**Question:** A middle-aged person presented with complaints of fear of leaving home, fear of travelling alone, and fear of being in a crowd. He develops marked anxiety with palpitations and sweating if he is in these situations. The most likely diagnosis is: AIIMS 06; NIMHANS 11

**Core Concept:** Panic disorder is a psychiatric disorder characterized by sudden and recurrent episodes of intense fear or anxiety, often accompanied by physical symptoms like palpitations, sweating, and agoraphobia (fear of being in situations from which escape might be difficult or embarrassing).

**Why the Correct Answer is Right:** The correct answer, Agoraphobia (Answer C), is related to panic disorder and represents a specific type of agoraphobia where the patient fears being in situations that may be difficult or embarrassing to leave. This patient exhibits symptoms of panic disorder, including marked anxiety, palpitations, and sweating in specific situations (leaving home, travelling alone, and being in a crowd).

**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect:**

A. Social Anxiety Disorder (Answer A): This condition is characterized by excessive and inappropriate anxiety in social situations, not specifically in situations of restricted escape or embarrassment.

B. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (Answer B): Although generalized anxiety is present in both panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, the specific symptoms of fearing situations with escape difficulties or embarrassment are more typical of panic disorder.

D. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (Answer D): PTSD is a psychiatric disorder resulting from exposure to a traumatic event and is not directly related to fear of specific situations like panic disorder.

**Clinical Pearl:** Panic disorder and agoraphobia are common psychiatric disorders that affect patients' daily life and require proper evaluation and management. Patients should be assessed for comorbidities and referred to a mental health professional for appropriate treatment, which may include psychotherapy and/or pharmacotherapy like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).