N212: Health Differences Across the Life Span 2

Health Differences Across the Lifespan 2 Study Guide • Agoraphobia: an intense fear of feeling trapped in a situation; a fear of being in a public place where escape might not be possible or help might not be available; fear of situations, such as crowds, standing in line, being on a bridge, and travelling in a plane, bus, train, or car • Specific phobia: an excessive fear of a particular object or situation Social phobia: This is extreme anxiety in social or public situations. It can produce a fear of being humiliated or embarrassed in front of other people. This problem may also be related to feelings of inferiority and low self-esteem, and can drive a person to drop out of school, avoid making friends, and remain unemployed. Although this disorder is sometimes thought to be shyness, it is not the same thing. Shy people do not experience extreme anxiety in social situations, nor do they necessarily avoid them. In contrast, people with social phobia can be at ease with people most of the time, except in particular situations. Often social phobia is accompanied by depression or substance abuse. Signs and symptoms include: • Finding blushing as painfully embarrassing • Feeling that all eyes are on them • Fear of speaking in public, dating, or talking with persons inauthority • Fear of using public restrooms or eating out • Fear of talking on the phone or writing in front of others Agoraphobia: This is the fear of being alone in public places from which there is no easy escape. Agoraphobia causes people to suffer anxiety about being in places or situations from which it might be difficult or embarrassing to escape (i.e. being in a room full of people or in an elevator). In extreme cases, a person with agoraphobia may be afraid to leave their house. Agoraphobia is frequently associated with panic disorder and is an anxiety disorder characterized by anxiety in situations where it is perceived to be difficult or embarrassing to escape. These situations can include, but are not limited to, wide-open spaces and uncontrollable social situations, such as being met in shopping malls, airports, and on bridges. The sufferer may go to great lengths to avoid those situations, and in severe cases, becoming unable to leave their home or safe haven. Although mostly thought to be a fear of public places, it is now believed that agoraphobia develops as a complication of panic attacks. Onset is usually between ages 20 and 40 years, and is more common in women. Approximately 3.2 million, or about 2.2% of adults in the US between the ages of 18 and 54, suffer from agoraphobia. Agoraphobia can account for approximately 60% of phobias. Studies have shown two different age groups at first onset: early to mid-twenties, and early thirties. In response to a traumatic event, anxiety may interrupt the formation of memories and disrupt the learning processes, resulting in dissociation. Depersonalization (a feeling of disconnection from one’s self) and derealization (a feeling of disconnection from one's surroundings) are other dissociative methods of withdrawing from anxiety. Standardized tools, such as panic and agoraphobia scale, can be used to measure agoraphobia and panic attack severity while monitoring treatment. ©2017 Achieve Test Prep Page 8 of 140