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Is agoraphobia a female-only condition? Female agoraphobics greatly outnumber men with agoraphobia and I think it’s interesting to think about why this is.

Some experts think that men are mre reluctant to seek help so we just don’t know that these male agoraphobics are out there. A study in America showed that men were more likely to mask their symptoms by drinking alcohol rather than seek help.

Other researchers think that the traditional role of a woman being ‘at home’ means they are more prone to agoraphobia. Or could female hormones be playing a part? Although Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) still isn’t officially a ‘real’ condition, no woman doubts that it exists! There is very little research in this area but there are indications that the female hormone progesterone can have an effect on serotonin (the hormone in the brain associated with depression, anxiety and other related conditions). The female hormones progesterone and osetrogen fluctuate during our monthly cycle and go through huge changes during pregnancy, after giving birth and the menopause.

This could be one reason why women are prone to agoraphobia and why our panic attacks can be worst before a period and at certain times in our lives. One way to see if PMS is affecting your agoraphobia is to keep a diary. Monitor your anxiety levels on scale of 0-5 (zero is completely calm, 5 being total panic), note when you have a panic attack and when your period starts. After three months, you should be able to see if there is a link.

When I spoke to the Natural Health Advisory Service when I wrote my book, they told me they had once carried out a survey which showed a high percentage of women with PMS experienced agoraphobia in the run-up to their period. This isn’t the same of course as a clinical study but all points towards a link between female hormones and anxiety levels.

If you think PMS or the menopause are playing a part in your agoraphobia there is a lot of help out there. A good place to start is with Natural Health Advisory Service and the book No More PMS by Maryon Stewart, available on their site.