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There may also be a recurrence of panic attacks after the medication is withdrawn. The individual works with a therapist to develop coping strategies to allay anxiety, such as relaxation and breathing techniques. While in-vivo, or real-life, exposure is ideal, imagined exposure is an acceptable alternative in desensitization. Treating agoraphobia with exposure therapy reduces anxiety and improves morale and quality of life in many cases.
Panic disorder and agoraphobia
Some people may need more time in treatment to learn and implement their newly acquired skills. This kind of therapy, which is reported to have a low relapse rate, is effective in eliminating panic attacks or reducing their frequency. It also reduces anticipatory anxiety and the avoidance of feared situations. Agoraphobia is a mental health condition that causes excessive fear of certain situations.
Agoraphobia Symptoms
SSRIs are also used to treat panic disorder when it occurs in combination with OCD, social phobia, or depression. The medications are started at low doses, which are gradually increased until they produce a beneficial effect. The goal of treatment is to help the agoraphobic person function effectively, and the most effective remedy is systematic desensitization, also called exposure therapy. It is a behavioral technique in which the sufferer, under expert guidance, is gradually exposed to the feared situation and comes to understand that the feared outcomes do not materialize. Using relaxation and desensitization techniques, your provider may have you imagine a scary situation and manage the feelings.
What is agoraphobia?
You then start worrying about having another panic attack, especially in front of other people, which worsens the agoraphobia. About one third of people with agoraphobia never leave their home. People with agoraphobia can be treated with therapy and medications.
The PAI, then, provides an excellent way to tap into the way you might feel about re-entry into a post-COVID world. Seeing yourself in these situations can help you gain insight into the thoughts that are the most likely to prompt panic. Imagine yourself in a situation such as being in a large crowded public place, waiting in long lines, and taking public transportation. Now rate yourself on a scale indicating the probability that you will panic in each of these situations.
Signs
You avoid certain places and situations because you think you’ll feel trapped and not be able to get help. By Sheryl Ankrom, MS, LCPCSheryl Ankrom is a clinical professional counselor and nationally certified clinical mental health counselor specializing in anxiety disorders. For the best outcomes in managing agoraphobia and panic symptoms, it is important to seek treatment as soon as symptoms arise. Treatment options typically include a combination of both medication and psychotherapy. Learned associations can also play a role in the development of agoraphobia. Experiencing a panic attack in a certain situation or setting can lead to a fear that such a reaction will occur again in the future.
Agoraphobia quiz
The disorder is marked by anxiety that causes people to avoid situations where they might feel panicked, trapped, helpless, or embarrassed. It can occur on its own or alongside another mental health condition, such as panic disorder. Medication can help, depending on your symptoms and if you have any other mental health conditions (like panic disorder, depression, or other anxiety disorders).
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DSM-V outlines the specific symptoms and signs that differentiate it from these other conditions. But anxiety tends to increase the more you avoid situations that you fear. If you start to have mild fears about going places that are safe, try to practice going to those places over and over again. If this is too hard to do on your own, ask a family member or friend to go with you, or seek professional help.
How is agoraphobia treated?
About 1.3% of U.S. adults experience agoraphobia at some point. Agoraphobia refers to the fear of being in places or situations from which escape might be difficult (or embarrassing) or in which help may not be available in the event of an unexpected panic attack. Although it is an anxiety disorder that can occur on its own, it's commonly a complication of panic disorder. More specifically, the focus is on the fear of having a panic attack in such situations. If you experience anxiety going places or have panic attacks, get treatment as soon as possible.
Agoraphobia is manageable with treatment, which includes medication, cognitive behavioral therapy and lifestyle changes. The earlier you receive a diagnosis and treatment, the more likely treatment will work. But if a phobia affects your daily life, therapies are available to help you overcome your fears—often permanently. It's important to address other mental health effects produced by agoraphobia, too. For example, be on the lookout for signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Remember that you deserve to feel comfortable performing your everyday activities without disruption.
Doctors often start with a low dose of one of these medicines that raises the level of a "feel-good" chemical in your brain called serotonin. Some medications that help balance serotonin are citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram oxalate (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), and venlafaxine (Effexor). Stress and anxiety seem to go hand in hand—increase one and the other will soon follow. Relaxation techniques can help you manage stress and anxiety in the moment and may also be helpful to deal with your stressors head-on. Identify those things causing you the most stress in your life so you can create a plan to eliminate them.
In some cases, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can contribute to the development of agoraphobia. PTSD can occur following a traumatic event and lead to hypervigilance and anxiety symptoms, which can lead to the onset of agoraphobia. If your agoraphobia is severe, you may not even be able to leave your home. If this happens to you, you may not be able to visit with family and friends, go to school or work, run errands, or take part in other routine daily activities.
You may attribute the fact that you’re still around to having adhered strictly to these measures. While not a substitute for professional treatment, for those who may otherwise receive no help, self-help is a good starting point. The self-help strategies for agoraphobia outlined below can be used at home to help manage your symptoms.
With your therapist, you make a list of situations, from the least anxiety-provoking to the most. With the therapist, you will first imagine a mildly anxiety-provoking situation while practicing relaxation. Mental health conditions such as agoraphobia are diagnosed using criteria in the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM-5-TR).
Women are two to three times more likely to have it than men, and it's more common in teenagers and young adults. Agoraphobia can severely limit your ability to socialize, work, attend important events and even manage the details of daily life, such as running errands. Agoraphobia is treatable with a combination of therapy and medication. The symptoms must also not be better explained by another medical or mental condition. Many therapists assign their patients "homework" to do between sessions.
If you experience agoraphobia or related symptoms, express your concerns promptly to a healthcare professional. If you experience extreme anxiety or symptoms of agoraphobia, don't wait too long to seek help from a mental health professional. While it can be tempting to think you can solve this all on your own, often people need additional support in the form of therapy or medication to successfully manage agoraphobia.
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