and take deep breaths. The panic attack fades as she concentrates on her breathing. She is fatigued and emotionally depleted, but she is grateful that the worst is past.

Sarah focuses on her experience after the social event and realizes that her agoraphobia hindered her ability to enjoy the outing with her friends. She makes the decision to seek therapy and treatment in order to overcome her agoraphobia and recover control of her life.

Sarah's panic episode in this case was precipitated by her agoraphobia, or fear of being in crowded or open settings. Agoraphobia can cause significant anxiety and panic attacks, making it difficult for people like Sarah to participate in numerous activities or social situations. Seeking professional assistance and support is critical for coping with and overcoming agoraphobia.

 

There is a phobia that is linked to the experience of panic attacks, and that is agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is the fear of open spaces or of being in crowded, public places such as shopping markets. It is a fear associated with leaving a safe zone, such as the home.

 

Because of a feeling of being vulnerable, people who experience this fear often suffer from panic attacks in these “open” situations. It is true to say many people who have regular panic attacks experience different degrees of agoraphobia. Some have lingering background anxiety about being away from home should they experience a panic attack. Other people are so immobilized by this fear that they find it very difficult to leave their homes for even a short period.

 

The thinking behind agoraphobia usually follows the line that was a panic attack to occur, who would look after the person, how would he or she get the assistance and reassurance they needed? The vulnerability grows from the feeling that once victims of agoraphobia are caught in the anxiety, they are suddenly unable to look after themselves and are therefore at the mercy of the place they find themselves in and the strangers around them. In its extreme form, agoraphobia and panic attacks can lead to a situation where people become housebound for numerous years. Please note, that this is by no means a hopeless situation, and I always need to reinforce the fact that something only becomes hopeless once the person believes that to be the case.

 

To begin with, the primary issue that needs to be addressed is the belief in the safe zone. To clarify, when I talk about a safe zone, I am referring to the zone where the person believes panic attacks do not occur or at least occur infrequently. As comfort is found there, it is where the person tends to spend more and more time. The safe zone of anxiety is a myth sustained by the mind. The mind has developed a habit of thinking that dictates that being inside the safe zone is the only place to feel secure and avoid agoraphobia and panic attacks. If agoraphobia is an issue for you, watch as your mind comes up with reasons why it believes only a certain area is safe and another is not. Those reasons range from being near the phone or people you trust to having familiar physical surroundings to reassure you.

 

The reality of anxiety is that there is no such thing as a safe zone. There is nothing life threatening about a panic attack, and therefore sitting at home is the same as sitting under the stars on a desert island. Of course, your mind will immediately rush to tell you that a desert island is a ridiculous place to be as there are no hospitals, no tranquilizers, no doctors, and NO SAFETY.

 

You need to review your previous experiences with panic attacks. Aren’t you still here, alive and well, after all those attacks during which you were convinced you were going to die?

It may be that on occasions you have been driven to the hospital where they medicate you to calm you down, but do you believe that you would not have survived were it not for the drugs? You would have. If the same bout of anxiety had occurred on this desert island, it too would have passed, even if you were all alone. Yes, when it comes to conditions that need medical attention such as asthma, diabetes, and a whole litany of other conditions, then having medical aid nearby is a big asset, but no doctor in the world would tell someone with anxiety that there are only specific safe zones in which she or he can move.

 

As I know more than anyone how terrifying it can feel to move out of your safe zone as the feeling of fear is welling up inside, I do not wish to sound harsh. This course is not about chastising people for their behaviors. It is a way of looking together at solutions and seeing through the myths that form prison walls. The goal is to enable you to return to a richer and more meaningful life and ultimately defeat your agoraphobia and panic attacks. I also realize that people around you cannot understand why a trip to the shops would cause you such discomfort. You will have to forgive them and try not to be upset by their lack of understanding of your problem.