Have you, or someone you know, been afraid of getting trapped in places or situations from which it might be hard to escape?

There is a large multinational retail chain that employs a unique retail strategy. Once a potential customer enters the store, they have to 'wind and weave' their way through aisles and aisles of merchandise before the customer can exit the building.

Now I don't know about you but from what I have heard, most people find this a daunting exercise, especially if they are someone who struggles with some level of anxiety. This experience would be even worse for someone struggling with the anxiety disorder, Agoraphobia.

Agoraphobia (literally means “fear of the marketplace). This is where someone develops anxiety or fear of being trapped in places or situations from which it is perceived that escape may be difficult or embarrassing and ungraceful. This fear is that if the person were to develop anxiety or panic, how would they escape.

Some examples where this can become a problem are crowded places such as shopping centers, public transport, tunnels, aeroplanes, certain large warehouse shops where the exit is not easily noticeable, and the retail store may have multi levels shopping with exit only on one level.

There are about 4% of women and 2% of men that are diagnosed with Agoraphobia in any given 12 months. Most often this condition develops in people in their early 20’s and rarely after 40.
Some typical scenarios where anxiety or panic may be triggered are:

• Standing in a line at a bank or supermarket
• Sitting in the middle of a long row. e.g. in movie theaters
• Riding a bus, train or aeroplane.

While some people develop agoraphobia if they have experienced a panic attack in one of these situations, others are simply uncomfortable when they find themselves in such situations and may never or only later develop panic attacks. The heightened fear of another panic attack often leads the person to avoid these places or situations, in turn allowing the agoraphobia to be reinforced. In its severe form, Agoraphobia Sufferers become housebound and often won’t leave the house unless somebody else accompanies them.

Help is available if you or someone you know struggles with this condition. Seek appropriate medical help from your doctor and also please talk to someone about this.