Common Causes And Risk Factors For Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder that causes patients to have an intense fear of situations and places in which they might feel helpless, embarrassed, or trapped. Affected individuals might fear situations they anticipate will happen or that have actually happened. There's a common misconception that agoraphobia is a fear of being outdoors, but this is an oversimplification. Different individuals with agoraphobia may be afraid of different situations, and not all of them are afraid of the outdoors alone. Some common situations patients with agoraphobia might fear include standing in line, being in enclosed spaces, being in open spaces, or being in a crowd. The fear in these situations comes from the dread of not being able to escape or seek help if need be.