Panic and Agrophobia

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Panic Attacks

Panic attack is described as  a sudden overwhelming feeling of acute and disabling anxiety.  Panic attacks are sudden periods of intense fear that may include palpitations, sweating, shaking, shortness of breath,  numbness, or a feeling that something terrible is going to happen.

Panic attacks can be very frightening. When panic attacks occur, you might think you're losing control, having a heart attack or even dying.  Panic attacks may come on suddenly and without warning at first, but over time, they're usually triggered by certain situations. 

Panic attacks typically include some of these signs or symptoms:

• Sense of impending doom or danger
• Fear of loss of control or death
• Rapid, pounding heart rate
• Sweating
• Trembling or shaking
• Shortness of breath or tightness in your throat
• Chills
• Hot flashes
• Nausea
• Abdominal cramping
• Chest pain
• Headache
• Dizziness, lightheadedness or faintness
• Numbness or tingling sensation
• Feeling of unreality or detachment

Although panic attacks themselves aren't life-threatening, they can be frightening and significantly affect your quality of life. But treatment can be very effective. Get treatment for panic attacks as soon as possible to help stop them from getting worse or becoming more frequent. 

A well-established, highly effective, and lasting treatment is called cognitive-behavioral therapy, or CBT. It focuses on identifying, understanding, and changing thinking and behavior patterns. 

Agrophobia

In ancient Greece, “agora” meant “the marketplace,” so agoraphobia is the term used to name the fear of being in a large, open, public space.  Generally, busy public places (such as supermarkets, shopping centres, trams, trains, planes and airports) are feared the most. However, any public place – even a quiet church or an empty park – may seem threatening to a person suffering from agoraphobia.  

 The symptoms and signs of agoraphobia may include: 

• anxiety in response to being away from an environment that feels ‘safe’
• panic attack including symptoms such as breathlessness, sweating, dizziness, fast heart rate, choking sensations, nausea, and feelings of extreme fear or dread
• anticipation of anxiety if the person is required to leave their safe environment
• low self-esteem and loss of self-confidence
• reluctance to leave the house or venture beyond familiar surrounds
• depression, which can sometimes accompany the condition.

Agoraphobia is best understood as an adverse behavioral outcome of repeated panic attacks and subsequent anxiety and preoccupation with these attacks that leads to an avoidance of situations where a panic attack could occur.  Untreated, agoraphobia can severely reduce a person’s quality of life.  Early treatment of panic disorder can often prevent agoraphobia. 

A form of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), exposure therapy is a process for reducing fear and anxiety responses. In therapy, a person is gradually exposed to a feared situation or object, learning to become less sensitive over time. This type of therapy has been found to be particularly effective for obsessive-compulsive disorder and phobias. 

In this type of therapy the patient is actively involved in his or her own recovery, has a sense of control, and learns skills that are useful throughout life. CBT typically involves reading about the problem, keeping records between appointments, and completing homework assignments in which the treatment procedures are practiced. Patients learn skills during therapy sessions, but they must practice repeatedly to see improvement.