Claustrophobia is fear of enclosed spaces — lifts, tunnels, small rooms. Agoraphobia is often described as fear of open spaces, but it is more precisely a fear of situations where escape would be difficult or help unavailable, which is why it can include crowds, public transport and queues as well as open ground.
The core difference
Commonly presented as opposites, though the second is broader than the popular definition.
- claustrophobia — fear of enclosed or confined spaces.
- agoraphobia — fear of situations where escape is difficult or help unavailable: crowds, transport, open or public places.
Why "fear of open spaces" is too narrow
The word comes from Greek agora, the marketplace — a public gathering place rather than an empty field. The defining feature is the difficulty of leaving, which is why someone with agoraphobia may find a crowded train as difficult as an open square, and why the two conditions are not simple opposites.
The suffix
-phobia is Greek phobos, fear. Claustro- is Latin claustrum, an enclosed place — the same root as cloister.
This page explains the words. It is not a diagnostic guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is agoraphobia just fear of open spaces?
That is the popular definition but too narrow. It is more precisely a fear of situations where escape would be difficult, which can include crowds and transport.
Are the two conditions opposites?
They are often presented that way, but not really — someone can find both a confined lift and a crowded train difficult.
What does agora mean?
The Greek marketplace or public gathering place, which is why the term is about public situations rather than emptiness.