Agoraphobia Definitions and Symptoms

Agoraphobia vs. Social Phobia: What's the Difference?

by Stephen Price

Agoraphobia and social phobia differ in the nature of avoidance behavior. People with social phobia are afraid of social settings that involve groups of people or crowds.

The fears of people with social phobia include the presence of or interaction with other people. For example, a person with social phobia would feel safe walking along in the forest on a secluded beach.

Agoraphobia, on the other hand, is the fear of open and public spaces, in the presence or absence of other people. People with agoraphobia typically avoid crowds or social situations because they fear having a panic attack and embarrassing themselves.

But people with agoraphobia, unlike those with social phobia, would also be afraid to walk alone in a forest or on a secluded beach because no one would be around to help if they had a panic attack or medical emergency.