Anxiety about being in places or situations from which escape might be difficult (or embarrassing) or in which help may not be available in the event of having an unexpected or situationally predisposed Panic Attack or panic-like symptoms. Agoraphobic fears typically involve characteristic clusters of situations that include being outside the home alone; being in a crowd or standing in a line; being on a bridge; and traveling in a bus, train, or automobile.

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The situations are avoided (e.g., travel is restricted) or else are endured with marked distress or with anxiety about having a Panic Attack or panic-like symptoms, or require the presence of a companion.

See also Panic disorder symtoms.

References:
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fourth edition. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH Publication No. 95-3879 (1995)

oTHER PEOPLE TAKE ABOUT aGORAPHOBIA

I haven’t been dianosed with this, but have had some symptoms of it including a panicky feeling in public places and not wanting to leave the house. Several people have told me I do not have it though–just social anxiety.
For those of you who have been diagnosed with agoraphobia, more out of curiousity, what is it like? How is it different from a social anxiety diagnosis? Was there something that caused it? Is it caused by brain chemistry?

When I was in college, I suffered from panic disorder. At one point it got so bad that I was afraid to go outside because I didn’t want to have a panic attack on the street, in class, etc. So I started spending almost all my time in my dorm room. I would say that panic and agoraphobia (which I am over now, thank goodness) are totally different for me from social anxiety. I think that my panic disorder and subsequent agoraphobia was absolutely a brain chemistry thing. I took meds to get better (SSRI and benzos). Hope this helps you. Probably best to see a pdoc!