Agoraphobia is actually the fear of being trapped in a place where there is no immediate escape or where escape might generate a degree of embarrassment. The constant flux of crowds in our modern society can create many places where there would seem to be no easy way out. A person who experiences agoraphobia avoids such situations (e.g., travel is restricted) or else they endure with significant distress or with anxiety about having a panic attack or panic-like symptoms. The burden of the agoraphobic becomes a life of isolation and fear and frequently, in order to be in situations where the phobia is heightened, they require a companion for emotional support.

Agoraphobia is generally not diagnosed if a panic disorder has previously been diagnosed, as the symptoms and treatment are similar. According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA) 6 million Americans suffer with panic disorder. This disorder affects women twice as much as men and is usually linked to depression in some degree.

Typical agoraphobia symptoms include:

• Inability to leave the house for long periods (housebound)
• Fear of being in crowded places, such as a shopping mall or sports stadium
• Fear of losing control in a public place
• Fear of being in places where it may be hard to get out of, such as an elevator or train
• Fear of being alone
• Sense of helplessness
• Overdependence on others
• A sense that your body is unreal

Panic disorder is the effect of people who experience erratic and unexplained panic attacks. These attacks can last for several minutes and are triggered by various events. For many being in crowded or noisy places can trigger a panic attack. The ADAA estimates that one in three people who suffer with panic disorder will develop agoraphobia.

Panic attacks come with symptoms that are quite disturbing. Many of them mimic heart attacks, with chest pain, difficulty breathing, and heart palpitations. There usually is an impending sense of doom and a heightened confusion resulting in the feelings of depersonalization. It is no wonder why anyone would want to avoid the possibility of a panic attack altogether.

Agoraphobia can develop when people are triggered by social situations or specific locations. If the fear of a panic attack is strong enough this can create a permanent and irrepressible desire to create a safe zone. For the agoraphobic this safe zone will get smaller as new panic attacks occur, creating the need to further close off from the outside.

Some agorophobes express symptoms initially by cordoning off "safe" routes to specific locations, a specific path to the mailbox, or down to the corner market. They will not deviate from this route for fear of triggering another panic attack. The prospect of shutting out the outside world is a dangerous temptation for the agoraphobic.

Those who live with agoraphobia are vigilant in their guard against being vulnerable. This can mean only disaster for the sufferer as their interaction with society shrinks from their neighborhood, to their house, and ultimately to a single room. Many agoraphobics become bed-ridden as they completely lose touch with reality.

SAD affects men and women equally and can usually be traced to early childhood or adolescence. Social anxiety disorder in children presents itself as clinginess and excessive tantrums especially in social situations. It is reported that the most extreme cases of childhood SAD are prone to mutism.

In today’s highly interactive society a disease like social anxiety disorder may be seen as “rudeness” or social ineptness. SAD is more profound then a simple case of shyness. Understanding the cause and effect relationships that exist in people who are suffering with SAD paints a picture of isolation, desperation, and hopelessness.

Social anxiety disorder is marked by an inexplicable fear that is extremely intense. This unexplainable dread is triggered by social situations where the sufferer worries about scrutiny from outsiders. It is this fear of judgment that drives the disorder, and can cause an individual to avoid activities that involve others.

Everyday interactions that many would find commonplace or mundane take on a completely new sense of foreboding for those who are afflicted with SAD. Ordering food from a restaurant, walking through a crowded room, or even making a phone call can become an overwhelming obstacle that leaves the sufferer completely terrorized.

Those who are afflicted with social anxiety disorder are aware of their fear and its extremity but feel completely powerless against it. They simply can not fathom living life out in the open. Individuals struggling with SAD are paralyzed by the thought that they may make a spectacle of themselves in a public setting.

SAD touches every aspect of life for those who are afflicted. Individuals who have SAD will try to avoid any situation where they feel they may be observed, and this can keep them from enjoying many of life’s pivotal moments. Imagine not walking in a graduation ceremony because of the inexplicable fear about being noticed. Friendships can be a harrowing experience for SAD sufferers and may pose hardship.

Along with the psychological symptoms of SAD there are common physical symptoms as well. Sweating, headaches, and nausea or some of the more obvious signs during an anxiety attack. Panic attacks are quite common for those suffering with social anxiety disorder and can add to the insurmountable fear of being in the public eye.

Generalized anxiety disorder is a “double-whammy” of sorts as it effects the physical and psychological well-being of sufferers. Because many of the symptoms can be attributed to stress and other outside factors GAD can be overlooked.

The general characteristics of GAD center on the persistent and obsessive onset of worry in an individual. Those afflicted with the disorder simply can not tune out the impulse to worry over every detail in their daily lives.

GAD is a serious disorder that can cause great distress in everyday life. The excessive worrying can last all day and go on throughout the night, causing insomnia and other sleep-related disorders. GAD can rob the sufferer of their ability to cope with their jobs, social, and personal obligations.

It is this constant need to worry can span over months and take its toll on the individual, causing them to manifest the negative feelings in the form of physical ailments. Coupled with the enormous amount of mental trauma that can accompany GAD the disorder can simply shut the sufferer down completely, making them lethargic and unable to deal with even the simplest of life’s demands.

Physical symptoms are the first indicators of generalized anxiety disorder as they tend to plague the individual on a daily basis. Keeping a watchful eye of physical symptoms along with psychological ones can help determine if a person is suffering from GAD. Physical symptoms of GAD include (but are not limited to):

• muscle tension
• fatigue
• restlessness
• difficulty sleeping
• irritability
• edginess
• gastrointestinal discomfort (nausea, diarrhea)

Muscle tension, and fatigue are ailments that can be overlooked by outsiders. Restlessness and difficulty sleeping are symptoms that many attribute to stress and may not be taken into consideration. Gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea can be chalked up to a cold or flu.

Psychological symptoms can be tricky to diagnose because they can be dismissed for routine stressors. Irritability, moodiness, and depression can result from the deluge of negative emotions linked to such extreme worrying.

When dealing with generalized anxiety disorder it is important to recognize a combination of symptoms and how they are manifested in an individual. Sharing any and all information with your doctor can give a broader view of what be present and allow for effective treatment. For information on anxiety, visit Anxiety Disorders Association of America.