Agoraphobia
Fear of places and situations that might cause panic, helplessness, or embarrassment.
Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder that often develops after one or more panic attacks.
Symptoms include fear and avoidance of places and situations that might cause feelings of panic, entrapment, helplessness, or embarrassment.
Treatments include talk therapy and medication.
Cluster Number: F-1
Wiki Number: W003
Diagnosis: Agoraphobia
US Patients: 1.7% Adults
World Patients:
Sex Ratio: M-2W
Age Onset: 20+
Brain Area: Extra epinephrine – poor balance
Symptoms: environment unsafe-no escape
Progression: Open spaces or outside home; may lead to 10-30 minute panic attack or PTSD
Causes:
Medications: antidepressants; anti-anxiety
Therapies: relaxation, systematic desensitization, expanding exposuresCBT-50%
Youtube Video: What is Agoraphobia?
Amazon or Library Book:
The Agoraphobia Workbook
Click on the book to link or buy from Amazon.
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Section 12.06.
4 CURRENT ARTICLES
FROM PUBMED
The world-wide medical research
reports chosen for each diagnosis
Clicking each title opens the
PubMed article’s summary-abstract.
- The Gut Microbiome in Anxiety Disordersby Mary I Butler on April 12, 2025
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: We aim to update readers on the latest evidence regarding the role of the gut microbiome in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder (PD), agoraphobia, and social anxiety disorder (SAD). This review summarises the literature on microbiome composition and function in these conditions, provides insights about causality and mechanisms and evaluates current evidence for microbiome-based interventions in anxiety disorders.
- A Mendelian randomization study: causal relationship between immune cells and the risks of social phobia, specific phobia, and agoraphobiaby Jun-Neng Wang on April 8, 2025
CONCLUSIONS: Immune cell traits closely related to phobias were screened out through genomics, which provides a reference for the subsequent research on the immune system-phobia interaction.
- Evaluation of an Online-Based Self-Help Program for Patients With Panic Disorder: Randomized Controlled Trialby Christopher Lalk on April 2, 2025
CONCLUSIONS: The presented online intervention can help reduce the core symptomatology of panic disorder and agoraphobia, as well as anxiety symptoms and associated depression. No effects were found for well-being and secondary outcomes. This may be due to higher illness burden in the intervention group and possibly the COVID pandemic, which caused unique challenges to patients suffering from panic disorder. Therefore, further research and intervention adaptations may be warranted to improve...
- Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia: A Meta-Analytic Review of Clinical Components to Maximize Efficacyby Han Wool Jung on March 17, 2025
Background: Although digital cognitive behavioral therapy (dCBT) is considered effective for anxiety disorders, there is considerable heterogeneity in its efficacy across studies, and its varied treatment content and clinical components may explain such heterogeneity. Objective: This review aimed to identify the efficacy of digital cognitive behavioral therapy for panic disorder and agoraphobia, and examine whether applying relevant clinical components of interoceptive exposure,...