When most of us think about mental disorders, it's easy to assume that only certain types of people are prone to experience these conditions. As anyone with experience in this territory will tell you, this is not the case. One of the more common mental disorders is agoraphobia, which is a condition that can truly strike anyone already prone to panic tacks. You might decide to obtain agoraphobia treatment, but first you have to understand what exactly you are dealing with.
Many people believe that agoraphobia is just a fear of leaving your house, or going outside. This is true to an extent, and it can also be viewed as a subset of a panic attack. If you experience this condition, you often don't want to go places for fear of bringing on a frightening attack. Panic attacks often come first, before agoraphobia starts to develop. But this is not always the case, so be sure to monitor the situations that lead to your symptoms.
Once you realize the specific situations that cause your panic attacks, it will be easier for a doctor to diagnose your complaint and explain your options for agoraphobia treatment. Rememeber, agoraphobia is a form of a panic attack but it is very specific in nature. The word 'Agora' is translated into 'marketplace' and 'place where people meet' in the Greek language. 'Phobia' is a fear of something, so in this case, a fear of being in crowded places.
Agoraphobia treatment will allow the sufferer to break the cycle of panic attacks, but it is important to get to the root cause of the phobia. A typical agoraphobia sufferer goes out of their way to avoid crowded places and situations that might lead to a panic attack. They even go as far as to lock themselves in their house for fear of venturing into the outside world. As one should know, this can be a vicious and extremely debilitating mental condition.
Once this isolation occurs, it is time to start evaluating agoraphobia treatment options before the condition gets much worse. Speak to your doctor to discover the treatment that is right for you. If you currently only experience 'general' panic attacks, understand that agoraphobia can easily develop down the road and it's best to kill the problem before it starts. Early treatment of either panic disorders or anxiety disorders will help stop agoraphobia in its tracks.
How To Help Panic Attacks
Anyone who has had a panic attack can tell you it is no fun - at all! It can be very, very scary for the sufferer and even make them think they are dying.
When overcome with anxiety, the body will react by doing a semi-shutdown. Breathing becomes very rapid and shallow. Eventually you will not be able to catch your breath and will be gasping for air.
The world will take on a different view and you will almost feel disconnected from it. This can be accompanied by dizziness and even fainting.
Your heart will beat very fast and you will feel pressure in the chest area. Many people who have panic attacks think they're actually having a heart attack. You may also feel very warm and sweaty and you will probably shake noticeably. It's very difficult to think straight during a panic attack, so it's very important to identify that you may be going into panic mode and start procedures toward combating the fear that began the attack in the first place.
First, keep in mind that your life IS NOT in danger. As we have already noted, during a panic attack, the sufferer is often convinced that s/he is having a heart attack or a stroke, and is dying. This is not the case. The symptoms of heart attacks and strokes are quite different from those of extreme fear.
A panic attack is not a sign that you are going crazy. It is true that you are in the grip of something and therefore 'out of control' of yourself, but the symptoms and feelings are very different from those of any mental illness.
They are exactly the same as those of a person in extreme physical danger. They occur in response to a signal you are misinterpreting. The fear is maintained by what you think about your feelings in response to it. The fear is real. It is not an illusion or a hallucination. You are not crazy.
A panic attack is not a sign of weakness. Anyone can have them, in the right (well, wrong) circumstances. With phobics, they are brought on by specific situations. With some people, they can be brought on for no rational reason and in no specific situation.
Remember that you can control it. Just knowing the facts can help a person get rid of panic attacks, even if they have been a problem for many years. When you feel the next panic attack coming on, say to yourself:
"This will be uncomfortable, but it cannot kill me. It's not a sign that I'm going crazy. If I can stop being scared, it will never come back. Anyone can have a panic attack."
Also try "stopping statements" such as
"STOP! These thoughts are not good for me. They are not healthy or helpful thoughts, and I have decided to move in a better direction and learn to think differently."
By doing this, you are reminding and reinforcing your brain each and every time you make this rational and realistic statement. There are some other positive self-affirming statements you can use to try and combat your panic attacks.
Both Steven Broffman & Joan Shine are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Steven Broffman has sinced written about articles on various topics from Guide Guitar, Health and Panic Attacks. Steven Broffman is a writer at which is a website dedicated to providing answers and information on the various forms of anxiety and panic attacks. Read more about
