Warning Signs Of Agoraphobia

Crowds

Crowds can pose a serious problem for individuals with agoraphobia. They may avoid any place that might be crowded including public transit, heavy traffic, crowded restaurants, busy city streets, outdoor venues, or any other place with uncontrolled and large amounts of people. They will have a strong fear that being in a crowd will cause them to be trapped, isolated, and unable to escape if they experience panic. They may be afraid of strangers seeing them experiencing panic symptoms, or they may be afraid that the proximity of strangers will make it impossible for them to escape. There are several reasons this type of fear might develop. Some individuals experience this kind of fear due to an underlying panic disorder, sensory issues around others, or negative experiences that occurred in crowds. Not every patient with agoraphobia avoids crowds, but this is one of the most common ways the phobia manifests.