Читать книгу Anxiety For Dummies - W. Doyle Gentry, Laura L. Smith - Страница 38

Approximately half of those who suffer from panic attacks have an accompanying problem: agoraphobia. Unlike most fears or phobias, this anxiety problem usually begins in adulthood. Individuals with agoraphobia symptoms live in terror of being trapped and unable to escape. They desperately avoid situations from which they can’t readily escape, and they also fear places where help may not be readily forthcoming should they need it.

The agoraphobic may start with one fear, such as being in a crowd, but in many cases the feared situations multiply to the point that the person fears even leaving home. As agoraphobia teams up with panic, the double-barreled fears of not getting help and of feeling entombed with no way out can lead to paralyzing isolation.

You or someone you love may struggle with agoraphobia if

 You worry about being somewhere where you can’t get out or can’t get help in case something bad happens, like a panic attack.

 You tremble over everyday things like leaving home, being in large groups of people, or traveling.

 Because of your anxiety, you avoid the places that you fear so much that it takes over your life, and you become a prisoner of your fear.

You may have concerns about feeling trapped or have anxiety about crowds and leaving home. Many people do. But if your life goes on without major changes or constraints, you’re probably not agoraphobic.

For example, imagine that you quake at the thought of entering large sports stadiums. You see images of crowds pushing and shoving, causing you to fall over the railing, landing below, only to be trampled by the mob as you cry out. You may be able to live an entire blissful life avoiding sports stadiums. On the other hand, if you love watching live sports events, or you just got a job as a sports reporter, this fear could be really bad.

Luciana’s story, which follows, demonstrates the overwhelming anxiety that often traps agoraphobics.

 Luciana celebrates her 40th birthday without having experienced significant emotional problems. She has gone through the usual bumps in the road of life like losing a parent, her child having a learning disability, and a divorce ten years earlier. She prides herself in coping with whatever cards life deals her.

 Lately, she feels stressed when shopping at the mall on weekends because of the crowds. She finds a parking spot at the end of a row. As she enters the mall, her sweaty hands leave a smudge on the revolving glass door. She feels as though the crowd of shoppers is crushing in on her, and she feels trapped. She worries she might faint, and no one would be there to help her. She’s so scared that she flees the store.

 Over the next few months, her fears spread. Although they started at the mall, fear and anxiety now overwhelm her in crowded grocery stores as well. Later, simply driving in traffic scares her. Luciana suffers from agoraphobia. More and more she feels like staying in her house.

Many times, panic, agoraphobia, and anxiety strike people who are otherwise devoid of serious, deep-seated emotional problems. So, if you suffer from anxiety, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll need years of psychotherapy. You may not like the anxiety, but you don’t have to think you’re nuts!