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zac efron reveals he deals with agoraphobia

the baywatch star and physical health advocate says he avoids large crowds and prefers to stay home.

does zac efron have agoraphobia?
zac efron has agoraphobia, a condition that is 61 per cent heritable. (photo by chris delmas / afp)
zac efron, emmy-award winner and previous teenage heartthrob, says he avoids crowds and prefers to stay at home due to agoraphobia.

in the revealing interview with men’s health , efron talks candidly about his agoraphobia, which is an anxiety disorder where you fear and avoid places or situations that might make you feel trapped or helpless, like being in crowds or sometimes even leaving your home.

“i just don’t go out,” efron, 34, told men’s health. “people in large groups, it triggers my agoraphobia.”

efron, whose film the greatest beer run ever comes out september 30, has a new health and fitness outlook where he’s committed to a more holistic approach, including stretching and self-massage. he does foam-rolling before training and before bed, and ice-bathing.

“it’s my favourite part of the day. before is when it’s most miserable, and when you finally just commit and jump in there. from that point forward, you’ve conquered something deep within you; you do not want to get cold,” he says. “that’s the simplest philosophy: anything you don’t want to do, make it a habit.”

zac efron reveals he deals with agoraphobia

while there’s an assumption agoraphobia is a fear of crowds, there’s more to it. those with the relatively rare phobia fear an actual or anticipated situation and loss of control. it can occur when using public transportation, being in open or enclosed spaces, standing in line, or being in a crowd.

the anxiety is caused by fear that there’s no simple escape or way to get help if the anxiety intensifies, according to the mayo clinic . often, agoraphobia develops after individuals experience panic attacks in public places. this creates the fear or worry of having another attack, and can lead patients to avoid the places where it may happen again.

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in fact, people with agoraphobia can find it challenging to feel safe in any public place and crowds often intensify the sense of panic. they experience high discomfort and stress in these situations, and may require another person’s company.

f or agoraphobia to be considered as a diagnosis, the agoraphobic situations must almost always create fear and anxiety that is out of proportion to the actual danger possible, according to psychology today . the distress typically lasts for a minimum of six months, and its most severe form, people are unable to leave their homes.

approximately 1.3 per cent of the u.s. population will experience agoraphobia at some point in their lives, with 0.9 per cent of the population having experienced it in the past year, as reported by the national institute of mental health . the rate is slightly higher for females and initial onset is usually in late adolescence or early adulthood, although agoraphobia can occur in childhood as well.

genetics play a role in developing agoraphobia

like most mental health issues, the cause of agoraphobia can be hard to pinpoint. the likelihood of developing any type of anxiety is the result of a combination of experiences, psychological traits and genetics.

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agoraphobia is 61 per cent heritable, meaning there is likely a genetic predisposition to developing this phobia, according to psychology today. besides genetic, environmental factors such as being raised in an overprotective household and experiencing a stressful event — such as the death of a parent and being attacked or mugged.

treatments can help ‘escape the trap’

agoraphobia treatment can be challenging because it often involves confronting your fears. but psychotherapy and medications have proven highly successful, allowing people to “escape the trap of agoraphobia and live a more enjoyable life,” according to the mayo clinic .

cognitive behavioural therapy can help patients to modify or eliminate thought patterns that bring on the symptoms, while graded exposure therapy exposes them to real situations, gradually working to more anxiety-inducing situations. for instance, to overcome a fear of crowds, a patient may start connecting with a few people in safe settings, working their way to larger and larger groups and more unpredictable settings.

agoraphobia in the spotlight

both kim basinger and donny osmond have also been candid about their agoraphobia. osmond says that his anxiety started at age 11 and being a star at such a young age “took its toll.”

“there are times i remember before i walked on stage,” osmond told cbs news in 2000,  “where if i had the choice of walking on stage or dying, i would have chosen death.”

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karen hawthorne is a toronto-based writer.
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karen hawthorne
karen hawthorne

karen hawthorne worked for six years as a digital editor for the national post, contributing articles on health, business, culture and travel for affiliated newspapers across canada. she now writes from her home office in toronto as a freelancer, and takes breaks to bounce with her son on the backyard trampoline and walk bingo, her bull terrier.

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