It is a horrible feeling. You are just sitting there on the train when suddenly you become aware of a tight feeling in your stomach. You feel a little dizzy, then realize that your heart rate and breathing are faster than normal. You start to be far more aware of your surroundings and the fact that you are on a moving train. This makes you more anxious and the panic worsens with palpitations, hyperventilation, tingling, lightheadedness, and the feeling that you are going to be sick. All you want is to get out of here.

If you have suffered panic attacks you may recognize the scenario above. Replace the train with a bus, car, busy shop, sports arena – anywhere, in fact. As a result it can get to the point where the anxiety you feel at going out because of the risk of a panic attack happening can seriously affect your self confidence and stop you living life to the full. In effect some people become so scared of leaving the relative safety of their own home that they find themselves virtual prisoners inside their own house. This is called agoraphobia.

Agoraphobia used to simply be thought of as a fear of open spaces, as sufferers were generally happier indoors. More recently it has become widely accepted that it is usually an extension of chronic anxiety and panic disorder where sufferers tend to avoid situations that are likely to bring on their symptoms. Anxiety about an attack happening leads to avoidance of the types of places that are associated with a previous attack. Over time self-confidence is eroded and a sufferer prefers to spend time within the relative safety of their own house, afraid and anxious that a panic attack will follow if they venture outside.

Treatments for agoraphobia can be in the form of:

1) Tablets. Medication can often relieve the some of the acute symptoms enough to allow the necessary visits to the doctor's surgery for ongoing care.

2) Natural methods such as relaxation techniques, yoga and meditation.

3) Psychological therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT, or exposure therapy. CBT involves spending time with a therapist who will teach you to understand the link between your thoughts and the experience of symptoms. Exposure therapy involves the experience of panic symptoms within a controlled and safe environment to allow a sufferer to understand what is happening and face the feared situation until the panic reduces and disappears.