Content

• Steps
• Warning

An estimated 5% of the US population suffers from agoraphobia, a form of anxiety disorder that in Greek means "fear of market spaces". This disease is best described as the primary phobia, the fearful feeling, or the fear of having a panic attack in public. Females are twice as likely to have space phobia than men. The characteristic feature of this disorder is stress anxiety when in public, socializing or in unfamiliar environments. Determining if you have space phobia is the first step in finding treatment.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Identifying public behavior related to phobia

1. 

   Pay attention to the need for someone to accompany you when you are out in public. People with space phobia often need help moving to another place because they are afraid of going out alone. A person with claustrophobia often has difficulty acting independently and is usually only comfortable with a friend or relative.
   • If the thought of going to a grocery store to buy milk also makes you nervous, then you may have a phobia of space.

2. 

   
   
   Think if you set up a fixed route. People who are afraid of the void are often afraid to go to places where there may be a potential for anxiety triggers. Some people with this provide a "safe" way to get around every day, such as the road to work and from work to home.
   • You may have space phobia if you find yourself taking only one path home a day and following familiar paths, paths and trails for fear of entering new paths.

3. 

   
   
   Note a decline in social interaction. People with space phobia often limit their destinations to reduce their risk of encountering a panic trigger. They may feel uncomfortable meeting new people and try to limit themselves in a “safe zone” such as at home or at work. You will find that your social life is limited if you suffer from space phobia.
   • Before the claustrophobia developed, you might still be going to parties, bars or the cinema with friends in addition to going to work or school. Gradually you may begin to worry about the panic occurring and stop attending parties. Then when the term ends, you stop going to school due to the fear of having a panic attack in class. Now you meet less friends and try to limit your time at work as little as possible. These kinds of behaviors may indicate space phobia.

4. 

   
   
   Determine if you are frightened or anxious in the middle of a crowd. Do you feel breathless in the midst of crowds at the mall, at a concert or at the market? Maybe you have space phobia if even the thought of a crowd of people is causing you to have nervous symptoms like sweaty palms, excessive anxiety, palpitations and thinking apart. disjointed.
   • Even if you are not actually having a panic attack, the fear of being attacked by panic in social situations can also be a sign of space phobia.

5. 

   Recognize your fear or anxiety while in the confined space. The panic symptoms associated with the phobia can strike when you feel like you can't escape. Examine your feelings when you are in a closed space. Sitting in a car or train while crossing a tunnel, getting into an elevator, riding a bus, boarding a plane and a train can trigger symptoms of panic or a panic attack.

6. 

   Think about situations when you find excuses to get out. People with claustrophobia often fear that they are unable to get out of a space or situation. However, you may feel embarrassed or embarrassed to find an excuse to run away. To hide your fears, you can lie to explain why you left an event or situation suddenly.
   • An example would be a situation where you get a fear of space while playing football with a friend. Instead of showing anxiety in a crowd, say you have to go home to let the dog out. You can also feign illness to get out of an uncomfortable situation.
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Part 2 of 3: Identify distinct space phobia symptoms

1. 

   Watch for persistent anxiety. A characteristic feature of space phobia is anxiety about situations or spaces where you fear you cannot escape. When you are in these situations (which often happen outside of your home), you may experience a feeling of terror as if something terrible is going to happen. You may be diagnosed with space phobia if these symptoms have appeared for at least six months.
   • Some people experience panic symptoms or have a panic attack in anxiety provoking situations. During a panic attack, people may experience chest pain, numbness, dizziness, tremor, sweating, shortness of breath, nausea, feeling out of reality, or loss of connection with yourself, losing control or going crazy, feeling like you're dying, feeling cold, or hot.

2. 

   Identify situations that make you feel scared. The types of fear in people with space phobia are quite typical. In order to be diagnosed with this condition, the 5th edition (DSM-5) manual for the diagnosis and statistics of mental disorders, indicates that the patient must experience a sense of fear in at least two of them. the following situations:
   • are in the crowd or in line
   • are in an open space such as a marketplace or parking lot
   • are in a closed space like a cafe or a movie theater
   • are traveling on public transport such as a bus, train, plane or ferry
   • go out alone

3. 

   Recognize your fear of being alone. You may have space phobia if you don't like being alone out of fear that you might have a panic attack and show signs of shortness of breath, a fast heartbeat and confused thoughts. Notice any heightened feelings of fear that occur when you are alone.
   • There are two types of fear that arise when one is alone. One of two types of fear is related to space phobia. The other type of fear develops when a person alone feels weak and is easily attacked by predators. This is not a sign of space phobia. It is important to properly identify your feelings of fear to know if you have space phobia.

4. 

   Consider your risk factors for space phobia. Women under the age of 35 are at highest risk of developing the condition. Other risk factors include:
   • have another disorder like panic disorder or another form of phobia
   • often feel anxious or nervous
   • experiencing some stressful event, such as losing a parent, being attacked or mistreated
   • a family history of someone with space phobia (a direct relative)
   • suffer from depression
   • have substance abuse problem
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Part 3 of 3: Seeking help to treat space phobia

1. 

   Ask your doctor about medications. You should not rely solely on medications to treat space phobia, but a combination of medications and therapies can help. Medications used to treat space phobia include:
   • Antidepressants. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as paroxetine and fluoxetine may help if you have panic attacks accompanied by space phobia. Other options are tricyclic antidepressants (tricyclic antidepressants) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).
   • Anti-anxiety medicine. Medicines such as benzodiazepines can feel calm when used for the short term, but can be addictive. Therefore, it is best to use it sparingly in an emergency such as when you are attacked by a panic attack.

2. 

   Get treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most effective treatment for space phobia. This approach combines cognitive therapy (focusing on patterns of thinking that lead to certain mental illnesses) and behavioral therapy (emphasizing the patient's ability to change harmful behaviors. for yourself).
   • A CBT course of treatment will take place for weeks with sessions of about 50 minutes. You will talk to your therapist about your gap-fear experiences during that week and will be asked to analyze your patterns of thinking and actions.
   • Ultimately, you will be asked to expose you to increasingly progressive social situations to dispel the feelings and thoughts that the fear of the void creates. Initially you can go to the market for about 15 minutes, then 30 minutes, then an hour, and so on until you get used to the social situations.

3. 

   Adjust your mind. Space phobia occurs when your brain is telling you something bogus: "I'm stuck", "It's not safe here", or "I shouldn't trust anyone." By correcting and proactively refuting your misconceptions, you can learn how to deal with claustrophobia. The first step in changing your mindset is realizing that your mind is in turmoil, that the thoughts and signals you receive are not correct.
   • For example, when your brain signals you to panic because danger is near, gather more information. Think of past panic attacks, telling yourself that you've survived and survived without permanent harm or death (a common fear of the fear of the void).

4. 

   Use dodge coping strategies. Non-evasive coping strategies (contact) force you to cope with seemingly scary situations. To get rid of fear in situations that cause you to worry, you need to go through those situations first. Only after overcoming the flame of fear can you emerge with a fresh and healthy mental state, like a phoenix reborn from ashes.
   • For example, when you notice a feeling of fear or a wave of panic coming while you are playing football, try playing a narrow range game for 15 to 20 minutes, and the next game you play 30 to 20 minutes. 40 minutes, 60 to 70 minutes, and so on. Eventually, you move on to playing the whole game and on a larger range.
   • Be honest with yourself about your comfort level. Your goal is not to create the panic attack but to identify what triggers the panic while not actually experiencing the panic attack. Do not rush into this process by forcing yourself to too strong or too early on. Save energy and journal about how you feel after each encounter to evaluate your progress.
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Warning

• See a mental health professional if you think you might have this anxiety disorder.