Panic attacks and agoraphobia are intertwined.  Here’s how:  Look in the dictionary and it will tell you the definition of agoraphobia is “fear of the marketplace.”  Clinically speaking agoraphobia is a condition that makes people afraid to leave home. There are different degrees of this condition and so, many times people suffering from are it simply afraid to visit some places.

Actually, most cases of agoraphobia start with the sufferer being afraid to go one place in particular.  After a while they will fear visiting another spot.  Before long they fear other places and in time they fear visiting the world outside their homes altogether.

Agoraphobia does not exist on its own.  It needs panic attacks to survive.   The simple fact is, agoraphobia is not possible without panic because one who fears leaving home actually experiences panic when leaving home. Simple fear does not impel one to stay at home for the rest of his life.

Panic and Agoraphobia

There is no doubt anxiety panic disorder is part of the condition we know as agoraphobia.  If panic attacks are absent, agoraphobia will not be present either. Clearly, the cure to agoraphobia lies in curing panic attack syndrome.

The first panic attack most people have comes unexpectedly and suddenly.  The sufferer of a panic attack will always seem to blame the place the attack occurred on the fact it did occur.  So, logically, he will not want to return to this place.

Unfortunately, a sufferer of anxiety is liable to have a panic attack anywhere and so, if the panic attack was anything other than just a rare isolated incident, the patient will have another one in a another place and he will then add this place to those he will no longer visit.

Fear of Panic Occurring at a Particular Event

In reality, it is not always places the panic attack sufferer associates with his panic attacks.  It sometimes is certain events he will blame the attack on.  Certain church ceremonies, such as weddings may be associated with panic.  Also, sometimes it is parties, traffic jams, concerts or any other type of an event.   It doesn’t really matter because in the sufferer’s mind the solution is to stay home.

The symptoms of panic attack are very harrowing to the person having them.   These symptoms are feelings that mock very serious events like heart attacks and strokes.    It is only normal to try to stave off such feelings.   Certainly, if avoiding certain events would do it, it would seem reasonable to stay away from them!  However, ot would not be a cure.

The bottom line is curing agoraphobia entails the sufferer visiting those places where he suffered panic attacks.  The cure to panic attacks entails the sufferer of them actually inviting these attacks to occur without trying to avoid them in any way shape or form.  Panic thrives on fear and when we decide we will not fear them, they will cease to exist.  Then, with panic no longer present in one’s life, agoraphobia will wither on the vine.