Typically, people with agoraphobia restrict themselves to their "comfort zone" that may include only their home or the immediate neighborhood. Any movement beyond the edges of this zone creates a rise in anxiety. Sometimes, a person with agoraphobia is unable to leave home alone, but can travel if accompanied by a particular family member or friend. Even when they restrict themselves to "safe" situations, most people with agoraphobia continue to have panic attacks at least a few times a month. Researchers are still trying to understand what causes someone to have agoraphobia. As with most mental illnesses, agoraphobia is probably caused by a complex mix of biology and genetics, life's experiences, temperament and traits. But researchers do know several risk factors involved that make a person more likely to get agoraphobia. These factors include:

· Having panic disorder
· Experiencing stressful life events
· Having a tendency to be nervous or anxious
· Alcohol and substance use disorders
· Female gender

Agoraphobia usually starts during late adolescence or early adulthood, but younger children and older adults also can develop it. Research also shows that more women are diagnosed with agoraphobia than men. As with many other mental disorders, agoraphobia treatment typically includes a combination of medication and psychotherapy. Depression treatments and anti-anxiety medications are commonly used to treat agoraphobia and panic symptoms. Among antidepressants, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) fluoxetine (Prozac, Prozac Weekly), paroxetine (Paxil, Paxil CR) and sertraline (Zoloft) are approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat panic disorder and also may help agoraphobia. Other types of antidepressants, such as tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) also are sometimes used to treat agoraphobia. But TCAs and MAOIs tend to have more side effects and more serious side effects than do SSRIs. Anti-anxiety medications, also called benzodiazepines, can also help control symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks, and are often used in agoraphobia treatment. These may include alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin), to name a few. Treatment of agoraphobia is often successful, and you can overcome agoraphobia and learn to keep it under control.

A phobia can make one's life miserable, cause embarrassment, and undermine self confidence and self esteem. However, you do not have to learn to live with a phobia, there are positive and pro-active manner which will help you conquer and get out of the marketplace of fear.

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