Agoraphobia- Overview And History

Agoraphobia- Overview And History

Agoraphobia is the irrational fear of crowded places, people, or objects. It is derived from the Greek word; "agora" meaning the market place, or a place of assembly, and a "phobia" meaning an irrational fear.

Agoraphobia is a common 'Anxiety disorder'

It is one of the commonest types of phobic conditions seen in clinical practise.

It is defined as a phobic disorder that is characterised by an irrational fear of being in places away from familiar settings


Some common situations include:
1. Driving
2. Shopping
3. Crowded places
4.Travelling
5. Standing in line
6. Being alone
7. Meetings and social gatherings.

History of Agoraphobia

Westphal in 1872 was the first to describe the condition.

When describing the condition he stressed on the importance of anxiety associated with the condition.

Around the 1960's Agoraphobia was classified as a 'Phobic Anxiety Disorder'.