The term "agoraphobia" comes from the Greeks, the word "agora" meaning the market place. Agoraphobia was a term coined by the German neurologist Westphal in 1871. Westphal felt the term was appropriate because it described how people felt vulnerable in public places and in particular where there was no obvious exit. In his original description, Westphal described his four patients who had attacks of anxiety in public places. He described how several of them used alcohol to reduce their fears. The term agoraphobia has been widely misunderstood by many. …
