Agoraphobia Center - Allentown, PA
Allentown Psychiatrist Doctors for AgoraphobiaType of Physician: Psychiatrist What is a Psychiatrist? A certification by the Board of Psychiatry & Neurology; practitioners are skilled in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of mental, addictive and emotional disorders. He or she is trained to understand the biological, psychological and social components of illness and is qualified to order diagnostic laboratory tests and to prescribe medications, as well as to evaluate and treat psychological and interpersonal problems. The psychiatrist is also prepared to intervene with individuals and families who are coping with stress, crises, and other problems in living. Specialty: Psychiatry Common Name: Psychiatrist Doctors in Allentown * Farhad Sholevar MD  Allentown Psychiatric Associates  Allentown Psychiatric Associates  Allentown Psychiatric Associates  Alex T Thomas MD  Houshang Hamadani MD  Daniel Goldfarb MD  Lehigh Valley Hospital General Psychiatry  Johanna Klaassen MD  Ronald Krisch MD  Lehigh Valley Hospital Psychiatry Cedar Crest  Adolescent Transitions  Lehigh Valley Hospital General Psychiatry  Lehigh Valley Hospital General Psychiatry  Lehigh Valley Hospital General Psychiatry  Lehigh Valley Hospital Psychiatry Cedar Crest  Lehigh Valley Hospital General Psychiatry  The Mitchell Center  The Mitchell Center  Eric Becker MD  Muhlenberg Hospital Center Psychiatry Dept  Muhlenberg Behavioral Health  Muhlenberg Hospital Center Psychiatry Dept  Lehigh Valley Hospital Psychiatry Muhlenberg  Lehigh Valley Hospital Psychiatry Muhlenberg  Muhlenberg Behavioral Health  Muhlenberg Behavioral Health  Muhlenberg Behavioral Health  Lehigh Valley Hospital Psychiatry Muhlenberg  Muhlenberg Behavioral Health  Psychiatric Associates  Psychiatric Associates  Psychiatric Associates  Psychiatric Associates  Marsha W Snyder MD  Northwestern Human Services  John C Lychak MD  John F Rogers MD  Lehigh Valley Community Mental Health  Lehigh Valley Community Mental Health  Clifford Schilke MD  Corazon Guerra MD  Herbert Machowsky MD  Penn Foundation  Penn Foundation  Penn Foundation  Penn Foundation  Penn Foundation  Mood and Memory Associates  Yong S Shin MD & Associates  Andrew R Bolmann MD  Robert Kalish MD  Creative Health  Willard J Shanken MD  Right Brain Psychiatry  Northwestern Human Services  Project Transition  Project Transition  Mark H Bernstein MD  Penn Psychiatric Center  Penn Psychiatric Center  Delaware Valley Mental Health  Delaware Valley Mental Health  Michael Buxbaum MD  Roger M Smith MD  Lighthouse Psychiatry  Lenape Valley Foundation  Lenape Valley Foundation  Lenape Valley Foundation  Lenape Valley Foundation  Lenape Valley Foundation  Lighthouse Psychiatry  Lenape Valley Foundation  Donald B Levin MD  Linda M Young MD PC  Katherine K Harris MD  Basem K Shlewiet MD  Valley Forge Medical Ctr  Drs Catton & Gorman  Bernard E Comber MD  Drs Catton & Gorman  Ilan S Levinson MD  Louisa Lance MD  Jack A Gomberg MD  Barry K Nelson MD  Lynne J Nugent MD  Pragna Patel MD  William C Stoltz MD  Fredericka C Tate MD & Joan S Timmons MD  Fredericka C Tate MD & Joan S Timmons MD  Eugene Jennings MD  David A Nover MD  Patrick McDonough & Peter Ganime MD  Patrick McDonough & Peter Ganime MD  Charles V Giannasio MD  Jonathan H Claney MD  Montgomery Psychiatry  Martha A Turnberg MD  Central Montgomery Mental Health Center  Central Montgomery Mental Health Center Allentown, PennsylvaniaUpcoming Local Events2012-05-20
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AgoraphobiaRead the Agoraphobia article » What is agoraphobia?A phobia is generally defined as the unrelenting fear of a situation, activity, or thing that causes one to want to avoid it. The definition of agoraphobia is a fear of being outside or otherwise being in a situation from which one either cannot escape or from which escaping would be difficult or humiliating. Phobias are largely underreported, probably because many phobia sufferers find ways to avoid the situations to which they are phobic. The fact that agoraphobia often occurs in combination with panic disorder makes tracking how often it occurs all the more difficult. Other facts about agoraphobia include that researchers estimate it occurs in less than 1 percent to almost 7 percent of the population and that it is specifically thought to be grossly underdiagnosed. What causes agoraphobia?There are a number of theories about what can cause agoraphobia. One hypothesis is that agoraphobia develops in response to repeated exposure to anxiety-provoking events. Mental-health theory that focuses on how individuals react to internal emotional conflicts (psychoanalytic theory) describes agoraphobia as the result of a feeling of emptiness that comes from an unresolved Oedipal conflict, which is a struggle between the feelings the person has toward the opposite-sex parent and a sense of competition with the same-sex parent. Although agoraphobia, like other mental disorders, is caused by a number of factors, it also tends to run in families and for some people, may have a clear genetic factor contributing to its development. What are the symptoms of agoraphobia?The symptoms of agoraphobia include anxiety that one will have a panic attack when in a situation from which escape is not possible or is difficult or embarrassing. The panic attack associated with agoraphobia, like all panic attacks, may involve intense fear, dis... Recommended Reading Related to AgoraphobiaWhat are panic attacks?Panic attacks may be symptoms of an anxiety disorder. These attacks are a serious health problem in the U.S. At least 20% of adult Americans, or about 60 million people, will suffer from panic attacks at some point in their lives. About 1.7% of adult Americans, or about 3 million people, will have full-blown panic disorder at some time in their lives, twice as often for women than men. The peak age at which people have their first panic attack (onset) is 15-19 years. Another fact about panic is that this symptom is strikingly different from other types of anxiety; panic attacks are so very sudden and often unexpected, appear to be unprovoked, and are often disabling. Childhood panic disorder facts include that about 0.7% of children suffer from panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder and that although panic is found to occur twice as often in women compared to men, boys and girls tend to experience this disorder a... Other Related Agoraphobia ArticlesEmergency Contact for Allentown
Nearby Allentown Hospitals *Lehigh Valley Hospital 17th & Chew Streets Sacred Heart Hospital Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital Allentown St Luke's Hospital Allentown Campus Allentown State Hospital Lehigh Valley Hospital Cedar Crest St Luke's Hospital Bethlehem Campus Westfield Hospital Lehigh Valley Hospital Muhlenberg Center Good Shepherd Home Bethlehem KidsPeace Children's Hospital St Luke's Quakertown Hospital Easton Hospital Triumph Hospital Easton Blue Mountain Health System Palmerton Campus Warren Hospital Grand View Hospital Blue Mountain Health System Gnaden Huetten Campus Pottstown Memorial Medical Center Central Montgomery Medical Center Foundations Behavioral Health Doylestown Hospital St Luke's Miners Memorial Hospital Senator Garret W Hagedorn Psychiatric Hospital St Joseph Medical Center Eagleville Hospital Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital at Pocono Medical Center Pocono Medical Center The Reading Hospital & Medical Center Valley Forge Medical Center & Hospital HEALTHSOUTH Reading Rehabilitation Hospital Hunterdon Medical Center Montgomery County Emergency Service Mercy Suburban Hospital Phoenixville Hospital Norristown State Hospital Horsham Clinic Montgomery Hospital Brooke Glen Behavioral Hospital Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
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Anxiety
- Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension and fear characterized by physical symptoms. Anxiety disorders are serious medical illnesses that affect approximately 19 million American adults.
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Panic Attacks
- Panic attacks are sudden feelings of terror that strike without warning. These episodes can occur at any time, even during sleep. A person experiencing a panic attack may believe that he or she is having a heart attack or that death is imminent. The fear and terror that a person experiences during a panic attack are not in proportion to the true situation and may be unrelated to what is happening around them. Most people with panic attacks experience several of the following symptoms: racing heartbeat, faintness, dizzyness, numbness or tingling in the hands and fingers, chills, chest pains, difficulty breathing, and a feeling of loss or control. There are several treatments for panic attacks.
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Alcoholism
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Stress
- Stress occurs when forces from the outside world impinge on the individual. Stress is a normal part of life. However, over-stress, can be harmful. There is now speculation, as well as some evidence, that points to the abnormal stress responses as being involved in causing various diseases or conditions.
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Depression
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Suicide
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Phobias
- Phobias are unrelenting fears of activities (social phobias), situations (agoraphobia), and specific items (arachnophobia). There is thought to be a hereditary component to phobias, though there may be a cultural influence or they may be triggered by life events. Symptoms and signs of phobias include having a panic attack, shaking, breathing troubles, rapid heart beat, and a strong desire to escape the situation. Treatment of phobias typically involves desensitization, cognitive behavioral therapy, and medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and beta blockers.
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Mental Health
- Mental health is an optimal way of thinking, relating to others, and feeling. All of the diagnosable mental disorders fall under the umbrella of mental illness. Depression, anxiety, and substance-abuse disorders are common types of mental illness. Symptoms and signs of mental illness include irritability, moodiness, insomnia, headaches, and sadness. Treatment may involve psychotherapy and medication.
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