Journal of Psychiatry

The Impact of Situations on Agoraphobia and Co-Occurring Disorders in Adolescents

Kaitlin Whitton^* Department of Psychology, California State University, California, United States of America
^*Correspondence: Kaitlin Whitton, Department of Psychology, California State University, California, United States of America, Email:

Received: 02-Jun-2023, Manuscript No. JOP-23-21951; Editor assigned: 05-Jun-2023, Pre QC No. JOP-23-21951(PQ); Reviewed: 19-Jun-2023, QC No. JOP-23-21951; Revised: 26-Jun-2023, Manuscript No. JOP-23-21951(R); Published: 03-Jul-2023, DOI: 10.35248/2378-5756.23.26.607

Description

Agoraphobia is a kind of anxiety disorder that is triggered by specific situations or places that make the person feel trapped, helpless, or embarrassed. The people who are suffering from agoraphobia will be afraid that something bad will happen at those situations and they won’t be able to escape or get help. They may also fear having a panic attack, which is a sudden surge of intense fear and physical symptoms such as racing heart, sweating, trembling, or nausea. Agoraphobia is uncommon among children, but it may develop in adolescents, especially those who also have panic attacks. Agoraphobia can interfere with the normal functioning of the child and, in severe cases, can cause them to become housebound.

Common Scenarios that Trigger Agoraphobia in Children

• Use of public transportation (like buses, trains, or planes).

• Being in open spaces (like bridges or parking lots).

• Being in enclosed places (like shops, movie theatres, or elevators).

• Standing in line or being in a crowd.

• Being outside of home alone.

Children who suffer from agoraphobia could find it difficult to articulate their fears. The first indication could be perplexing behavior, such as adamantly denying their ability to cross bridges or attend school. They may exhibit signs of panic or demand to be taken home when they are in a scary environment. They could begin to avoid locations where they have previously experienced panic attacks. Since agoraphobia can mimic other anxiety disorders like social anxiety disorder or separation anxiety disorder, diagnosing it in children can be challenging. Because of this, it’s signinificant to have one’s child’s mental health evaluated if one suspects that they may have agoraphobia. Some children with agoraphobia may also have another anxiety disorder or depression. The main treatment for agoraphobia in children is behavioral therapy, which involves gradually exposing the child to the feared situations in a safe and controlled way. The therapist helps the child cope with their anxiety and learn ways to relax, such as deep breathing exercises or visualization. The goal is to help the child overcome their fear and resume their normal activities. Medication may also be helpful for some children with more severe agoraphobia or panic attacks. The difference between agoraphobia and social anxiety disorder is that agoraphobia is related to a fear of specific situations or places that make the person feel trapped, helpless, or unable to escape, while social anxiety disorder is related to a fear of social interactions that make the person feel judged, embarrassed, or rejected. A person who suffers from agoraphobia might avoid or fear doing things like riding public transportation, being in enclosed or open places, waiting in queue, being around other people, or going outside alone. An individual with social anxiety disorder could fear or avoid circumstances like social gatherings, public speaking, eating in front of others, and attending events or parties.

Both agoraphobia and social anxiety disorder can cause panic attacks, which are sudden episodes of intense fear and physical symptoms such as racing heart, sweating, trembling, or nausea. However, a person with agoraphobia may have panic attacks because they worry that they won’t be able to escape or get help if something bad happens in the feared situation, while a person with social anxiety disorder may have panic attacks because they worry that they will embarrass themselves or be negatively evaluated by others in the feared situation. Both agoraphobia and social anxiety disorder can be treated with behavioral therapy, which involves gradually exposing the person to the feared situations in a safe and supportive way. The therapist helps the person cope with their anxiety and learn ways to relax and challenge their negative thoughts. Medication may also be helpful for some people with severe symptoms or co-occurring disorders.