History On Agoraphobia

The history on agoraphobia can be traced back to the 1870s. This was when Carl Friedrich Otto Westphal first mentioned it, although it obviously existed before.

He was a psychiatrist and neurologist. He observed some of his patients were afraid of certain situations and displayed extreme anxiety. They were afraid when asked to do certain things. He coined the term agoraphobia.

The Word "Agoraphobia"

The word 'agoraphobia' actually has greek origins. It is derived from 'phobos' and 'agora' which is literally translated as 'fear of the marketplace'. This is misleading.

Generally, it has come to be regarded as a fear of open spaces. Though this may be true to a certain degree, again, I feel that this is inaccurate. It's not so much the space, it's the fear of getting a panic attack.

If you take the panic attack out of the equation, agoraphobia would more or less not exist. It's quite rare to have agoraphobia on its own, though it can happen.

A person with agoraphobia dreads going through the fear and physical sensations. This is totally understandable. They thus deal with it in the only way that seems natural to them - by avoiding situations.

Agoraphobia can be treated quite successfully (as mentioned elsewhere in this site). Medication and therapy as well as other forms of treatment will help.

Treatment of agoraphobia varies and different people have different results, although results are positive and encouraging. If you're reading this right now and you're feeling at your lowest, don't worry. You WILL improve.

Perhaps A Permanent Cure In The Future?

It will require some hard work on your part, but you know it has to be done. This is the only way you'll get your life under control. Your patience and perseverance will prevail!

As science progresses, the history on agoraphobia may take a more technological turn. Better forms of treatment are always being researched. There's even research into virtual reality!

Virtual reality exposure (VRE) has produced some encouraging results for people with panic disorder and agoraphobia (and even without). There's also gene therapy which could one day find a complete cure.

Go to Different Kinds Of Agoraphobia Treatment

Return from this History On Agoraphobia page to the Panic And Agoraphobia home page.