Agoraphobia treatmentGuide To Agoraphobia Treatment

Before we start our attempt to explain and define agoraphobia, let us show why we decided to talk about it. We will show the reason in terms of numbers.
We have found a figure that says that agoraphobia rate in the USA is about 1 person in 84 people is managing and dealing with Agoraphobia. This means that 3.2 million people in the USA and dealing with Agoraphobia.
Agoraphobia as a disorder is categorized under anxiety disorders in the anxiety DSM IV. Therefore, it is looked at as one of the types of anxiety.

Agoraphobia comes from Greek words meaning “marketplace” and “fear.” Agoraphobia, characterized by a person’s fear of fear, is actually a form of social anxiety disorder. People avoid specific circumstances that offer no chance of escape when diagnosed with agoraphobia. In addition, diagnosed patients also avoid places such as malls, airports and markets, especially when these places are large and unfamiliar. In most cases agoraphobia patients see their home as the only “safe place,” restricting their activity.

Melissa remembers her first panic attack like it was yesterday. She was coming home from work as usual on the 5:32 train. She was reviewing her to do list for the weekend and thinking about a presentation she had to give at work on Monday. 

While her obligations were many, going to her daughter´s play, arranging catering for her husband´s birthday the following weekend, making baked goods for the school bazaar and getting this work presentation done that cropped up at the last minute, they were no more than usual. She decided to pick up some food for dinner on the way home and went to the supermarket.   

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is considered to be extremely effective in helping people to overcome panic disorders, and this can usually be achieved within 8 sessions. I use CBT at my practice in Hertfordshire and have found it very useful in treating agoraphobia, particularly when used in conjunction with a newer cognitive therapy, Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP).

This article details some of the ways in which CBT and NLP are used during NLP Herts to help clients achieve freedom from agoraphobia.
1. Cognitive Therapy - At NLP and CBT Herts, people are supported to identify and change the distorted thinking patterns that maintain anxiety. Behind panic attacks and anxiety are negative thoughts. These thoughts alone cannot cause anxiety, but the belief that they are true does cause anxiety.

Since I recovered from panic disorder and agoraphobia, people often ask me what the major turning point in my recovery was. There were many turning points, but if I had to choose just one, I would pick the night I made a deal with God in one of my darkest hours of fear. That’s because it changed the orientation of my life.

I wasn’t sure if you can really make a deal with God, but I didn’t care. In complete and utter desperation, I prayed to God that if I could be freed from suffering and have my normal life back, I would use whatever abilities God gave me in the service of other people. I told God that if I were made well, my purpose in life would be to help others in times of suffering. Though I didn’t know it then, this change in purpose made all the difference.

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.

The consequences of agoraphobia are astronomical. Most people do not realize the impact this disorder can have; unless of course they or someone they love suffers from it.
But how does agoraphobia start? What is it exactly? Let us begin by discussing panic attacks. Panic attacks are sudden feelings of impending doom or intense dread that spring from nowhere.
The sufferer may be having a great time when suddenly she feels an intense and overwhelming fear. Her body reacts to that fear just as it would to any other extreme threat.

She may feel her heart pound rapidly, or feel as though she cannot breathe. Some people report having fears of dying or going crazy. There is an indescribable need to escape.

About 5% of the American population struggles with this potentially very severe and disturbing anxiety disorder. It has the power to disrupt lives, ruin careers, tear apart families and turn you into a recluse. Of course, this problem comes in many degrees of severity and while your life may not have been shattered, it has certainly been inconvenienced.

The term agoraphobia means a fear of open spaces. However, this is not the essence of this problem. For people suffering from this condition, what they really fear is having a panic attack in a place where assistance is limited, unavailable or embarrassing to obtain.

The unpredictability of anxiety attacks creates a disturbing chain of events that leaves sufferers fearful of exposing themselves to situations where attacks will take place.

Agoraphobia is a very common anxiety disorder. It affects roughly 1 in 20 Americans in varying forms and degrees. The only disorder more common is alcoholism. This type of anxiety is fear based. You are afraid that you will be caught in a situation where it will be difficult or embarrassing to leave quickly if you have a panic attack.

Agoraphobia and panic attacks are really necessary companions because it really boils down to being afraid of attacks.

It is a condition that usually develops following panic. Since the panic was so frightening and made you so anxious you avoid situations that you associate with the potential to cause another attack.

Avoidance becomes a way of life and fear your middle name. People suffering from agoraphobia tend to avoid situations where escape would be difficult or embarrassing in the event of a panic attack.

For example, sufferers tend to avoid grocery stores, department stores and restaurants.

Before we can learn how to manage and reduce your agoraphobia, we need to learn to identify the symptoms and decide whether this is the particular phobia or anxiety you are dealing with. 

To begin with a phobia is an excessive fear. We are all afraid of things; sharks, monsters, Frankenstein, the monster in the closet. A phobia isn´t this type of fear but rather an excessive fear of a specific object, circumstance or situation that interferes with your life.

Our general, transitory fears don´t become constant threats.