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Overview

Agoraphobia (ag-uh-ruh-FOE-be-uh) is a type of anxiety disorder in which you fear and avoid places or situations that might cause you to panic and make you feel trapped, helpless or embarrassed. You fear an actual or anticipated situation, such as using public transportation, being in open or enclosed spaces, standing in line, or being in a crowd.

The anxiety is caused by fear that there's no easy way to escape or get help if the anxiety intensifies. Most people who have agoraphobia develop it after having one or more panic attacks, causing them to worry about having another attack and avoid the places where it may happen again.

People with agoraphobia often have a hard time feeling safe in any public place, especially where crowds gather. You may feel that you need a companion, such as a relative or friend, to go with you to public places. The fear can be so overwhelming that you may feel unable to leave your home.

Agoraphobia treatment can be challenging because it usually means confronting your fears. But with psychotherapy and medications, you can escape the trap of agoraphobia and live a more enjoyable life.

Symptoms

Typical agoraphobia symptoms include fear of:

Leaving home alone

Crowds or waiting in line

Enclosed spaces, such as movie theaters, elevators or small stores

Open spaces, such as parking lots, bridges or malls

Using public transportation, such as a bus, plane or train

These situations cause anxiety because you fear you won't be able to escape or find help if you start to feel panicked or have other disabling or embarrassing symptoms.

In addition:

Fear or anxiety almost always results from exposure to the situation

Your fear or anxiety is out of proportion to the actual danger of the situation

You avoid the situation, you need a companion to go with you, or you endure the situation but are extremely distressed

You experience significant distress or problems with social situations, work or other areas in your life because of the fear, anxiety or avoidance

Your phobia and avoidance usually lasts six months or longer

Panic disorder and agoraphobia

Some people have a panic disorder in addition to agoraphobia. Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder in which you experience sudden attacks of extreme fear that reach a peak within a few minutes and trigger intense physical symptoms (panic attacks). You might think that you're totally losing control, having a heart attack or even dying.

Fear of another panic attack can lead to avoiding similar circumstances or the place where it occurred in an attempt to prevent future panic attacks.

Signs and symptoms of a panic attack can include:

Rapid heart rate

Trouble breathing or a feeling of choking

Chest pain or pressure

Lightheadedness or dizziness

Feeling shaky, numb or tingling

Excessive sweating

Sudden flushing or chills

Upset stomach or diarrhea

Feeling a loss of control

Fear of dying

When to see a doctor

Agoraphobia can severely limit your ability to socialize, work, attend important events and even manage the details of daily life, such as running errands.

Don't let agoraphobia make your world smaller. Call your doctor if you have signs or symptoms listed above.

Causes

Biology - including health conditions and genetics - temperament, environmental stress and learning experiences may all play a role in the development of agoraphobia.

Risk factors

Agoraphobia can begin in childhood, but usually starts in the late teen or early adult years - usually before age 35 - but older adults can also develop it. Women are diagnosed with agoraphobia more often than men are.

Risk factors for agoraphobia include:

Having panic disorder or other phobias

Responding to panic attacks with excessive fear and avoidance

Experiencing stressful life events, such as abuse, the death of a parent or being attacked

Having an anxious or nervous temperament

Having a blood relative with agoraphobia

Complications

Agoraphobia can greatly limit your life's activities. If your agoraphobia is severe, you may not even be able to leave your home. Without treatment, some people become housebound for years. You may not be able to visit with family and friends, go to school or work, run errands, or take part in other normal daily activities. You may become dependent on others for help.

Agoraphobia can also lead to or be associated with:

Depression

Alcohol or drug abuse

Other mental health disorders, including other anxiety disorders or personality disorders

Prevention

There's no sure way to prevent agoraphobia. However, anxiety tends to increase the more you avoid situations that you fear. If you start to have mild fears about going places that are safe, try to practice going to those places over and over again before your fear becomes overwhelming. If this is too hard to do on your own, ask a family member or friend to go with you, or seek professional help.

If you experience anxiety going places or have panic attacks, get treatment as soon as possible. Get help early to keep symptoms from getting worse. Anxiety, like many other mental health conditions, can be harder to treat if you wait.

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Agoraphobia (ag-uh-ruh-FOE-be-uh) is a type of anxiety disorder in which you fear and avoid places or situations that might cause you to panic and make you feel trapped, helpless or embarrassed. You fear an actual or anticipated situation, such as using public transportation, being in open or enclosed spaces, standing in line, or being in a crowd.

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Overview

Separation anxiety is a normal stage of development for infants and toddlers. Young children often experience a period of separation anxiety, but most children outgrow separation anxiety by about 3 years of age.

In some children, separation anxiety is a sign of a more serious condition known as separation anxiety disorder, starting as early as preschool age.

If your child's separation anxiety seems intense or prolonged - especially if it interferes with school or other daily activities or includes panic attacks or other problems - he or she may have separation anxiety disorder. Most frequently this relates to the child's anxiety about his or her parents, but it could relate to another close caregiver.

Less often, separation anxiety disorder can also occur in teenagers and adults, causing significant problems leaving home or going to work. But treatment can help.

Symptoms

Separation anxiety disorder is diagnosed when symptoms are excessive for the developmental age and cause significant distress in daily functioning. Symptoms may include:

Recurrent and excessive distress about anticipating or being away from home or loved ones

Constant, excessive worry about losing a parent or other loved one to an illness or a disaster

Constant worry that something bad will happen, such as being lost or kidnapped, causing separation from parents or other loved ones

Refusing to be away from home because of fear of separation

Not wanting to be home alone and without a parent or other loved one in the house

Reluctance or refusing to sleep away from home without a parent or other loved one nearby

Repeated nightmares about separation

Frequent complaints of headaches, stomachaches or other symptoms when separation from a parent or other loved one is anticipated

Separation anxiety disorder may be associated with panic disorder and panic attacks ― repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes.

When to see a doctor

Separation anxiety disorder usually won't go away without treatment and can lead to panic disorder and other anxiety disorders into adulthood.

If you have concerns about your child's separation anxiety, talk to your child's pediatrician or other health care provider.

Causes

Sometimes, separation anxiety disorder can be triggered by life stress that results in separation from a loved one. Genetics may also play a role in developing the disorder.

Risk factors

Separation anxiety disorder most often begins in childhood, but may continue into the teenage years and sometimes into adulthood.

Risk factors may include:

Life stresses or loss that result in separation, such as the illness or death of a loved one, loss of a beloved pet, divorce of parents, or moving or going away to school

Certain temperaments, which are more prone to anxiety disorders than others are

Family history, including blood relatives who have problems with anxiety or an anxiety disorder, indicating that those traits could be inherited

Environmental issues, such as experiencing some type of disaster that involves separation

Complications

Separation anxiety disorder causes major distress and problems functioning in social situations or at work or school.

Disorders that can accompany separation anxiety disorder include:

Other anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks, phobias, social anxiety disorder or agoraphobia

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Depression

Prevention

There's no sure way to prevent separation anxiety disorder in your child, but these recommendations may help.

Seek professional advice as soon as possible if you're concerned that your child's anxiety is much worse than a normal developmental stage. Early diagnosis and treatment can help reduce symptoms and prevent the disorder from getting worse.

Stick with the treatment plan to help prevent relapses or worsening of symptoms.

Seek professional treatment if you have anxiety, depression or other mental health concerns, so that you can model healthy coping skills for your child.

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Separation anxiety disorder - Symptoms and causes

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Separation anxiety is a normal stage of development for infants and toddlers. Young children often experience a period of separation anxiety, but most children outgrow separation anxiety by about 3 years of age. In some children, separation anxiety is a sign of a more serious condition known as separation anxiety disorder, starting as early as preschool age.

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Child Mind Institute | Transforming Children’s Lives.

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The Child Mind Institute is an independent nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of children struggling with mental health and learning disorders.

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How Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) Is Treated

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Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is treated with different forms of therapy.

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Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children.

The IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to more than 8 million (as of school year 2022-23) eligible infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities.

Infants and toddlers, birth through age 2, with disabilities and their families receive early intervention services under IDEA Part C. Children and youth ages 3 through 21 receive special education and related services under IDEA Part B.

Additionally, the IDEA authorizes:

Formula grants to states to support special education and related services and early intervention services.

Discretionary grants to state educational agencies, institutions of higher education, and other nonprofit organizations to support research, demonstrations, technical assistance and dissemination, technology development, personnel preparation and development, and parent-training and -information centers.

Congress reauthorized the IDEA in 2004 and most recently amended the IDEA through Public Law 114-95, the Every Student Succeeds Act, in December 2015.

In the law, Congress states:

Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society. Improving educational results for children with disabilities is an essential element of our national policy of ensuring equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities.

Other Laws for Children with Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) provides additional resources of interest for individuals with disabilities and their families.

OCR does not enforce the IDEA; however, OCR does enforce the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Title II rights of IDEA-eligible students with disabilities.

To learn more, visit the OCR's Frequently Asked Questions About Section 504 and the Education of Children with Disabilities.

Visit OCR's website for additional resources.

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About IDEA - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

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The IDEA is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children.

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Building positive relationships with students through individual counseling

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Building positive relationships with students through individual counseling

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Texas Education Agency. (2021, September 28). Section 504. Texas Education Agency. 
https://tea.texas.gov/academics/special-student-populations/section-504 

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What is Section 504

The U.S. Department of Education enforces Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, (Section 504) a civil rights statute which prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) also enforces Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Title II), which extends this prohibition against discrimination to the full range of state and local government services, programs, and activities (including public schools) regardless of whether they receive any Federal financial assistance. The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (Amendments Act), effective January 1, 2009, amended the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and included a conforming amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act) that affects the meaning of disability in Section 504. The standards adopted by the ADA were designed not to restrict the rights or remedies available under Section 504. The Title II regulations applicable to free appropriate public education issues do not provide greater protection than applicable Section 504 regulations. This guidance focuses primarily on Section 504.

Section 504 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs or activities that receive Federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Education. For more details, please refer to the United States Department of Education Section 504 Frequently Asked Questions document.

Students protected under Section 504

Section 504 covers qualified students with disabilities who attend schools receiving Federal financial assistance. To be protected under Section 504, a student must be determined to: (1) have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; or (2) have a record of such an impairment; or (3) be regarded as having such an impairment. Section 504 requires that school districts provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to qualified students in their jurisdictions who have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. For more details, please refer to the United States Department of Education Section 504 Frequently Asked Questions document.

Evaluation

At the elementary and secondary school level, determining whether a child is a qualified disabled student under Section 504 begins with the evaluation process. Section 504 requires the use of evaluation procedures that ensure that children are not misclassified, unnecessarily labeled as having a disability, or incorrectly placed, based on inappropriate selection, administration, or interpretation of evaluation materials. For more details, please refer to the United States Department of Education Section 504 Frequently Asked Questions document.

Placement

Once a student is identified as being eligible for regular or special education and related aids or services, a decision must be made regarding the type of services the student needs. For more details, please refer to the United States Department of Education Section 504 Frequently Asked Questions document.

Procedural Safeguards

Public elementary and secondary schools must employ procedural safeguards regarding the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of persons who, because of disability, need or are believed to need special instruction or related services. For more details, please refer to the United States Department of Education Section 504 Frequently Asked Questions document.

How to file a complaint

Online: You may file a complaint with OCR using OCR's electronic complaint form at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/complaintintro.html.

Mail or Facsimile: You may mail or send by facsimile information to the address or phone number available at this link. You may use OCR's Discrimination Complaint Form or write your own letter. If you write your own letter, please include:

The complainant's name, address and, if possible (although not required), a telephone number where the complainant may be reached during business hours;

Information about the person(s) or class of persons injured by the alleged discriminatory act(s) (names of the injured person(s) are not required);

The name and location (city and state) of the institution that committed the alleged discriminatory act(s); and

A description of the alleged discriminatory act(s) in sufficient detail to enable OCR to understand what occurred, when it occurred, and the basis for the alleged discrimination.

Email: You may email OCR's Discrimination Complaint Form or your own signed letter to . If you write your own letter, please include the information identified above

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The U.S. Department of Education enforces Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, (Section 504) a civil rights statute which prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) also enforces Title II of the Americans with Disabilities…

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Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

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School Counselor's Response to Eating Disorders

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School Counselor's Response to Eating Disorders

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Useful Resource for making referrals for special education evaluations

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"We initially chose IRIS because of the past experiences and their credible research-based, high-quality modules that align with specific areas of growth and need to support a state-directed corrective action plan in our region."

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"We initially chose IRIS because of the past experiences and their credible research-based, high-quality modules that align with specific areas of growth and need to support a state-directed corrective action plan in our region."

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Parent Guide to OCD- Childmind

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Children with OCD have intrusive thoughts and worries that make them extremely anxious, and they develop rituals they feel compelled to perform to keep those anxieties at bay. This guide explains the often confusing behaviors that can be associated with OCD, and the treatments most effective for hel…

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DSM-5 in Action    Useful resource for identifying signs and symptoms of disorders and treatment options

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DSM-5 in Action: Dziegielewski, Sophia F. + Free Shipping