Tag: agoraphobia
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HOW DOES THE QUALITY OF INTERACTION BETWEEN A PATIENT AND HIS FAMILY IMPACT OCD OUTCOME?
The intricate tapestry of relationships has a profound influence on the trajectory of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related psychopathologies. Recent research illuminates the pivotal role of expressed emotion (EE) – the emotions conveyed by loved ones towards a patient – in shaping the course of the illness. EE serves as a barometer, reflecting the quality…
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AGORAPHOBIA OR THE FEAR OF THE SELF
In the early medical reports the cause of agoraphobia (AG) was described as a lack of self-confidence spurred by the sight of large grounds or extensive structures, which essentially represent the spatial organization of big cities. According to that model, the prominent feature of agoraphobia is a fear of self that is rooted in the…
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AGORAPHOBIA OR THE SEARCH FOR A SECURE BASE
A different approach to agoraphobia is to view it as an anxiety-driven attempt to find a secure base or a space associated with a caregiver or significant other, which is reminiscent of the attitude of the toddler who does not wander far from her mother (i.e., secure base) when exploring her world. When stressed or…
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LINK BETWEEN EXPOSURE TO FLUORESCENT LIGHTING AND AGORAPHOBIA
Past research highlights the potential contribution of conventional fluorescent lighting to anxiety symptoms in agoraphobia. Such type of lighting usually pulsates in brightness between a maximum and a minimum twice with each cycle of alternate current electricity supply (e.g., 100Hz). In return, this pulsation causes the cells in the retina and the lateral geniculate nucleus…
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AGORAPHOBIA (AG) AS A DISORDER OF COMMUNICATION
Based on the analysis of a case study of a woman suffering from agoraphobia (AG), it was concluded that the disorder could be a disorder of communication characterized by extreme reluctance to express negative feelings, or acting in ways that go counter to the wishes of others. Admittedly, that statement resonates with Freud’s description of…
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IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF AGORAPHOBIA LINKED TO THE FIRST PANIC ATTACK?
Studies show that high avoiders are more likely to have had their first panic attack in what is called a classic agoraphobic situation. What is a classic agoraphobic situation? It is experiencing a panic attack while driving or in public transportation. In fact, having a first panic attack in public with a strong feeling of…
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IS AGORAPHOBIA A DISEASE OF URBAN LIVING?
Agoraphobia was originally described as a spatial disease that was borne out of the rise of the metropolis with its wide-open streets and dizzying public spaces. Patients’ fears are to a certain extent alleviated by companionship, but they are seriously exacerbated by the dimensions of the space, especially when there seems to be no boundary…
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WHAT IS AN ANXIETY DISORDER?
Anxiety becomes disordered when it has become a burden to you. It interrupts your normal rhythm, prevents you from functioning properly in society, is overwhelming, and makes you miserable. Psychology identifies six most common anxiety disorders according to the source of the anxiety: