Understanding the phobia of crowd and its handling

People with phobia of the crowd will feel afraid to get out of the house or go to a place that is considered unsafe. This condition, also called agoraphobia, is pinned on people who are afraid to go to crowded places, such as supermarkets, malls, markets, schools and offices. Crowd phobia is a type of anxiety disorder. Symptoms of agoraphobia can occur when the sufferer is in a situation where it is difficult to find a way out or get help when he feels trapped. Not only phobias or fears to be in the crowd, people who suffer from agoraphobia can also feel afraid or anxious when he has to talk or move in front of many people.

Causes of Phobia of Hustle

Until now, the exact cause of crowd phobia is not really known. Experts suspect that crowd phobia is caused by a combination of several factors, such as psychological problems, past trauma, heredity, and personality disorders. In addition, crowd phobia is also suspected to appear in patients with panic attacks. However, there are people with phobia that have no previous history of panic attacks or trauma. When feeling anxious or panicked, the body will release the hormone adrenaline. This hormone can cause several effects, such as an increase in breathing rate and heart rate. This is a natural mechanism for preparing the body for dangerous situations. Another theory states that crowd phobia is caused by an imbalance in the levels of chemicals in the brain that regulate mood and thought processes. This then affects the mood and behavior, which will cause symptoms such as panic attacks.

Symptoms and Signs of a Phobic Crowd

People who suffer from crowd phobia will experience the following symptoms:

• Anxious when in an environment that is thought to be unsafe.
• Feel free or reluctant to leave the house or go to an unfamiliar place.
• Loss of confidence while in a crowd.
• Avoid every time you are invited to travel.

When people with phobic phlegm feel that they are in a stressful situation, they will experience some physical symptoms, such as heart beating fast or palpitations, shortness of breath, feeling hot or cold sweats, nausea, dizziness, to feel like fainting. In addition to physical symptoms, people with phobia of the crowd can also experience psychological symptoms, such as panic attacks or feeling helpless when in public places, blaming yourself, or feeling embarrassed in front of people. If not treated properly, this condition can affect the quality of life of sufferers because they tend to withdraw from the crowd. People who live with a phobia of crowds will find it difficult to move, go to school, or even work.

How to Overcome Crowd Phobias

To find out whether a person has a phobia of the crowd or not, it is necessary to do a series of psychiatric medical examinations by a psychologist or psychiatrist. When conducting an examination, the doctor or psychologist will ask a number of things related to the symptoms the patient complained of, such as when the phobia symptoms appear, what symptoms are felt, and what kind of situation triggers the appearance of phobia symptoms. If diagnosed with crowd phobia, the patient requires medical treatment consisting of:

Psychotherapy

The purpose of psychotherapy is to encourage people with phobic phenomena to behave more positively and reduce their symptoms. For example, many people with phobia of the crowd have unrealistic thoughts that panic attacks can kill them. With psychotherapy, people with phobia of the crowd will be trained and guided to divert these negative thoughts so that symptoms can be reduced while in the crowd. One form of psychotherapy that is often used is cognitive behavioral therapy.

Taking drugs

The type of medication prescribed by doctors for people with phobic phenomena is the same as medication for treating depression. Some types of antidepressant drugs work by increasing serotonin in the brain. Examples of these drugs are sertraline and fluoxetine. In addition to antidepressants, sedatives or anxiety relievers can also be prescribed by doctors to treat crowd phobias. Untreated crowd phobias can reduce the quality of life. People with crowd phobias will choose to stay at home, so they tend to be unproductive. This can lead to financial difficulties, feelings of loneliness, and feelings of isolation which then increase the risk of depression. Therefore, do not hesitate to see a doctor if you feel inclined to withdraw from the outside world and experience symptoms that lead to crowd phobias.