'Agora' meant 'marketplace' in Ancient Greece. Agoraphobia is often referred to as the fear of closed spaces. However, fearful situations are not limited to closed areas. Agoraphobia is a disorder that involves the fear of being in situations that are difficult to escape from and avoiding these situations.
Ahmet is a 25-year-old mechanical engineering student. He realized that something was wrong when he had to be in a windowless machine shop at the factory where he went for his university internship. He has to finish his internship in order to graduate, so even though he doesn't want to go to the factory, he has to be there. But staying there becomes more difficult as time goes by. He began to feel intense symptoms of distress, pain in his chest, feeling like he couldn't breathe, and he was terrified, thinking 'I'm dying'. In the following days, he realized that he was experiencing the same problem in underground metro stations, shopping malls, crowded open spaces and university classrooms. He never wants to leave the house anymore. He wants someone to be with him when he leaves the house. As he became increasingly introverted, his social life, school and romantic relationships began to be negatively affected by this situation.
Ahmet suffers from Agoraphobia. Of course, for a person to be diagnosed with Agoraphobia, this significant distress must continue for at least 6 months and cause significant distress and a decrease in functionality in life. From time to time, we all get bored or have anxiety reactions in certain environments. This is natural and does not mean that we have Agoraphobia. A significant portion of agoraphobia patients have experienced Panic Attacks. Some of them also suffer from Panic Disorder. In such cases, the disease is called 'Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia'. Some people never have a panic attack.
Treatment: Some antidepressants have been shown to be effective in the treatment of agoraphobia. In addition, psychotherapy methods should also be included in the treatment. Cognitive Behavioral Therapies and EMDR methods are commonly used. Treatment is relatively short-term, but the duration may vary depending on the severity of the disease and whether the person has other psychological disorders (for example, personality disorders). It may vary. If agoraphobia is left untreated, a person's fears may tend to increase. At the same time, it can be a life-limiting disease because feared situations are avoided. Many Agoraphobia patients refuse to use public transportation or automobiles because they experience anxiety. There are patients who have not crossed the European-Anatolian side for years because they have problems with the bridges. Agoraphobia patients who are also worried about flying are frequently seen. That's why they can't make intercity trips or they have to endure serious difficulties and have difficult trips. It is very important to treat it because it seriously affects life.
Fears make life smaller and can enslave people. It is necessary to face fears in order to be free.
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