We often wrongly think of agoraphobia as a condition that prevents someone leaving their house. As with other phobias, the full story is a little more complicated.
Agoraphobics might get anxious in any situation where it's difficult to get away. This can be a large, open space, but it can just as easily be somewhere like a shopping centre or public transport. Anxiety forum no more panic claims that as many as one in eight people experience agoraphobia in some form – so it's a much more common phobia than we give it credit for.
Phobias
are a type of anxiety disorder that is distinctly different from normal fear. Phobias are defined, according to the dsm-5 (the american psychiatric association’s diagnostic and statistical manual, fifth edition), as fear or anxiety that is persistent (even when the phobic object isn’t there), excessive and out of proportion to the actual danger posed by the object of the phobia. Phobias occur when there is dysfunction in the brain circuits responsible for the fear response. They recognize non-dangerous objects or situations as imminent threats and experience excessive fear and anxiety.See also [ edit ]
Brenda hogan (2nd edition, 2017) overcoming panic and agoraphobia: a self help guide using cognitive behavioural techniques panic attacks: what they are, why they happen and what you can do about them christine ingham (2000) overcoming worry and generalised anxiety disordermark freeston (2nd edition, 2015) overcoming anxiety: a self help guide using cognitive behavioural therapy helen kennerley (2014) mind over mood: change how you feel by changing the way you think dennis greenberger and christine padesky (2nd edition, 2015) mindfulness, a practical guide: finding peace in a frantic world mark williams and danny penman (2011)
common fears for children include:
loud noises and strangers (babies)
imaginary creatures and the dark (preschool)
natural disasters and animals (early primary school)
illness and death (upper primary school).
Learning to manage these fears is a normal part of growing up. However, children can develop specific phobias. They’re often too young to understand that their fears are irrational or exaggerated. They may even experience panic attacks.
Anxiety disorders are common in all ages. The rate of specific phobias in children and teens is thought to range from 1 percent to as high as 9. 2 percent. These often start in childhood. These are not the fears that are normal for their age. Social anxiety disorder is thought to occur in up to 1. 4 percent of children and teens. Panic disorder can start at any age, but most often starts during the teen and young adult years.