Agoraphobia is derived from the Greek word agora meaning market place It presents as several fears concerning public places and being unable to escape should the sufferer succumb to anxiety. It is commonly referred to as a fear of open spaces and presents as a fear of being outside the boundaries of a place of safety – at least according to the perspective of the sufferer. The definition of fear of open spaces can of course apply literally however this definition can be misleading as this is not the only manifestation: Agoraphobic anxiety extends to enclosed spaces such as supermarkets and indeed any crowded public place. Agoraphobic anxiety is also present in other everyday situations some of the most common are: having to wait in a queue, crossing bridges and of course travelling. Travelling is an extremely terrifying experience for the sufferer of agoraphobia and the further the distance travelled the more his or her anxieties increase as the place of safety becomes more distant. However according to the degree of severity extreme and overwhelming fear can happen even at ones garden gate, when incapacitated and paralysed by fear the sufferer is unable to proceed further, he or she may not even get beyond the front door to venture to the local shop let alone the next town. My Sister Lynda’s Story suffered with extreme agoraphobia and I recall during a particularly difficult time in which her illness was severe seeing her literally immobilised standing at her front door as though paralysed  unable to move across the threshold as though restrained by some unseen force, a look of sheer horror on her face. The fear is often undefined, the sufferer is beset by severe and pervasive anxiety and feeling unsafe the agoraphobic has an overwhelmingly anxious urge to return to a place of safety usually his or her home. Sometimes in extreme cases even such boundaries as ones own home can diminish until the sufferer becomes confined to one room. Eventually the trauma extends to feelings of a pervasive anxiety for most of the time along with depression and frustration from wanting to live their lives like others yet so afraid to overstep their boundaries; watching life pass by, as they stand on the periphery of existence yet unable to do anything to restrain this tormenter from within. However agoraphobia like all other phobias is treatable and with an enormous amount of effort and on going courage the sufferer can lead a normal life. Often sufferers with agoraphobia also suffer with panic disorder and panic attacks.

Article  Agoraphobia

Also see  A day in the life of an agoraphobic/anorexia nervosa sufferer