Agoraphobia vs Social Anxiety Disorder

What is the difference between agoraphobia vs social anxiety disorder? Though agoraphobia and social anxiety disorder may both result in individuals avoiding situations, the reasons for the avoidance are not the same. Furthermore, individuals with social anxiety disorder are not known to also have agoraphobia. The difference between agoraphobia and social anxiety disorder is that a person with agoraphobia fears having an anxiety attack or losing control in specific situations while a person with social anxiety disorder worries about experiencing embarrassment or judgment in social situations. Therefore, both anxiety disorders can cause a person to attempt to manage their symptoms by using substances like tranquilizers, alcohol, marijuana, pain killers, cocaine, tobacco and stimulants.

What Is Agoraphobia?

Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by a fear of being in situations or places that might be challenging or impossible to escape from or where help might not be available. While the exact causes of agoraphobia are not fully understood, several factors may contribute to its development – people can develop agoraphobia due to a variety of factors such as a history of panic attacks, a tendency towards anxiety or phobic disorders, and stressful life events or trauma.

Another key point, people with agoraphobia often avoid situations like crowded places, public transportation, or open spaces. They may also feel anxious about being alone or away from home. The fear of experiencing a panic attack in these situations can cause individuals with agoraphobia to feel distressed and trapped.

What Is Social Anxiety Disorder?

All in all, social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is an anxiety disorder (not to be confused with a panic disorder) characterized by an intense fear of social situations where the individual may feel embarrassed, humiliated, or judged by others.

Therefore, people with social anxiety disorder may avoid social gatherings, public speaking, or a social situation where they may have to interact with strangers. Altogether, the fear of being scrutinized by others can cause individuals with social anxiety disorder to experience physical symptoms similar to a panic attack, such as sweating, shaking, and heart palpitations.

How are agoraphobia vs social anxiety disorder different from each other?

While both agoraphobia and social anxiety disorder are anxiety-related conditions, they have different causes and implications. Agoraphobia is related to a phobia of specific situations or places, while social anxiety disorder is related to a fear of social interactions. As a result, individuals with agoraphobia may feel anxious and panicked about leaving their homes or being in crowded places, while those with social anxiety disorder may feel anxious and embarrassed in social situations.

An estimated 7.1% of U.S. adults had social anxiety disorder in the past year, while an estimated 0.9% of U.S. adults had agoraphobia in the past year, making social anxiety far more common than agoraphobia.

Symptoms Associated With Agoraphobia

Many people merely associate agoraphobia with the fear of leaving your home, but it’s more than that. Agoraphobia is the fear, anxiety, or avoidance of several of the things like:

Open spaces
Crowds
Waiting in line
Leaving the house or being away from home alone
Having a panic attack in public places
Being in situations where escape might be difficult
Being in situations where they couldn’t be easily helped
Public transportation
Lastly, enclosed spaces (like elevators)

Symptoms Associated With Social Anxiety

Some common symptoms of a social anxiety disorder include:

First of all, fear of being in situations in which you may be judged
Worrying about embarrassing or humiliating yourself in front of others
Intense fear of talking or interacting with strangers
Fear of others noticing your anxiousness
Fear of showing physical symptoms that may cause you embarrassment
Avoiding situations or people for fear of embarrassment
Avoiding situations where you may have everyone’s attention
Having anxiety over a feared activity or event
Feeling intense fear or anxiety in a social situation
Analyzing your performance or finding flaws in your interactions with others
Expecting the worst-case scenario from a negative expiring during interaction with others

Ways to Cope With Agoraphobia

Coping with agoraphobia may involve gradually exposing oneself to feared situations, in a controlled manner, to desensitize yourself to the fear. Basically, using techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy and relaxation techniques, a mental health professional guides the person through these techniques. It is also important to develop a support system, engage in self-care activities, and seek professional help if needed. Also, using treatments, such as systemic desensitization and others, primarily for agoraphobia.

Ways to Cope With Social Anxiety Disorder

Some coping mechanisms that may help with social anxiety may include:

Practicing social skills
Seeking social support
Participating in exposure therapy, where individuals gradually face their fears in a controlled environment
Challenge your fear
Lastly, don’t fight the panic

You may also find it helpful to join a support group. Here are a few to consider:

Anxiety and Depression Association of America
Support Groups Central
Inspire by Mental Health of America

Conclusion

In addition, agoraphobia often develops in response to a specific trauma, such as a panic attack, while social anxiety disorder may have no identifiable trigger. You can take the short quiz to see if you have agoraphobia or social anxiety.

The main difference between the two anxiety disorders is the nature of fear that an individual experiences.

Describing agoraphobia as the fear or anxiety of being in an open space or crowded place. Many people with agoraphobia have a fear of leaving the house. Describing social anxiety as the fear or anxiety of facing society or social situations where scrutiny by others may occur.

Social anxiety is beyond shyness, and victims of this disorder have difficulty interacting with others. On the other hand, people with agoraphobia try to avoid crowded places where they fear having a panic attack and are also afraid to walk alone in secluded areas where help wouldn’t be available if things go wrong. Consequently, people with agoraphobia do not like being in unfamiliar territories. They are relieved when they return to their homes or familiar territories.