Causes and Development of Agoraphobia

Is Agoraphobia a Women's Disease?

by Stephen Price

Approximately four out of five people diagnosed with agoraphobia are female. This statistic has led some to refer to agoraphobia as a “women’s disease.” It has also lead researchers on a quest for an explanation.

Here are some explanations for the disproportionate number of women diagnosed with agoraphobia that are being explored in various studies:

• Women are more likely to engage in help-seeking behavior, therefore, more women are actually diagnosed with agoraphobia.

• Masculine sex-role stereotypes make it hard for men to openly admit feelings of anxiety, making men with anxiety disorders such as agoraphobia less likely to be diagnosed.

• When men do experience the symptoms of agoraphobia they are more likely to turn to alcohol and get diagnosed as alcoholics.

• Traditional female sex roles prescribe women to react to anxiety by engaging in dependent and helpless behavior (like the behavior of an agoraphobic).

• Women are more likely to stay at home alone during the day, making them more likely to become aware and worry about unusual bodily sensations.

• Female hormones (estrogen and progesterone) decrease during the pre-menstrual phase making it easier for women to develop conditioned anxiety responses.

Despite the research conducted so far, the jury is still out on the question of why more women are diagnosed with agoraphobia. While there are convincing studies that support each of the above explanations, there are equally convincing studies that do not.

Explaining the gender gap in the diagnosis of agoraphobia is an area in need of further research.