Agoraphobia: All you need to know about the fear of being in open or closed spaces

Most anxiety disorders have a tendency to run in the family. Children with at least one parent having any anxiety disorder have higher chances of being diagnosed with agoraphobia.

agoraphobia, fear of spaces, anxiety, indian express — As is the case in most other anxiety disorders, multiple theories and contributing factors have been suggested for contributing towards the development of agoraphobia. (Representative photo: iStock / Getty Images Plus)

Feeling anxious, worrying or feeling apprehensive is an experience common for a lot of us within our daily lives, which could be in association with specific situations. Agoraphobia is a type of anxiety disorder which is characterised by a marked fear or anxiety about two or more of the following five situations: (a) using public transport; (b) being in open spaces; (c) being in closed spaces; (d) standing in a line or crowd; and (e) being outside of the home alone.