What It Really Means When You Have Agoraphobia - The List

Signs that a person may have agoraphobia aren't always clear, and sometimes they can start out as simple preferences. In the early stages, the person might just avoid crowds and small spaces, but as the anxiety grows to the point where they're anxious all day, they may not want to leave the house at all (via Mayo Clinic).

In the beginning, people may start to feel anxious while they're in places they normally go, like school, work, shopping, or other social events. They may notice a fast heartbeat, feel dizzy, sweaty, shaky, and get the chills. They may also get nauseated or have diarrhea. As the anxiety grows and they continue to feel trapped in the situation, they may feel like they're dying because they don't know what's happening to their body. This is also what a panic attack feels like and people prone to agoraphobia are also prone to panic attacks (per Mayo Clinic).

Since the feeling of being out of control is so severe, people soon begin to avoid more and more public places, until eventually, they may fear leaving their homes completely.