NURS 6501: Final Exam: Please contact Assignment Samurai for help with NURS 6501: Final Exam or any other assignment. Email: assignmentsamurai@gmail.com    An adult patient reports intense fear and avoidance of using public transportation, being in open or enclosed spaces, standing in line, or being in a crowd. The patient expresses fear that these places might cause them to panic or feel trapped and helpless. This clinical picture is most suggestive of: Group of answer choices

• Generalized anxiety disorder
• Agoraphobia
• Social anxiety disorder
• Panic disorder

The correct answer is: Agoraphobia   Explanation: The patient’s symptoms—intense fear and avoidance of situations like public transportation, open/enclosed spaces, crowds, or standing in line—due to concerns about panic, feeling trapped, or being unable to escape are classic for agoraphobia. Key Features of Agoraphobia:

• Fear/anxiety about two or more of the following:
  • Public transportation
  • Open spaces (e.g., parking lots, bridges)
  • Enclosed spaces (e.g., stores, theaters)
  • Crowds or standing in line
  • Being outside the home alone
• Avoidance of these situations due to fear of panic-like symptoms or inability to escape.

Why Not the Others?

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): Excessive worry about many everyday things, not situational avoidance.
• Social anxiety disorder: Fear of social scrutiny (e.g., embarrassment), not open spaces or crowds per se.
• Panic disorder: Recurrent panic attacks may lead to agoraphobia, but the question describes avoidance behaviors (not just panic attacks).

Since the patient’s primary issue is fear of specific situations where escape might be hard, agoraphobia is the best diagnosis.