How to Treat Agoraphobia
Talk to someone you can trust about your fear., Seek help from a mental health professional., Try to stop avoidance behaviors., Practice relaxation techniques., Confront public places slowly and with guidance., Challenge irrational thoughts.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Talk to someone you can trust about your fear.
Panic caused by agoraphobia can seem overwhelming and impossible to control.
If you are suffering from this condition, it is crucial that you let others in your life know, so that they can be understanding and provide support.
Tell them about the situations which trigger your fear, and describe how it feels., Phobias are very difficult to deal with on your own.
Finding a counselor or therapist to help you deal with the symptoms and causes of your agoraphobia is essential.
For more extreme cases your doctor may recommend cognitive behavioral therapy or medication to assist you in dealing with your condition. , While it may be very unpleasant, you should do your best to regularly face the situations which trigger your fear and panic.
In modern life, exposure to public places is inevitable, and the more you resist, the worse the consequences will be for your life.Don't do it alone.
Having a trusted friend or family member with you when you are on the bus, at the store, or in any other triggering situation can be a great help. , If you find yourself panicking in a public place, try to focus on controlling your breath instead of fixating on fearful or anxious thoughts.
Breathing slowly and deeply will help naturally calm your body's physiological response to fear, reducing its severity.
Close your eyes, count slowly to 10, and focus on breathing in through the mouth, and out through the nose.
Visualize calming environments and images, and remind yourself that you are in no danger, and that the episode will pass., Your therapist can help you explore "exposure therapy" in which you intentionally seek out situations which trigger your fear response.
For a person with agoraphobia, this means confronting situations such as crowds, public places, or wide open space.
This must be done slowly and gradually, and with great care, so that the fear and panic do not become overwhelming, putting you or others in danger.
It is best to consult with your therapist before attempting exposure therapy.It is important that, before you begin this type of treatment, you have worked on coping techniques with your therapist.
Attempting exposure therapy without knowing a productive way to cope with the situation can cause you to become even more fearful.Practice deep breathing, mindfulness, or other techniques your therapist might suggest.
You and your therapist will work on a gradual approach.
You might begin by looking at images of large crowds.
Your therapist might have you gradually go further and further from your home, or go to places where you will be among a small number of people (maybe a small gathering at a friend's house) and work up to something like a crowded street festival or concert.After each step, you will begin to see that the fear and anxiety are tolerable and will subside, and that the things you fear happening (like becoming trapped in the crowded space and unable to leave) generally do not actually happen., Many of the anxious and fearful thoughts associated with agoraphobia are irrational, meaning that they are not based in fact.
Understanding this, you can work to correct your thoughts by challenging them with evidence.
When you are in a situation which triggers your agoraphobia, ask yourself these questions:
Do facts or evidence support my fearful thinking, or are they irrational? ("How often does someone actually get trampled while shopping at a crowded mall? Is this really likely to happen to me?") If a frightening or dangerous situation occurs, what steps could I take to remain safe? ("I can use my cellphone to call the authorities and take note of the exits and use them to leave the situation.") What would I say to another person with agoraphobia to comfort them in this situation? ("I would tell him to take a deep breath and visualize being somewhere calming.") Have I felt this way before while in a similar situation, and, if so, were my fears warranted? ("I was so anxious when we went to the amusement park and there were such huge crowds and I felt trapped — but no one got hurt and I was able to get to where I needed to go and easily leave when I wanted to.") -
Step 2: Seek help from a mental health professional.
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Step 3: Try to stop avoidance behaviors.
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Step 4: Practice relaxation techniques.
-
Step 5: Confront public places slowly and with guidance.
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Step 6: Challenge irrational thoughts.
Detailed Guide
Panic caused by agoraphobia can seem overwhelming and impossible to control.
If you are suffering from this condition, it is crucial that you let others in your life know, so that they can be understanding and provide support.
Tell them about the situations which trigger your fear, and describe how it feels., Phobias are very difficult to deal with on your own.
Finding a counselor or therapist to help you deal with the symptoms and causes of your agoraphobia is essential.
For more extreme cases your doctor may recommend cognitive behavioral therapy or medication to assist you in dealing with your condition. , While it may be very unpleasant, you should do your best to regularly face the situations which trigger your fear and panic.
In modern life, exposure to public places is inevitable, and the more you resist, the worse the consequences will be for your life.Don't do it alone.
Having a trusted friend or family member with you when you are on the bus, at the store, or in any other triggering situation can be a great help. , If you find yourself panicking in a public place, try to focus on controlling your breath instead of fixating on fearful or anxious thoughts.
Breathing slowly and deeply will help naturally calm your body's physiological response to fear, reducing its severity.
Close your eyes, count slowly to 10, and focus on breathing in through the mouth, and out through the nose.
Visualize calming environments and images, and remind yourself that you are in no danger, and that the episode will pass., Your therapist can help you explore "exposure therapy" in which you intentionally seek out situations which trigger your fear response.
For a person with agoraphobia, this means confronting situations such as crowds, public places, or wide open space.
This must be done slowly and gradually, and with great care, so that the fear and panic do not become overwhelming, putting you or others in danger.
It is best to consult with your therapist before attempting exposure therapy.It is important that, before you begin this type of treatment, you have worked on coping techniques with your therapist.
Attempting exposure therapy without knowing a productive way to cope with the situation can cause you to become even more fearful.Practice deep breathing, mindfulness, or other techniques your therapist might suggest.
You and your therapist will work on a gradual approach.
You might begin by looking at images of large crowds.
Your therapist might have you gradually go further and further from your home, or go to places where you will be among a small number of people (maybe a small gathering at a friend's house) and work up to something like a crowded street festival or concert.After each step, you will begin to see that the fear and anxiety are tolerable and will subside, and that the things you fear happening (like becoming trapped in the crowded space and unable to leave) generally do not actually happen., Many of the anxious and fearful thoughts associated with agoraphobia are irrational, meaning that they are not based in fact.
Understanding this, you can work to correct your thoughts by challenging them with evidence.
When you are in a situation which triggers your agoraphobia, ask yourself these questions:
Do facts or evidence support my fearful thinking, or are they irrational? ("How often does someone actually get trampled while shopping at a crowded mall? Is this really likely to happen to me?") If a frightening or dangerous situation occurs, what steps could I take to remain safe? ("I can use my cellphone to call the authorities and take note of the exits and use them to leave the situation.") What would I say to another person with agoraphobia to comfort them in this situation? ("I would tell him to take a deep breath and visualize being somewhere calming.") Have I felt this way before while in a similar situation, and, if so, were my fears warranted? ("I was so anxious when we went to the amusement park and there were such huge crowds and I felt trapped — but no one got hurt and I was able to get to where I needed to go and easily leave when I wanted to.")
About the Author
Kenneth Richardson
Kenneth Richardson is an experienced writer with over 13 years of expertise in telecommunications. Passionate about sharing practical knowledge, Kenneth creates easy-to-follow guides that help readers achieve their goals.
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