Among the situations in which the socially phobic person may become fearful are being introduced to other people, speaking with perceived authority figures such as one's boss, or being watched by other people. While it is quite normal to feel somewhat apprehensive about these situations, for most people the nervousness is only temporary, and not debilitating. For a person with social phobia, however, these situations can cause such anxiety that the person will go out of their way to avoid them, often to their own social or professional detriment. Agoraphobia Agoraphobia is an abnormal fear of open spaces or crowded public places. Sufferers of agoraphobia often experience intense anxiety over leaving their homes, sometimes worrying about having a panic attack in a place or situation from which they cannot easily leave, such as an elevator or a crowded theater.
Agoraphobia can occur either with or without panic disorder.
For an agoraphobic without panic disorder, the anxiety is caused by a fear that certain that certain symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, or passing out may occur in public and humiliate the sufferer. Agoraphobia should not be confused with social phobia. While a person with social phobia fears how he or she will be perceived and how others will react, agoraphobics fear how they themselves will act in certain situations. Sometimes they will become so frightened that they begin to refuse to leave home, though sometimes they will venture out if accompanied by someone they trust and whom they feel could come to their aid if need be. Approximately six percent of Americans suffer from agoraphobia.