For example, agoraphobics may develop an intense fear of driving, crossing bridges, or being in shopping malls. The terror can be disabling and, at its most extreme, can prevent those who have it from ever leaving their homes. A person who has agoraphobia may or may not also have panic disorder. Panic disorder is a condition in which there are a number of devastating episodes of unpredictable panic attacks marked by a sense of impending doom. For these individuals the phobic avoidance is often an adaptation to panic attacks, that is, an attempt to avoid situations or places that might trigger an attack.
Women have it two to four times more often than men, and the condition tends to run in families.
The cause of agoraphobia is unknown. Although there has been some research on agoraphobia associated with panic disorder, there has not yet been much study of agoraphobia alone. As with most psychiatric disorders, it is thought that both genetic and environmental factors play a role. There is no biological or laboratory test for agoraphobia. Your doctor or therapist will ask about your symptoms and make sure you do not have a medical illness or drug or alcohol problem that is causing them.