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sity of ChicagoMedicine, approximately 1.8 million American adults
will experience agoraphobia during any given year. Many develop ag-
oraphobia after suffering one or more panic attacks.
Some people with agoraphobia will leave home occasionally, but
only in the company of a friend or family member. In severe cases a
person with agoraphobia may not leave his or her home for weeks,
months, or even years, and doing so can trigger extreme anxiety and
possibly a panic attack.This behavior can cause significant problems
in relationships with family, friends, and partners.
For some people agoraphobia can last years. Australian Donna
Bolton says that she has struggled with severe agoraphobia for about
thirty-five years. For the past sixteen of them, she has largely confined
herself to her home. “It’s panic, you sweat, you’re weak in the legs, you
feel sick in the stomach, it’s like you lose control of your whole body,”
People with panic disorder often change their behavior in hopes of preventing
panic attacks. They might not go to public places, such as restaurants or movie
theaters, or events, such as a football game or party.
