agoraphobia
/ˌaɡ(ə)rəˈfəʊbɪə
/noun [mass noun]
Extreme or irrational fear of open or public places.In addition, the person may develop irrational fears called phobias, such as agoraphobia, about situations where a panic attack has occurred....
- Some people have an extreme fear condition called agoraphobia, and confine themselves to the home or other familiar places where they feel relatively safe.
- As well as being a fear of open spaces, agoraphobia is also a fear of being in a crowd, being alone in a house and travelling alone.
Derivatives
agoraphobe
- We are in danger of becoming a nation of agoraphobes.
- If I weren't a comedian, I think I would be an agoraphobe, so it's a good thing I've picked a career that allows me to travel.
- Being an agoraphobe was a lot more complicated than just never leaving the house, something most people couldn't begin to appreciate, Darcy thought, running the water in the sink.
agoraphobic
/ adjective & noun ...- For those suffering from panic disorder, agoraphobic avoidance may first occur in situations associated with the first panic attack.
- For example, an agoraphobic patient, whom we shall call Sarah, was too terrified even to contemplate any treatment involving exposure (facing the feared stimulus - in this case, going outside).
- On the other hand, we need to be alert for clients who significantly restrict their lives and devalue their lives and work or those who become agoraphobic.
Origin
Late 19th century: from Greek agora 'place of assembly, marketplace' + -phobia.
Agoraphobia is literally ‘fear of the market place’, from Greek agora ‘a market place’ and the English suffix -phobia (from Greek phobos ‘fear’). In ancient Greece an agora was a public open space used for markets and assemblies.