Treatment of Agoraphobia

Advances in the understanding and treatment of Agoraphobia have been made since the days when my mother suffered from it most severely. I feel that back then, the doctors failed to understand the condition, and the few times she actually consulted with a psychiatric specialist they simply talked about what might be wrong, but failed to provide any actual help or support.

Now the treatment for agoraphobia will almost invariably involve psychotherapy. To be more specific, a type of therapy known as cognitive behaviour therapy, commonly referred to as CBT. In addition anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medicines can also be used to help relieve the symptoms of agoraphobia.

It is my understanding that in recent years, cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) has achieved some success in treating people with agoraphobia. It works on the principle that the way you feel is in part dependent on the way you perceive things. In earlier posts we looked at how an agoraphobic will think that a panic attack will occur if they are in a certain environment outside of their comfort zone. Cognitive delivered exposure is designed to put the person into the very situation they are afraid of, but with support, so that they can live through the situation with the realisation that their fear was in fact unfounded.

Many psychologists describe agoraphobic thought and behaviour as a vicious circle. This occurs because the person is afraid that if they put themselves into the situation that they fear then they will have a panic attack. As a result, they avoid putting themselves into that situation. Because of this the anxieties are not resolved, but instead become worse, leading to an increased fear of having a panic attack. The vicious circle keeps revolving but it's intensity or effect becomes worse. Cognitive delivered exposure attempts to break the vicious circle by placing the patient into real-life environments.

I have recently read a report where the use of cognitive delivered exposure was described thus; "if you were worried that you would hyperventilate if you had to walk to the corner shop, your therapist would accompany you to the corner shop to see if this was the case."

Wow - a therapist that would walk to the corner shop with you. Are they living in the real world? That would truly be a far cry from the treatment that my dear old mum got.

However, the principle seems sound and is used to overcome many forms of phobia. It basically means to expose the person to the very thing that they fear, but in a controlled and supportive way.

The person who fears that they would experience a panic attack if they walked to the corner shop, can indeed be helped if they are accompanied by a friend or helper (if not a professional therapist). The first steps should involve only short journeys, it will feel less scary for them if they remain close to their "safe zone". the process should be approached slowly and with constant support. Often, people's perceived predictions of how they will react in certain situations are a lot worse than how they actually react.

Cognitive delivered exposure should begin by setting small goals before moving on to more ambitious tasks which are complete by the person alone as their confidence increases.

Therapists are aware that many people with agoraphobia by the very nature of their condition would find it impossible to visit a therapist so they will arrange home visits. Also, an increasing number of effective programmes can be conducted via the Internet, or through the use of interactive software. We will investigate these further next time.

Help For Agoraphobia

Help For Agoraphobia
By Giri Anantha

There is no question that you need to get help for agoraphobia. Agoraphobia can drag on for years. It can be depressing to watch life pass you by.

Despite how badly you may feel right now, it is very possible to overcome this condition, so remain positive. You must make the move to get proper help though.

Help Is Effective

Whatever you think right now, there is lots of help these days which will make you feel so much better. It will get rid of the dark cloud that's constantly hovering over you.

You may be required to take medicine to help calm some of what you're feeling. Cognitive behavioral therapy along with medication is effective. Your doctor will provide tasks to accomplish.

You will be actively involved and participating in your recovery. You'll need to report everything to your doctor. As you progress and start feeling better, your tasks may increase.

This is fine, because by this stage, things are looking up for you already. By practicing, you get better and more confident. The dark cloud above you is all but gone! Imagine how happy you'll be feeling!

Encountering Problems

Occasionally, you might have a bad day. This does happen, so don't worry, although it can be upsetting. That's alright. Just remember to carry on with the good work you've done up to this point.

Getting well does take time and effort, so you need to be patient and focused. Put any 'bad days' behind you and get right back into the thick of things!

Alternative Methods

You can get help for agoraphobia by using other methods too. Some successful drug-free methods include PureCalm, a herbal remedy that's been effective for many, The Linden Method and Panic Away programs.

There are many other options as well. You can try a holistic approach or hypnosis, for example. However, whatever you choose, try to have some form of therapy as well for the best benefit.

It's easy to look for excuses and put things off. Having a therapist means you have to 'report' to someone. Be honest. It's for your benefit. With a strict and planned program, you will make tremendous strides. http://www.panic-and-agoraphobia.com http://www.panic-and-agoraphobia.com/help-for-agoraphobia.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Giri_Anantha http://EzineArticles.com/?Help-For-Agoraphobia&id=829430