Is Agoraphobia related to Panic Attacks?
Agoraphobia is closely related to Panic Attacks, and it’s estimated that about one third of people with Panic Attacks will progress to having Agoraphobia as well. The Richmond, Virginia psychiatrist William D. Kernodle says in his Panic Disorder: The Medical Point of View that Agoraphobia is a “psychological consequence” of panic disorder. (2) However, Agoraphobia can occur without one having any diagnosable Panic Attacks at all. This condition, oddly enough, is called “Agoraphobia Without a History of Panic Disorder.” The DSM-IV diagnosis criteria are the same as those listed above for Agoraphobia, with the addition of: • Criteria have never been met for Panic Disorder. • The disturbance is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition. • If an associated general medical condition is present, the fear described in [Panic-associated Agoraphobia] is clearly in excess of that usually associated with the con
