Agoraphobia and social phobia are two types of anxiety disorders that tend to be confused. However, each one presents its particularities.
There are many people who suffer from an anxiety disorder in silence. And it is not uncommon, because people tend to hide it under the fear of feeling judged as lazy and hysterical people who drown in a glass of water.
People who suffer from anxiety feel strong pressure to perform and are afraid of feeling incapacitated. Living with anxiety is not easy, because it is like an inquisitive ghost that clouds people’s minds and makes them doubt, feel insecure, while the mind triggers thoughts at a dizzying speed.
Sometimes intrusive thoughts are such that concentrating is very difficult and doing such trivial tasks as getting out of bed, making breakfast or going out to buy bread become impossible.
Today we will talk about two types of anxiety disorder: agoraphobia and social phobia, which although both caninduce isolationof people who suffer from it and are easily confused, have important differences.
- To know more: “The 7 types of anxiety (causes and symptoms)”
Anxiety disorders
Anxiety is an implicit experience of the human condition and its objective is to adapt and improve the performance of the individual in a situation where his life is in danger. However, such anxiety also generates significant psychological suffering.
Every person can experience anxiety in a normal way at some point in their life in situations of uncertainty. However, the problem arises when this anxiety arises in the face of adanger that is not real, or when its intensity and duration are much higher than the cause that originated it.
Anxiety has its origin in certain brain mechanisms. The human brain integrates very effectively the information of the past (what we know as memories) with the information of the present, in order to anticipate and be prepared for situations that may occur in the future.
It is important to know that the information of the past contained in the memories is formed by the lived experiences that are related to the emotions and sensations that were experienced in that situation. For this reason, when people remember the past, they feel as if they relive those emotions they felt at that exact moment.
Therefore, when a situation in the present is similar to a previous memory or experience, the emotions and sensations that were associated with that specific moment are activated. The problem is that if this situation resembles a memory that made you feelfear and anguishin the past, it can evoke these sensations also in the present even if the stimulus is not threatening or dangerous.
Anxiety disorders are characterized by excessive fear or worry. They generate significant discomfort and affect the normal functioning of the person, no matter how old they are. Depending on the main focus of fear and / or worry, we speak of one disorder or another.
Today we will analyze two types of anxiety disorder: agoraphobia and social phobia, with the intention of defining their main differences, since they are two disorders that are often confused.
- In case you need it: “How to overcome a phobia? Useful tips and treatments”
Agoraphobia and Social Phobia: Overview
Before we move forward and discuss their differences, we believe it is important to define them well in order to have a more complete knowledge about these disorders.
What is agoraphobia?
Agoraphobiais an anxiety disorder that lies, fundamentally, in which you are afraid of places orsituations that could cause panicand make the person feel trapped, helpless or ashamed.
The person is usually afraid of feeling anxious when they are in some situations, in case they cannot leave or ask for help if they need it. Most people who suffer from agoraphobia suffer from it after having one or more panic attacks, which makes them worry about having an attack again, so they avoid places where it can happen again.
They have difficulty feeling safe in apublic place, especially those where crowds gather. For this reason, many people tend to avoid taking public transport, or go to concerts or nightclubs and have a hard time in large cities with a high influx of people. They may feel the need to have a companion to go to public places and the fear can be so overwhelming that they are likely to feel that they cannot leave the house.
What is social phobia?
Also known associal anxiety disorder, it is based on thepersistent fear of being watched and judgedby others. It is a common type of anxiety and people who suffer from it feel anxiety or fear in front of social situations such as meeting new people, having appointments or having to talk to a supermarket cashier. Sometimes even eating in front of other people or using the public restroom can cause them anxiety or fear.
They are afraid of being humiliated, judged and rejected and, as a result, fear gets in the way of their ability to go to work, attend school, or do everyday things. People with this disorder may worry about these things and others even weeks before they occur.
For this reason, the person tries to avoid facing social situations, or if they live them, for them it is a process that takes place with a lot of anxiety or fear. Social phobia usually begins in early to mid-adolescence, although it can sometimes begin during childhood or adulthood.
Differences between agoraphobia and social phobia
Although they may seem similar, agoraphobia is based on the fear of situations that can trigger panic and the inability to flee. Instead, social phobia is the fear of not fitting into society, of being judged and rejected.
Let’s discuss the main differences between these two types of disorder.
1. The causes are different
While both may stem from a traumatic phenomenon from the past, the onset of agoraphobia can be located in apanic attack away from home. This traumatic experience marks the person a lot, who from this moment is very afraid that it will be repeated. In addition, they are afraid of suffering this panic attack alone without anyone being able to help them or without being able to escape. Fear is born of not being in a safe place.
On the contrary, the origin of socialphobia is usually multifactorial, intervening biological, social, temperamental and environmental factors. It can happen because of a traumatic experience where they felt embarrassed or humiliated when they were young. It usually appears in adolescence and can be the cause of overprotective parents. They are afraid of social situations because they are afraid of being judged.
2. Social phobia increases the risk of substance abuse
People who suffer from social phobia may be more likely to fall intodrug dependenceor alcoholism, since they are disinhibitory substances that can help them relate to other people in a more relaxed way without being so tense. On the contrary, there seems to be no such clear relationship between agoraphobia and substance abuse.
3. Symptoms differ
Agoraphobic disorder responds to psychological causes and suffers from anxiety due to a cognitive state that makes you be on excessive alert. It is precisely this fear of exposing oneself to places that do not seem safe that arouse an intense physical response that causes sweating, fainting, shortness of breath, palpitations and even vertigo.
If the person is accompanied the symptoms decrease or disappear. Thesymptomatology of agoraphobiais as follows:
- Fear or anxiety on public transport, enclosed and open spaces, having to queue or having to wait, and being alone and away from home.
- Intrusive thoughts related to the difficulty of escaping a stressful place.
- Fear of panic or other symptoms involving distress and incapacitation.
- Not being exposed to real fear.
- Being afraid of dying.
On the other hand, if people who suffer from social phobia can suffer the same physical symptoms as people with agoraphobia, they differ in that they feel that their mind goes blank, they experience a certain blush and their voice trembles. Signs andsymptoms of social phobiainclude:
- Fear of situations where they feel they could be judged.
- Anguish at feeling ashamed or humiliated.
- Fear that others will notice that they are anxious.
- Waiting for the worst possible consequences of a negative experience in a social situation.
- Avoid situations where they can be the center of attention.
4. The treatments are different
Both disorders can be treated with psychotherapy using thecognitive-behavioral model. But in agoraphobia the intervention model is also based on gradual exposure to the situations that generate panic attacks in order for the stressful stimulus to disappear.
In the case of social phobia, the same pattern of desensitization to stressful stimuli (in this case social contact) is followed. In addition, it is also important that it focuses on strengthening the patient’s own autonomy and helping him gain confidence with himself, teaching to recognize the negative thoughts he has about him to modify them. In the same way, therapy will give you tools to enhance those skills that help you gain confidence in social interactions.
References
- APA (2014). “DSM-5. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders”. Editorial Panamericana.
- Gómez, A.E. (2012). “Anxiety disorders. Agoraphobia and panic attacks.” Professional pharmacy.
- National Institute of Mental Health. (2017). “Social Anxiety Disorder: Beyond Simple Shyness.” Nih
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.