> I always thought agoraphobia was fear of open spaces. Is it the crowding that you can't
> handle (like claustrophobia, being closed-in) or the idea of all those people?


Agoraphobia is the fear of being in a crowded place, although it's often confused with the fear of being in an open space (it's a bit like schizophrenia in that respect).
"Agoraphobia" comes from the greek for "fear" and "marketplace".

Paul