Agoraphobia: How Can You Treat It?

Agoraphobia is a type of anxiety disorder characterised by an intense fear of places that can make an individual feel embarrassed, trapped or helpless. Often, individuals also experience panic attacks with this mental health condition. To minimise their anxiety, individuals avoid situations that trigger their symptoms, including public transport, social gatherings, crowded places and more.

Naturally, agoraphobia can make an individual feel socially isolated as they withdraw from their loved ones. However, with effective treatment, this condition is completely manageable. Typically, treatment for agoraphobia includes both psychotherapy and medication but may involve some lifestyle changes too.

In this article, we help you understand the various treatments available to help cope with symptoms of agoraphobia.

Also read: Which Anxiety Medication Is Right for Me?

Treatment approaches for agoraphobia

Intense fear of places can force individuals to stay confined to their homes or ask someone to accompany them, even during short trips. Thus, over time, this condition can cause significant distress in an individual's daily life. 

While living with this condition can be difficult, with effective treatment, managing this condition gets easier. Psychotherapy is the treatment of choice for agoraphobia, but medication and lifestyle changes can also help to an extent. 

Psychotherapy

Several psychotherapeutic approaches can help in managing agoraphobia symptoms. However, the most widely used treatment method seems to be cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). 

The CBT approach is framed around the idea that negative thought patterns and beliefs lead to the maintenance of this condition. Hence, a mental health expert will work with you to identify these negative thoughts and feelings and help you transform them into more realistic ones. Cognitive behavioural therapy techniques helps individuals break away from the cycle of negative thoughts leading to harmful behaviour by helping them identify and adapt to its root cause.

Besides CBT, another CBT-based technique known as exposure therapy can also help with the symptoms of agoraphobia. Using tools such as systematic desensitisation and relaxation techniques, mental health experts slowly expose individuals to situations they fear and help them learn how to manage their anxiety in those instances. Over time, the fear associated with these situations decreases, which is crucial for symptom management. 

Also read: How Does Therapy Help With Anxiety?

Lifestyle changes and self-care techniques

Besides psychotherapy, lifestyle changes and self-care habits can be excellent supplementary tools to help you manage the symptoms of agoraphobia. Understanding how you can help yourself between therapy sessions is a useful resource and helps with symptom management over time. 

Self-care habits such as deep breathing exercises, creative visualisation and meditation can be helpful in situations that incite fear. These tools help you stay focused and not run away from the situation at the first sign of fear. Instead, you can work on regulating your emotions through deep breathing and relaxation techniques, helping you accept your symptoms and cope better. In addition, online community groups can be great resources to learn healthy self-care habits and connect with others in a similar situation. 

Lifestyle changes such as regular exercise, having a healthy diet and avoiding harmful substances help maintain your overall well-being. 

Medication

While there is no specific medication for agoraphobia, medicines to help with symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks can be helpful. However, these medications should only be prescribed by a licensed medical professional after a comprehensive evaluation and keeping your needs in mind. 

Also read: How Long Will I Need to Be in Therapy for Anxiety?

Although dealing with mental health conditions like agoraphobia can make you feel alone, it is important to remember that help is available. Whether through psychotherapy, medication, lifestyle changes or a combination of the three, it is possible to manage your symptoms and connect with your loved ones.

Sources:

1. https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/agoraphobia/treatment/ 

2. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15769-agoraphobia 

3. https://psychcentral.com/anxiety/agoraphobia-treatment#preparing-for-an-appointment