Treatment For Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is one of the more restricting and depressing conditions related to panic attacks. While some people know it as a fear of open spaces it is actually a fear of a loss of control where the sufferer will panic once they leave a place of control and security which is usually their own home which leads to the misconception about open spaces.

Preparing for the doctor’s appointment:

Since the Treatment For Agoraphobia involves a lot of factors, you may want to make a list of symptoms you experience and questions that you want to ask your doctor.

Start out with the following:

• How often do you experience symptoms of Agoraphobia?
• How do they start?
• Write down the symptoms you experience during an episode of Agoraphobia.
• How long do these symptoms last?
• Does anything seem to make your symptoms better or worse?
• When did you first notice the symptoms of Agoraphobia?
• Write down any recent significant stress or changes in your life.
• Do you suffer from any other mental health or medical issues? If so what are the issues?
• Does anyone in your family suffer from mental health issues?
• Do you consume alcohol, smoke or use illicit drugs? How often?
• Do you feel depressed or suicidal at times?
• Make sure someone accompanies you for your doctor’s visit so they will remember any details of treatment that you may forget.

Questions to ask your doctor:

• How can you identify Agoraphobia and what can I do to handle it?
• Do I need to avoid certain foods or situations ?
• Do I need to have medical tests to rule out any medical condition?
• What are the options available for my treatment?
• How often should I visit the doctor?
• Do I need to take medication or will my situation get better with therapy?
• What are the risks and side-effects of taking medicine?
• How long should I undergo treatment before I see any improvement?
• Are there any support groups or other patients suffering from a similar problem that I can talk to?
• Are there any brochures available, do you recommend any online support groups or websites?
• Signs and symptoms to watch out for.
• Phone numbers to contact in-case of emergency.

Treatment for Agoraphobia:

Treatment For Agoraphobia can involve both psychotherapy and some medications.

Psychotherapy options:

Cognitive-behavioral therapy:

CBT (Cognitive behavior therapy) involves a therapist working with the patient to understand how thoughts and feelings influence behavior.The goal is to change negative thought patterns that lead to the patient’s anxiety and replace them with positive and more realistic thoughts.

Cognitive therapy helps patients to limit cognitive distortions by teaching patients to record their worries, listing evidence that justifies or contradicts the extent of their concerns. Through CBT patients learn that “worrying about worry” worsens anxiety and they are taught to take a proactive approach to solve their problems instead of practicing avoidance or procrastination.

Exposure therapy:

This is a form of therapy where the patient is exposed to the objects of their fear in a safe, controlled environment. Through repeated exposures to the feared object or situation, the patient develops control over the situation and no longer feels threatened by any negative outcome.

Drugs:

Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines are used to provide short-term relief to the patient, then can become addictive and habit-forming and hence are not recommended for long-term use. Many patients are started on Benzodiazepines and enrolled into CBT at the same time, the dose of Benzodiazepines is tapered off as the patient develops more control over his/her thoughts.

Antidepressants

Short dose of TCAs are used to reduce severity of anxiety and frequency of episodes. TCA’s provide a long-term solution for treatment of Agoraohobia. Amitryptiline is a popular TCA for the treatment of Agoraphobia.

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors have also been used to treat Agoraphobia, but they are usually used as last line of treatment due to their side effect profile and associated dietary restrictions.

SSRIs

SSRI’s are the most preferred drugs in treatment of Agoraphobia.

Paroxetine or fluoxetine have been the first line of treatment for Agoraphobia and they have proven to be very effective. Escitalopram is another drug that appears to be effective in the Treatment For Agoraphobia.

Finally, it depends on the individual as to which medicine works best. Linden method is one of the best and easiest treatment of agoraphobia. It is mostly because the body chemistry makes one medicine work better for one person than another. Also do remember that you need to give each medicine the proper time to work.

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