Agoraphobia vs. Trichotillomania

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Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder that is characterized by fear and panic like symptoms and is a “specific phobia”. Specific phobias are extreme fears of a specific object or situation. Patients diagnosed with agoraphobia experience intense fear at the thought of two or more of the following situations; “being outside of the home alone; traveling in public transportation; being in open spaces; being in stores or theaters; or standing in line or in crowds”. (Sue, Sue, Sue & Sue) Agoraphobics fear comes from the thought of “no escape”. Patients diagnosed with Agoraphobia also have trouble with overacting body stimulation, and experience trouple coping with routine change. Agoraphobia is more commonly diagnosed in females. Agoraphobia or AG was first accepted internationally as a diagnosis in the 1970’s. (Witchen, 2009) Treatment for people suffering from Agoraphobia is not generally easy for them. Treatment usually comes with facing many of their fears, and requires a trip to the doctor’s office, which most of them are scared to take. (Tracy, 2012) Treatment can also include psychotherapy and medications such as SSRI’s. Trichotillomania is an obsessive compulsive disorder. Obsessive compulsive disorders are intrusive, repetitive thoughts or images that produce anxiety and/or the need to perform acts or to dwell on thought to reduce anxiety. (Sue, Sue, Sue & Sue) Trichotillomania is the irresistible urge to pull ones hair. The hair pulling is sometimes done consciously or absent minded. Patient that experience trichotillomania sometimes have bald spots, and/or display thin or missing eyebrows or eyelashes. Trichotillomania has a high presence in women, and symptoms usually show by age 17. Treatment for Trichotillomania includes psychotherapy and medications such as SSRI’s and antidepressants. Agoraphobia and Trichotillomania are similar in the fact that they both
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